Connecticut is a state in the northeastern United States, part of the New England region. The capital is Hartford and the largest city is Bridgeport. Population – 3,580,709 people (29th place in the USA; 2011 data). It is the forty-eighth largest state in the United States. If you do not take into account the District of Columbia, the state ranks first in terms of GDP per capita in the United States ($54,397).
The official nickname since 1959 is Constitution State. Previously, the official nickname was Nutmeg State (Nutmeg State). The first settlers in the state were the Dutch, who founded the settlement, which later became the city of Hartford. Until 1667, half of the territory was part of New Netherland, then it was transferred to the British Empire, and the Connecticut colony itself was founded by the Englishman Thomas Hooker in 1636. Connecticut was among the first 13 states to declare their independence from England.
STATE NAME
The name of the state of Connecticut, like many other names of the US states, comes from the language of the indigenous inhabitants of North America – the Indians. On the territory of the modern state of Connecticut, the Indians lived one of the Algonquian tribes – the Mohegans. The Mohegan word quinatucquet means “long river”. It is from this word that the names of the Connecticut River and the state of Connecticut originated.
GEOGRAPHY
The state of Connecticut is located in the Northeastern United States and belongs to the states of New England. The territory of the state of Connecticut is 14,357 km2 (48th place in terms of area among the US states, only Delaware and Rhode Island occupy a smaller area). Connecticut is bordered by the states of New York to the west, Massachusetts to the north, and Rhode Island to the east. In the south, the coast of Connecticut is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The state of Connecticut is located in the Eastern Time Zone of the United States. Most of Connecticut is located within the Atlantic Lowlands, only in the west, along the border with the neighboring state of New York, the Taconic mountain range, part of the Appalachians, stretches. It is here that the highest point of Connecticut (the southern slope of Mount Frissell, located on the border with Massachusetts, 748 meters above sea level) and the highest peak,
The Taconic Mountains are one of the most popular hiking trails in the United States of America – the Appalachian Trail (which starts in Georgia, passes through the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and ends in Maine).
CLIMATE
The state of Connecticut is characterized by a humid continental climate, which is greatly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Summers are quite warm and humid, while winters are cool with heavy snowfalls. The average temperature of the coldest month, January, in Bridgeport, Connecticut’s largest city, located on the southwest coast, varies from -5°C to 3°C, and July – from 19°C to 25°C. In the capital city of Connecticut, Hartford, located in the central part of the state, in January, the temperature ranges from -8°C to 1°C, and in July – from 17°C to 29°C. Like other US states located on the Atlantic coast, Connecticut is periodically hit by tropical storms and hurricanes.
ECONOMY
The basis of the state’s economy is industry, although other industries are also well developed: finance and insurance (Hartford is the historical center of the insurance business in the United States), education, agriculture, and tourism. Connecticut has a very well developed industry, including the military. The city of Groton is home to the shipyards of General Dynamics Electric Boat, the largest manufacturer of submarines for the US Navy. The main base of the US Navy submarines, known as “Base New London” or “Underwater Capital of the World”, is also located here.
In Hartford, US Fire Arms, a company producing small arms, including pistols of the famous Colt brand, operates. Connecticut is home to the famous Yale University, a member of the prestigious Ivy League. Founded in New Haven back in 1701, Yale has more than ten thousand undergraduate and graduate students, among its graduates are forty-nine Nobel Prize winners and five US Presidents. The “State of Constitution” does not have any significant mineral reserves, only sand, gravel and other building materials are mined here.
TOURISM
Tourism is one of the most important branches of the state’s economy. The picturesque nature of Connecticut attracts many lovers of hiking and recreation on the ocean coast. Popular state attractions include the National Helicopter Museum in Stratford, the home of the famous American writer Mark Twain in Hartford, and many others.
In addition, Connecticut is one of the few places in the US Northeast (along with New Jersey) where gambling is legal. Here are the so-called “Indian” (that is, belonging to one or another Indian people) casino, the largest and most profitable in the US Foxwoods Casino Resort in Ledyard and Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Montville. Like the famous Las Vegas casinos, Connecticut casinos attract visitors not only with games, but also with concerts, boxing matches and other entertainment. Very convenient and their geographical location – between the cities of New York and Boston.
Largest Counties in Connecticut
One of the original 13 colonies, Connecticut was settled by the English in the early 1600s. It played a significant role in early American industry. Connecticut has 9 counties, though they no longer have governmental functions. Counties in Connecticut 1….
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