Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin and
23rd most populous in the United States. It is the
county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the
southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. Its estimated 2008
population was 604,477.
Milwaukee is the main cultural and
economic center of the Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha
Metropolitan Area with a population of 1,739,497 as of
2007. Milwaukee is
also the regional center of the seven county Greater
Milwaukee Area, with an estimated population of
2,014,032 as of 2008.
Once known almost exclusively as a brewing and manufacturing powerhouse, Milwaukee has taken steps in recent years to reshape its image. In the past decade, major new additions to the city have included the Milwaukee Riverwalk, the Midwest Airlines Center, Miller Park, an internationally renowned addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, and Pier Wisconsin, as well as major renovations to the Milwaukee Auditorium. In addition, many new skyscrapers, condos, lofts, and apartments have been constructed in neighborhoods on and near the lakefront and riverbanks.