Maryland – Geography & Population
The state of Maryland (MD), also known as the Old Line State, is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. The state borders Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Delaware. MD is 12,407 square miles, making it the 42nd largest state in the country. MD is comparable in size to Hawaii, which is just slightly smaller.
MS’s capital is Annapolis, with just under 38,500 people. However, the largest city in the state is Baltimore, with just under 621,000 people. MD’s population is just over 6 million people, making it the 19th most populous state in the U.S. Ranked on the list of highest median household incomes in the U.S., Maryland places 5th with an average of $73,594.
Early History
MD was initially thought to be the birthplace of religious freedom in the United States. Maryland’s name was derived from the English Queen, Henrietta Maria of France. Queen Henrietta Maria was the wife of the English King, Charles I. Today, some still argue that Maryland was named after Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, colonized Maryland in 1632. The state was considered a place for Catholics to find refuge from Protestant England. The Lord of Baltimore’s first settlers came to Maryland in 1634 and created the first permanent colonization called St. Mary’s City. St. Mary later became the state’s first capital. Disputes between Catholics and Puritans would later become prominent throughout the modern-day state.
MD was one of the thirteen colonies in the American Revolution that rebelled against British rule. As a result, the ratification of the Articles of Confederation was approved by Maryland, which became the thirteenth, and the last state to support it in 1781. Maryland joined the United States Union on April 28th, 1788, making it the 7th state to do so.
State Facts
The Progressive Era, a time of social activism and widespread political reform in the United States, had a significant impact on not only the country but also Maryland especially. In 1902, the state outlawed child laborers working under the age of 12, regulated conditions in mines, made school attendance mandatory, and also legislated the country’s first workers compensation law.
Many factors contribute to the economy in Maryland, such as the port of Baltimore, agriculture and fishing, tourism, and biotechnology. The port of Baltimore is the eighth largest in the United States. Due to commercial fishing in Maryland in the Chesapeake Bay, many exports include blue crab, oysters, and bass. Other crops include watermelons, peas, tomatoes, tobacco, and sweet corn. Chicken is also a substantial part of the agricultural industry as Perdue Farms’ headquarters is located in Salisbury. In addition, the Baltimore Aquarium and Ocean City are both popular tourist destinations in Maryland.
MD has become the fourth-largest place in the U.S. for biotechnology. Biotechnology research and development is a growing field in the state, with over 400 technology companies established there.
Sports are very popular in the state of Maryland, with a number of significant and minor league teams. The Baltimore Ravens and the Washington Redskins are the two major National Football League teams in the state. The Major League Baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles, is also a major franchise. The National Hockey League also possesses a team in the state, the Washington Capitals. In addition, many well-known athletes were born in Maryland, including Babe Ruth and Michael Phelps.
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