Maryland Geography

Basic Facts

• Geographical Region: South
• Size: 12407 sq.mi., 42nd rank overall.
• Admitted to Statehood: April 28, 1788
• Population: 5,699,478;19th rank overall.
• Capital: Annapolis
• Other Major City: Baltimore
• Abbreviation: MD

Fun Facts

• Nickname: Old Line State
• State Flag: Click Here (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Bird: Baltimore Oriole (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Flower: Black-Eyed Susan (opens window to 50states.com)

Geographical Description

• The Chesapeake Bay divides Maryland into two sections the Eastern Shore and the Western Shore. The Atlantic Coastal Plain is a flat area that rises gradually to a height of 400 feet to the west and covers all of the Western Shore and part of the Eastern Shore.
• The northwestern region known as Piedmont contains rolling hills and fertile valleys stretching for 50 miles until it meets the mountainous Blue Ridge region.
• The west the Appalachian Plateau contains Maryland's highest point, Backbone Mountain, which is 3,360 feet above sea level. The Allegheny Mountains make up a large part of this heavily forested area.
• Located in the Chesapeake Bay, Smith Island is Maryland's only inhabited off-shore island.
• Maryland forests cover approximately 2.7 million acres, or 43% of the states land surface. Oak and hickory are the dominant hardwood or deciduous forest type, making up 60% of forested areas. Loblolly pine is the most prevalent softwood and is the predominant forest wood on the Eastern Shore

Map: Relief Map of MD

Industry

Electric equipment, biotechnology and information technology, food processing, chemical products, printing and publishing, missles, transportation equipment, machinery, primary metals, coal, tourism

Agriculture

Seafood, poultry and eggs, dairy products, livestock, cattle, soybeans, corn, hay, tobacco .

Other Information

Fun Facts:

• The first school in the United States was opened in 1696 and named King Williams School.
• Annapolis once served as the capital of the United States.
• On the morning of August 10, 1813 residents of Saint Michaels having been forewarned of a British attack hoisted lanterns to the masts of ships and in the tops of the trees. The height of light caused cannons to overshoot the town. This first known blackout was effective and only one house was struck and is now known as the "Cannonball House." The town has been known as the town that fooled the British since this historic event.
• Annapolis, Maryland is home to the United States Naval Academy founded on October 10, 1845.
• One of the first calls to end British rule over the colonies was heard at Hungerford's Tavern in 1774, where present day Rockville is located.
• The oldest state capitol house still in legislative use is the Maryland State House.
• Greenbelt, an experiment in both the physical and social planning, was the first planned city built in the United States.

More Fun Facts: http://www.50states.com/facts/maryland.htm