Population: 1,328.188 thousand people (2011)
Area: 91646.0 sq. km
According to citypopulationreview.com, Maine is the easternmost state in the United States and is also known as the Pine State. It is located on the coast of the Gulf of Maine, the coastline of which is very winding, replete with small bays and offshore islands.
Once the territory of the state was completely covered with pine forests. There are many rivers (the largest are Penabscot, Kennebec) and lakes, some areas are swampy. Two mountain systems rise in the lands of Maine: Notre Dame in the north and the northern spurs of the Appalachians in the west and southwest. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, winters in Maine are warm, with positive temperatures, and summers are cool. The main natural resources of the state are forests, marine resources and water systems, which generate a significant amount of electricity.
Maine is an agricultural region. In particular, the state leads in the collection of potatoes. The food, logging and light industries are well developed.
On the territory of Maine, several ancient (5-3 thousand years ago) archaeological cultures were discovered. Before the advent of Europeans, Maine was inhabited by tribes of the Wabanaki group. At the beginning of the 17th century, the French arrived here, and then the British. The first wooden forts did not last long. In 1629, the name Maine appears on the map. It was the Englishmen F. Gorge and D. Mason who received a patent for the lands between the Kennebec and Merrimack rivers, which they dubbed Maine. Soon the southern part of these territories separated and became known as New Hampshire. The territory of Maine at different times was called differently and was part of different colonial formations, for which France and England fought, and after the United States and England. Maine seceded from Massachusetts in 1820 and became a full state. In the mid-19th century, Pine State became an important shipbuilding center. The Civil War only slightly touched the territory of Maine.
The Maine government encourages the development of tourism. First of all, people come here to go fishing on the lakes, to visit the ancient forests. Camping sites, tourist camps, excursions to the mountains and the Arcadia National Park and other events are available for vacationers. Augusta is home to the Maine History Museum and some old colonial-era buildings, including Old West Fort, the oldest surviving wooden fort in the United States (1745).
PORTLAND
Population: 66.194 thousand people (2010)
Area: 136.0 sq. km
Founded: 1633
City status since: 1786
Time zone: UTC-5 summer UTC-4
Altitude: 18 m
In the northeast of the country lies the city of Portland – the administrative center of Cumberland County. It is considered one of the best places for a comfortable stay in the United States. It consists of 30 neighborhoods, but each of them has no legal authority. Territorial division at one time occurred at the request of the townspeople. Many of the informal entities have local associations that liaise with the city administration. In 1899, the territory of the nearby city of Deering, adjacent to the northwestern outskirts, became part of Portland. Throughout its existence, the city has repeatedly been subjected to devastating fires, but rebuilt again. A kind of symbol of his difficult fate is the image of a phoenix on the city seal and the inscription in Latin, which means “I will rise again.” See Maine counties.
Features of the local climate – rainy summers and snowy winters. They are due to the maritime climate dominating the local territory. Before the development of North American territories by Europeans, a tiny Indian settlement of Machigonne was located on the coast of Casco Bay. With the arrival of the British, a small settlement of settlers arose in its place. Over time it developed into a borough called Falmouth. In 1676, after fierce Indian attacks and local fighting, the settlement was almost destroyed. A few years later, it was rebuilt again, but soon it was attacked again by militant tribes and, as a result, destroyed. Since then, new buildings have appeared on its streets.
In the autumn of 1775, due to the shelling of the British, many buildings were damaged. 11 years after these events, a part of it separated from the town of Falmouth to turn into a new settlement, subsequently named by the inhabitants of Portland. After Maine was founded in 1820, it was its capital for 12 years. After the loss of high status, the city was transformed into the economic center of the state. Despite the devastating fires, it continues to attract architectural values. One of them is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Its soaring spire is known as an important element of Portland’s skyline.
