Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $27,296 million (2012 U.S. Department of Commerce)
Key Industries: Agriculture including apples, maple syrup, cattle, sheep, and dairy products
Electronics, paper, granite, lumber, and tourism
How Vermont got its name: Vermont is derived from two French words mont and vert meaning green mountain. The name was suggested by Dr. Thomas Young in 1777.
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Vermont State Symbols
State Nickname: Green Mountain State
State Slogan: Vermont, naturally
State Motto: Vermont, Freedom and Unity
State flower: Red Clover
State bird: Hermit Thrush
State fish: Brook Trout (cold water), Walleye Pike (warm water)
State tree: Sugar Maple
State mammal: Morgan horse
State foods: Apple, Apple Pie
Becoming a State
Date admitted: Friday, March 4, 1791
Number admitted: 14
Prior Name: Province of New York, Vermont Republic
Postal Abbreviation: VT
The Geography of Vermont
Total Size: 9,250 sq. miles (source: 2003 Census)
Geographical Low Point: Lake Champlain at 95 feet (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
Geographical High Point: Mt. Mansfield at 4,393 feet, located in the county/subdivision of Chittenden (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
Central Point: Located in Washington County approx. 3 miles east of Roxbury (source: U.S. Geological Survey)
Counties: 14 (source: National Association of Counties)
Bodies of Water: Lake Champlain, Lake Bomoseen, Connecticut River
Famous People
Ethan Allen - One of the founders of Vermont and leader of the Green Mountain Boys.
Chester A. Arthur - The 21st President of the United States
Calvin Coolidge - The 30th President of the United States
John Deere - Invented the steel plow and started the company Deere & Company
Admiral George Dewey - Military hero from the Spanish American War
Joseph Smith - Religious leader and founder of the Latter Day Saints
Norman Rockwell - Artist who lived in Vermont
Hannah Teter - Gold medal snowboarder
Rudy Vallee - Singer and talk show host
Brigham Young - Mormon leader and settler of the Western United States
Fun Facts
Vermont gets its name from two French words. They are 'vert' which means 'green' and 'mont' which means 'mountains'. So the state is named after its lovely green mountains.
It was one of the first states to outlaw slavery.
It is the second smallest state by population (after Wyoming).
Ben and Jerry's ice cream began at a gas station in Burlington, Vermont.
Vermont is the home of maple syrup. Got any pancakes?!
Ethan Allen organized the Green Mountain Boys to help keep the area independent from New Hampshire and New York.
The land was called New Connecticut prior to joining the Union.
It was the first state to join the Union after the original 13 colonies.
President Calvin Coolidge was born in Plymouth, Vermont on the 4th of July in 1872.
Professional Sports Teams
There are no major professional sports franchises in Vermont.
