Maine is a state in the northeastern United States, part of New England. The capital is Augusta, the largest city is Portland. The original inhabitants of the state were people who spoke Algonquian. The first European settlement in Maine was founded by the French in 1604 on the island of the Holy Cross. The first English settlement was established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. Despite the harsh climate and conflicts with the local population, the number of English settlements on the coast of the state increased. By the time the state was incorporated in the 18th century, only half of the European settlements had survived. Patriots and British troops held the territory during the Revolutionary War and the Anglo-American War. Until 1820, the state belonged to Massachusetts, and, as a result of the Missouri Compromise, became the free 23rd state. The official nickname is “Pine State”.
STATE NAME
There is no consensus on the origin of Maine’s name. According to one of the popular versions, the name of the state of Maine comes from the English word mainland (“mainland”). The Maine Legislature’s 2001 resolution establishing “Franco-American Friendship Day” states that Maine was named after the medieval French county of Maine. This version of the origin of the name of the state of Maine can be called official.
GEOGRAPHY
The state of Maine is located in the Northeastern United States. The territory of the state of Maine – 91,646 km2 (39th place among the US states). Maine is the largest state of New England in terms of area. Maine is the only state in the continental United States that borders only one state – New Hampshire (in the west). In the northwest, north and northeast, Maine borders on Canada, from the south and southeast it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Maine is occupied by the spurs of the Appalachian mountain range. In the west, the ranges of the White Mountains stretch, in the northern part of the state there are several mountain peaks, which are called the Longfellow Mountains.
CLIMATE
The state of Maine is characterized by a humid continental climate, with warm, humid summers and cold (especially in the north of the state), snowy winters. from 12°C to 24°C. On the coast, in the Portland area, in January, the temperature ranges from -11°C to 0°C, in July – from 15°C to 26°C.
ECONOMY
Maine’s modern economy is based on agriculture, fishing, shipbuilding, timber and pulp and paper industries. In recent decades, tourism has been rapidly and successfully developing in the state, as well as high-tech, science-intensive industries. The main crops of the state of Maine are potatoes (the northernmost district of the state, Aroostuk, is especially famous for its potato crops), cereals (mainly fodder corn and oats), legumes. The state grows fruits and berries (apples, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries). Maine ranks first among all US states in terms of production of blueberries, a quarter of this extremely popular berry in the USA is grown here. Maine is one of the largest producers of traditional New England maple syrup and maple sugar.
Farmers in Maine raise cattle, pigs, and poultry. Many dairy products and eggs are produced here. The breeding of valuable fish species (salmon, trout) is also common. Commercial fishing plays an important role in the economy of the state of Maine; cod, flounder, haddock, and herring are caught in coastal waters. Maine leads the US in lobster (lobster) production, and is also famous for its other seafood (mussels, crabs, sea urchins).
TOURISM
The picturesque and diverse nature of Maine attracts many tourists, thereby giving the opportunity to develop another very important branch of the state’s economy. The Appalachian Trail, a very famous and popular hiking trail in the USA, runs through the state. Fans of rafting (rafting) and rowing are happy to come to the rivers of Maine. Maine is very popular among hunters (including bear, elk, deer) and fishermen. One of the main tourist sites in Maine (and one of the most popular US attractions) is Acadia National Park. Each year, the park, located off the Maine coast on Mount Desert Island, is visited by more than two million tourists.
Largest Counties in Maine
Originally part of Massachusetts, Maine became its own state in 1820 under the Missouri Compromise. Known for its maritime history, Maine has 16 counties. 10 Largest Counties in Maine 1. Cumberland County County Facts Population: 303,069 (2020 Census) Area Codes:…
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