Major Cities: Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, Auburn, Biddeford
Borders:New Hampshire, Canada, and the Atlantic Ocean
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $53,656 million (2012 U.S. Department of Commerce)
Key Industries: Agriculture including poultry, cattle, fishing, apples, and maple syrup
Paper, wood products, lumber, electronic equipment, and textiles
How Maine got its name: There is no clear answer as to where the name Maine came from. It first appeared in a charter that granted land to Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Captain John Mason. When the land was split between the two, the land that was Gorges became known as Maine. It is likely that the name came from a nautical reference to the main land.
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Maine State Symbols
State Nickname: Pine Tree State
State Slogan: It Must Be Maine; The Way Life Should Be
State Motto: Dirigo (I lead)
State flower: White pine cone and tassel
State bird: Black-capped Chickadee
State fish: Land-locked salmon
State tree: White Pine
State mammal: Moose
State foods: Moxie, Wild Blueberry
Becoming a State
Date admitted: Wednesday, March 15, 1820
Number admitted: 23
Prior Name: Massachusetts
Postal Abbreviation: ME
The Geography of Maine
Total Size: 30,862 sq. miles (source: 2003 Census)
Geographical Low Point: Atlantic Ocean at Sea Level (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
Geographical High Point: Mt. Katahdin at 5,268 feet, located in the county/subdivision of Piscataquis (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
Central Point: Located in Piscataquis County approx. 18 miles north of Dover (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
Counties: 16 (source: National Association of Counties)
Bodies of Water: Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Maine, Lake Moosehead, Kennebec River, Penobscot River, St. John River
Famous People
Milton Bradley - Board game manufacturer including Candyland and Scrabble
Ricky Craven - NASCAR driver
Patrick Dempsey - Actor
Dorothea Dix - Social reformer
Stephen King - Author
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Poet and author
Nelson Rockefeller - U.S. Vice President
Andrew Wyeth - Artist
Fun Facts
When people say 'bugs' in Maine they are often referring to lobsters.
Acadia National Park is the second most visited National Park in the United States.
Maine has over 3,000 miles of coastline. This is actually more than California!
Maine has over 2,000 islands and 6,000 lakes and ponds.
Maine is the only state with a single syllable name. It is also the only state that shares exactly one border with another state.
The state has 17 million acres of forest and is the leading producer of toothpicks at around 100 million per day.
Maine supplies around 90% of the countries blueberries and lobster.
The most eastern city in the United States is Eastport. The most easterly point is at West Quoddy Head.
Writers Steven King and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow were both born in Maine.
Professional Sports Teams
Maine does not have any major professional sports teams.
