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Maine

Maine
US State
Nickname"The Pine Tree State"
Motto"Dirigo" (Latin for "I lead" or "I direct")
Official languagesNone
DemonymMainer
CapitalAugusta
Largest cityPortland
Largest metro areaPortland-South Portland-Biddeford
Area
Area Ranked39th
Total35385 sq mi 91646 km2
Width210 mi 338 km
Length320 mi 515 km
% water13.5
Population
Pop. Rank41st
Total1,328,361
1,274,923 (2000)
Density43.1 /sq mi 16.64 /km2
Elevation
Highest pointMount Katahdin
5268 ft 1606 m
Mean591 ft 180 m
Lowest pointAtlantic Ocean
0 ft 0 m
Other information
Admission to UnionMarch 15, 1820 (23rd)
GovernorPaul LePage (R)
Lieutenant GovernorKevin Raye (R)
LegislatureMaine Legislature
Upper houseSenate
Lower houseHouse of Representatives
U.S. SenatorsOlympia Snowe (R)
Susan Collins (R)
U.S. House delegationChellie Pingree (D)
Michael Michaud (D)
Timezone
Time zoneEastern: UTC-5/-4

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Maine c-enaudio=en-us-Maine.oggˈmeɪn is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost portion of New England. It is known for its scenery-its jagged, mostly rocky coastline, its low, rolling mountains, its heavily forested interior and picturesque waterways-as well as for its seafood cuisine, especially lobsters and clams.

The original inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking peoples. The first European settlement in Maine was in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. The first English settlement in Maine, the short-lived Popham Colony, was 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 wiped out many of them over the years. As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen European settlements still survived. Patriot and British forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Maine was an exclave of Massachusetts until 1820, when as a result of the growing population and a political deal regarding slavery, it became the 23rd state on March 15 under the Missouri Compromise.


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