State of Maine | |||||
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Nickname(s): "The Pine Tree State" "Vacationland" |
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Motto(s): "Dirigo" (Latin for "I lead", "I guide", or "I direct") |
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Official language | None | ||||
Spoken languages | English (92%), French (5%), Other (3%) | ||||
Demonym | Mainer | ||||
Capital | Augusta | ||||
Largest city | Portland | ||||
Largest metro | Portland-South Portland-Biddeford | ||||
Area | Ranked 39th | ||||
• Total | 35,385 sq mi (91,646 km2) |
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• Width | 210 miles (338 km) | ||||
• Length | 320 miles (515 km) | ||||
• % water | 13.5 | ||||
• Latitude | 42° 58′ N to 47° 28′ N | ||||
• Longitude | 66° 57′ W to 71° 5′ W | ||||
Population | Ranked 42nd | ||||
• Total | 1,329,328 (2015 est) | ||||
• Density | 43.0/sq mi (16.6/km2) Ranked 38th |
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• Median household income | $50,756 (40th) | ||||
Elevation | |||||
• Highest point |
Mount Katahdin 5,270 ft (1606.4 m) |
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• Mean | 600 ft (180 m) | ||||
• Lowest point |
Atlantic Ocean sea level |
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Before statehood | District of Maine (Massachusetts) | ||||
Admission to Union | March 15, 1820 (23rd) | ||||
Governor | Paul LePage (R) | ||||
President of the Senate | Michael Thibodeau (R) | ||||
Legislature | Maine Legislature | ||||
• Upper house | Senate | ||||
• Lower house | House of Representatives | ||||
U.S. Senators |
Susan Collins (R) Angus King (I) |
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U.S. House delegation |
Chellie Pingree (D) Bruce Poliquin (R) (list) |
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Time zone | Eastern: UTC −5/−4 | ||||
ISO 3166 | US-ME | ||||
Abbreviations | ME, Me. | ||||
Website | www |
Maine state symbols | |
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The Flag of Maine
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The Seal of Maine
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Living insignia | |
Bird | Chickadee |
Fish | Atlantic salmon |
Flower | White pine cone |
Insect | Honey bee |
Mammal | Moose |
Tree | Eastern white pine |
Inanimate insignia | |
Beverage | Moxie |
Food | Blueberry pie |
Fossil | Pertica quadrifaria |
Gemstone | Tourmaline |
Motto | Dirigo (I Lead) |
Soil | Chesuncook |
Song | "State of Maine Song" |
State route marker | |
State quarter | |
Released in 2003
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Lists of United States state symbols |
Maine (/ˈmeɪn/) is the northernmost state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Maine is the 39th most extensive and the 41st most populous of the U.S. states and territories. It is bordered by New Hampshire to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the north. Maine is the easternmost state in the contiguous United States, and the northernmost east of the Great Lakes. It is known for its jagged, rocky coastline; low, rolling mountains; heavily forested interior, and picturesque waterways; and also its seafood cuisine, especially clams and lobster. There is a continental climate throughout the state, even in coastal areas such as its most populous city of Portland. The capital is Augusta.
For thousands of years, indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine. At the time of European arrival in what is now Maine, several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area. The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. The first English settlement was the short-lived Popham Colony, established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate, deprivations, and conflict with the local peoples caused many to fail over the years.