New Hampshire is one of the smallest US states. It is located in the north-east of the country. The state stretched for 305 km from north to south, from east to west - 110 km. The total area of ββNew Hampshire is more than 24 thousand square meters. km Neighboring the states of Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts. Together with them, it is part of a historical region called New England. In the north, it has a border with Canada, and a small southeastern territory is washed by the Atlantic Ocean.
A bit of history
The history of the state began in the first half of the 17th century, when the expedition of the Englishman Martin Pring landed on these lands. Prior to this, only Indian tribes lived on the territory. Until the 70s of the XVIII century, the state was under British control. In honor of one of the provinces, New Hampshire got its name.
During the War of Independence, they were the first to proclaim an act of autonomy. This happened in January 1776, and in 1808 the state decided on its capital. It became the city of Concord. The state capital of New Hampshire covers an area of ββ175 square meters. km The population reaches 42 thousand people. Concord is located in the southern part of the state. During the Civil War in the United States, New Hampshire residents fought on the North side.
Geographic features
Almost the entire territory of New Hampshire is covered with forests. This state is the second largest (second only to the Isle of Man province) and the number of forest stands. Along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean are small islands, geographically also related to New Hampshire. In the northern part of the state runs the White Mountains massif (White Mountains). This is the extreme northern part of the Appalachian mountain system. The highest point of the state, as well as the entire historic district of New England, is Mount Washington (1,917 m). The central and southern parts of New Hampshire are lowlands. The coastline stretches only 29 km, there are small comfortable beaches.
Inland waters
Two major rivers flow through the state of New Hampshire - Connecticut and Merrimack. Numerous hydroelectric power stations have been built on these water flows, which provide the region with electricity. The largest cities of the state along with the capital are founded in the Merrimack Valley. At the southern slopes of the White Mountains is a small lake system, and the largest body of water is Lake Winnipesoki.
Climate
Neighborhood with the Atlantic Ocean affects the weather conditions of the local region. The climate in the state is humid continental: warm short summers and long, windy, snowy, frosty winters. Average January temperatures: -8 ...- 10 Β° , July +17 ... + 20 Β° .
Population
The population of the state is 1,320 thousand people. Of these, about 45 thousand people live in the capital. New Hampshire's most populous city is Manchester. More than 110 thousand people live in it. Nashua, Rochester, and Keane are also major cities in New Hampshire. The capital, it is worth noting, is much less populated.
According to racial composition, the population in the local territory is distributed as follows:
- almost 94% are white;
- Asians - 2%;
- blacks - just over 1%;
- representatives of other or mixed races - about 3%.
According to the national composition, the most resident in the state are:
- French nationals - 25%;
- 23% are Irish;
- English - 19%;
- Italians and Germans - 10% each.
Also numerous are Swedes, Austrians, Scots and Poles.
In terms of religious affiliation, more than 72% of the population profess Christianity. Of these, representatives of the Catholic and Protestant faiths were divided almost equally. Fans of other directions are widespread: Baptists, Adventists, Mormons. About 17% of the population are atheists.
Economy
The unspoken name of New Hampshire is Granite State. He got this name due to the presence of a large number of quarries in which granite is mined. Extraction of building materials has long been the dominant industry in state industry. It is this area that is the leading branch of the economy. In addition to granite quarries, sand and gravel are also mined here in large quantities. In addition, the state has developed such industries as engineering and electronics. New Hampshire is home to one of the largest marine parts manufacturing facilities in the country, and it also has the largest optics factory.
Thanks to the numerous forests, the state produces paper, lumber and other wood products. Agriculture is also developing. From livestock farming, the foremost are poultry farming and dairy farming. Potatoes, corn, blueberries and cranberries are grown in greenhouses. There are coniferous farms especially for the Christmas holidays.
Tourism
Due to the climatic and environmental conditions, New Hampshire is actively developing tourism. Picturesque landscapes, beaches, mountains, close proximity to major cities (New York, Boston) attract more and more tourists to these places, the number of which is increasing annually. There are also other places where you can have fun.