Maine

Maine’s Capital
Situated in central Maine, approximately 55 miles north
of Portland, Augusta stands as the state's capital city,
chartered in 1849. Covering just over 58 square miles,
it borders the towns of Manchester, Sidney,
Vassalboro, Windsor, and Chelsea. Augusta holds the
distinction of being the easternmost state capital in the
United States. As of 2000, the city had a population of
around 18,560 people and 8,565 households. Despite
being the third-least populous state capital in the U.S.,
following Montpelier, Vermont, and Pierre, South
Dakota, Augusta offers plenty of exciting attractions for
exploration.
Maine on a map

Maine 320 miles long and 210 miles wide,

and has a total area of approximately
33,215 square miles.

Maine is bounded to the northwest and northeast by the Canadian provinces of Quebec
and New Brunswick, respectively, and to the west by New Hampshire. The famed rocky
coastline of the state is angled from southwest to northeast along the Atlantic Ocean.
 Maine’s
Population
Size
The population size is1.372 million (2021)
In 2021, the largest racial or ethnic group in Maine was the white
(non-Hispanic) group, which had a population of 1.3 million.
Between 2010 and 2021, the white (non-Hispanic) population had
the most growth increasing by 15,066 from 1.3 million in 2010 to 1.3
million in 2021.
 Maine’s Climate

Maine experiences cold, snowy winters and mild summers. Winter temperatures range from
25°F in the south to less than 15°F in the north and interior. Summers see average
temperatures ranging from near 60°F in the far north to about 70°F in the south. With around
90% forest coverage and over 3,500 miles of coastline, the state's economy, including
forestry, fishing, tourism, and ecosystem services, is highly vulnerable to climate change.
Maine’s Flag
Until 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts, and its early symbols
reflected this connection. The state's coat of arms featured a pine tree
emblem adopted from the Massachusetts naval flag. Pine trees were
vital to Maine's early economy due to their use in shipbuilding.

In 1901, Maine adopted a flag with a pine tree and the North Star on a
light tan background, symbolizing its northernmost location. The
current state flag, established in 1909, showcases a moose-and-
pine-tree emblem, with the Latin motto "Dirigo" ("I direct") and the
North Star. Maine also has a unique naval flag with a white
background and a green pine tree, resembling Massachusetts' flag.
Maine’s Production

Maine's agricultural output focuses on blueberries, dairy, potatoes, poultry, and eggs, with
potatoes being the major crop, primarily grown in Aroostook County. Additionally, the state excels
in fisheries, particularly for cold-water species such as lake trout, salmon, arctic char, brook trout,
and lobsters. Maine is the leading producer of blueberries and the top lobster catch state in the
U.S.
 Maine’s Education
Maine stands out in the national report "Why Rural Matters 2013-14" as the state
where addressing the needs of rural schools is of utmost importance. This
distinction arises because 67.5% of Maine's schools qualify as rural, a percentage
second only to Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, and North Dakota. Additionally,
57% of Maine students are classified as "rural students," attending schools in areas
defined as "rural remote," "rural distant," or "rural fringe," making it the second
highest in the country, following Vermont. Moreover, Maine allocates 60% of its
state education funds to "rural districts," the highest rate in the nation (Johnson et al.,
2014, p. 9; nces.ed.gov).
 Video

Facts about Maine

Thank you!