Historic Maryland was the seventh state admitted to the Union on April 28, 1788. Though Annapolis is the state's capital, Baltimore is the state's largest city. Maryland ranks 19
th in the nation in population and 42
nd in total area.
Maryland's nickname is “America in Miniature.” This is fitting, due to the fact that it has varying topography. Not only does it have a vast array of geographic details, Maryland has diverse climates. A great deal of precipitation allows the states plant life to thrive. Palm, oak, pine, and maple trees are plentiful. In such a heavily wooded region, deer are also in abundance. German, Irish, English, American, and Italian make up the majority of ancestries in the state. The largest concentrations of African Americans are in the southern Eastern Shore, Prince George's County, and Baltimore City. The
Reginald F. Lewis Museum is located in Baltimore, MD; one of the largest African American museum on the East Coast.
Transportation serves as a major service. While Maryland's Port of Baltimore ranks 10
th in the country in the capacity of its merchant vessels, it's most common imports are commodities in bulk and raw materials. Iron ore, petroleum, fertilizers, and sugar are very commonplace imports into the port. Though a lot of the state's commerce depends on imports and exports of the port, Maryland is not propped up by this at all. Chicken and tobacco farming are also major producers—not to mention the defense/aerospace industry and bio-research laboraties. Check out our
business directory to see where to find a good chicken dish. Maryland has over 350 biotechnology firms, making it a nucleus for life sciences. The average household income was $68,080, as of 2007, making Maryland the state with the highest paid households in the nation.