Pontiac

City and administrative headquarters of Oakland County, southeast Michigan, USA, on the Clinton River, 38 km/24 mi northwest of Detroit; population (2000) 66,300. Situated in a lake-strewn resort area, Pontiac is one of a ring of cities surrounding Detroit, involved in the American automobile industry. It specializes in the manufacture of Pontiac cars and goods vehicles for General Motors, and is also a tourist centre. Among its other manufactures are rubber, paint and varnish, boats, plastic, and dairy products. Its 80,000-seat Silverdome arena (1975) is the home of the Detroit Lions American football team.

Pontiac was settled in 1818 as a rest point on the westward pioneer trail, and named after a chief of the Ottawa people. In the late 19th century it was a major producerof horse-drawn vehicles.