Maryland is known for:
- Blue crabs
- Birthplace of the U.S. National Anthem
- The twin spans of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
- Fishing
- Proximity to Washington D.C.
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
MD |
| State Capital |
Annapolis |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 12,407 sq miles; Land Only: 9,774 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
23 |
| Time Zone |
Eastern Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia |
| Highest Point | Hoye-Crest, 3,360 feet |
| Tallest Building | 100 Light in Baltimore, 529 feet |
| Largest Stadium | M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, capacity 71,008 |
| National Parks | None |
| State Population (2020) | 6,177,224 |
| State Population Density | 632.0 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
227, 240, 249, 301, 410, 443, 667 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Baltimore (586,131)
Frederick (73,308)
Rockville (69,512)
Gaithersburg (67,741)
Bowie (58,212)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Bird |
Baltimore Oriole |
| State Boat | Skipjack |
| State Cat | Calico cat |
| State Crustacean | Blue crab |
| State Dessert | Smith Island cake |
| State Dinosaur | Astrodon johnstoni |
| State Dog | Chesapeake Bay retriever |
| State Drink | Milk |
| State Exercise | Walking |
| State Fish | Rockfish |
| State Flower |
Black-eyed susan |
| State Folk Dance | Square dance |
| State Fossil Shell | Ecphora gardnerae gardnerae (Wilson) |
| State Gem | Patuxent river stone |
| State Horse | Thoroughbred horse |
| State Insect | Baltimore checkerspot butterfly |
| State Motto |
Fatti maschii, parole femine (Manly deeds, womanly words) |
| State Nickname |
Free State; Old Line State |
| State Reptile | Diamondback terrapin |
| State Sport | Jousting |
| State Team Sport | Lacrosse |
| State Tree |
White oak |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Adventure Park USA: Amusement center in Monrovia, Maryland.
- American Visionary Art Museum: Art museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Baltimore Inner Harbor: Historic seaport in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Baltimore Museum of Art: Art museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Brookside Gardens: Botanical garden in Wheaton-Glenmont, Maryland.
- Chesapeake Bay Bridge: Dual-span bridge spanning the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
- Deep Creek Lake: Man-made lake in western Maryland.
- Fort McHenry: National monument and historic shrine located in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Jolly Roger Amusement Park: Amusement park in Ocean City, Maryland.
- Maryland Science Center: Science museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Maryland Zoo: Zoo in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Merriweather Post Pavilion: Performing arts theater in Columbia, Maryland.
- National Aquarium: Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Ocean City Boardwalk: Entertainment district along the Atlantic coast in Ocean City, Maryland.
- Port Discovery: Children's museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Sandy Point State Park: 786-acre state park located along the northwestern shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
- Six Flags America: Theme park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
- Walters Art Museum: Art museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in Maryland. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
| Festival / Event |
When |
Location |
| Annapolis Irish Festival | May | Crownsville |
| Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum's Watermen's Appreciation Day | August | St. Michaels |
| Chesapeake Bay Balloon Festival | August | Bel Air |
| Maryland Seafood Festival | August | Annapolis |
| Ocean City Balloon Festival | August | Ocean City |
| Maryland State Fair | August to September | Timonium |
| Maryland Renaissance Festival | Weekends from August to October | Crownsville |
| Artscape | September | Baltimore |
| Maryland Wine Festival | September | Westminster |
| Susquehanna Wine & Seafood Festival | September | Havre de Grace |
| St. Mary's County Oyster Festival | October | St. Mary's County Fairgrounds, Leonardtown |
| Maryland Irish Festival | November | Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium |
Popular Iconic Maryland Foods
Maryland is famous for the following foods:
- Smith Island Cake
- Burger Cookies
- Pit Beef
- Fisher's Popcorn
- Crab Cakes
- Old Bay
- Thrashers French Fries
- Natty Boh
- Stuffed Ham
- Snoball
- Coddie
Famous People Born In Maryland
Nobel Prize Winners
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- George Young (General Manager. Inducted in 2020)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Babe Ruth (Right Fielder. Inducted in 1936)
- Lefty Grove (Pitcher. Inducted in 1947)
- Jimmie Foxx (First Baseman. Inducted in 1951)
- Frank Baker (Third Baseman. Inducted in 1955)
- Judy Johnson (Third Baseman. Inducted in 1975)
- Al Kaline (Right Fielder. Inducted in 1980)
- Vic Willis (Pitcher. Inducted in 1995)
- Cal Ripken, Jr. (Shortstop. Inducted in 2007)
- John Schuerholz (Executive. Inducted in 2017)
- Harold Baines (Designated Hitter. Inducted in 2019)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Julie Bowen
- Anna Faris
- David Hasselhoff
Famous Singers
- Toni Braxton
- Julienne Irwin
- Scott Weinrich
Maryland Fun Facts
- The state of Maryland was named after Queen Henrietta Maria, who was the wife of England King Charles I.
- The Court of Appeals of Maryland is the only court in the United States whose judges wear red robes.
- The Maryland State House in Annapolis is the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use. It is also the only state house ever to have served as the nation's capitol, from 1783 to 1784.
- Havre de Grace is known as the "Decoy Capital of the World." The city also hosts the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum.
- Maryland gave up some of its land to form Washington D.C.
- Maryland is commonly referred to as "America in Miniature" and sometimes "Little America" because it's home to just about any type of nature feature, other than a desert.
- Maryland was the first state to enact Workmen's Compensation laws in 1902.
- The national anthem of the United States, The Star-Spangled Banner, was written by Francis Scott Key on September 13, 1814, after he witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812.
- Maryland is the only state in the United States with an official State Exercise: walking.
- The longest escalator in the United States is in the Wheaton Station of the Washington Metro in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is 230 feet long.
- In the city of Rockville, swearing on the road is a misdemeanor.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2024.
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