Detroit

Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Wayne County. It lies on the Detroit River, directly across from Windsor, Ontario, and is the largest U.S. city on the Canada–United States border. As of the 2020 census, its population was 639,111.

Founded in 1701 by French explorers Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and Alphonse de Tonty as Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, Detroit grew into a major industrial center during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its rapid expansion was closely tied to the rise of the U.S. automotive industry, and by 1920 it was among the nation’s largest cities. The city later experienced severe population loss and urban decline due to industrial restructuring, job losses in auto manufacturing, and suburbanization. In 2013, Detroit became the largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy, but it exited bankruptcy in 2014.

Detroit remains an important economic and transportation hub. It anchors a large metropolitan area known as Metro Detroit and is closely associated with the “Big Three” automakers—General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Stellantis North America. The city is also noted for its cultural influence, especially in music and design, having helped shape Motown, Techno, and important strands of jazz, hip-hop, rock, and punk. In 2015, UNESCO designated Detroit a City of Design.