Maryland is strategically located on the Atlantic Seaboard, close
to Washington DC, the nation's capital. Maryland has 23 counties
in addition to Baltimore County. The capital city is Annapolis
and Baltimore is the state's only independent city, which also
happens to be the largest. Baltimore is only 50 miles north of
Washington, DC and the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area.
The greater metro area constitutes roughly 90% of Maryland's population,
is one of the wealthiest areas in the nation, ranking 4th in both
effective buying income and retail sales, which are $199 billion
and $123 billion respectively.
Maryland is a small, densely-populated state, ranking 42nd in
size and 19th in population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau,
in 2007, Maryland surpassed New Jersey as the state with the highest
median household income of any state at $68,080. Maryland is also
home to a highly skilled civilian labor force of roughly 3.0 million
workers, the second highest concentration of professional and
technical workers among the US, and one of the highest proportions
of doctoral scientists and engineers in the nation. There are
237 noteworthy science institutes and labs, employing nearly 120,000
scientists and engineers.
Maryland has wide array of climates for a state of its size. The
eastern half of Maryland lies on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, with
very flat topography and very sandy or muddy soil, whereas western
Maryland lies completely in the subtropical highland due to its
elevation. The latter is more typical of the Appalachian mountain
region and features milder summers and cool and often snowy winters.
Maryland is also one of the most environmentally friendly states
in the country and in 2005, Forbes.com rated Maryland as the 5th
"Greenest" state in the country.
Maryland was one of the original 13 colonies that revolted against
British rule in the American Revolution and features many historical
relics and sights all over the state. Maryland also presents a
variety of activities and fun for the whole family and culture,
art, sports activities and events take place year round. The city
of Baltimore not only features the Baltimore world-class symphony
orchestra and the art museum, but also features the family dinner
theatre, which hosts various country events and bluegrass concerts.
Baltimore also ranked 12th on "the best cities to live and
work" in the US by Fortune Magazine. Moreover, Baltimore
is also ranked as one of the top 10 "best cities for international
operation companies" in the US by World Trade magazine.
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