Capital: Annapolis

Governor: Parris N. Glendening, D (to Jan. 2003)

Lieut. Gov.: Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, D (to Jan. 2003)

Senators: Barbara A. Mikulski, D (to Jan. 2005); Paul S. Sarbanes, D (to Jan. 2007)

Secy. of State: John T. Willis, D (to Jan. 2003)

Comptroller of the Treasury: William Donald Schaefer, D (to Jan. 2003)

Treasurer: Richard N. Dixon, D (to Jan. 2003)

Atty. General: J. Joseph Curran, Jr., D (to Jan. 2003)

Entered Union (rank): April 28, 1788 (7)

Present constitution adopted: 1867

Motto: Fatti maschii, parole femine (Manly deeds, womanly words)

State Symbols:

Maryland was inhabited by Indians as early as circa 10,000 B.C. Permanent Indian villages were established by circa A.D. 1000.

In 1608, Capt. John Smith explored Chesapeake Bay. Charles I granted a royal charter for Maryland to Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore, in 1632, and English settlers, many of whom were Roman Catholic, landed on St. Clement's (now Blakistone) Island in 1634. Religious freedom, granted all Christians in the Toleration Act passed by the Maryland assembly in 1649, was ended by a Puritan revolt, 1654-58.

From 1763 to 1767, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon surveyed Maryland's northern boundary line with Pennsylvania. In 1791, Maryland ceded land to form the District of Columbia.

In 1814, when the British attempted to capture Baltimore, the bombardment of Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner." During the Civil War, Maryland was a slave state but remained in the Union. Consequently, Marylanders fought on both sides and many families were split.

Maryland's Eastern Shore and Western Shore embrace the Chesapeake Bay, and the many estuaries and rivers create one of the longest waterfronts of any state. The Bay produces more seafood-oysters, crabs, clams, fin fish-than any comparable body of water. Important agricultural products are greenhouse and nursery products, chickens, dairy products, soybeans, corn, eggs, vegetables, melons, and wheat. Maryland is a leader in vegetable canning. Stone, coal, sand, gravel, cement, and clay are the chief mineral products.

Manufacturing industries produce food and kindred products, instruments, chemicals, printing and publishing, transportation equipment, and primary metals. Baltimore, home of the Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, ranks as the nation's second port in foreign tonnage. Annapolis, site of the U.S. Naval Academy, has one of the earliest state houses (1772-79) still in regular use by a state government.

Among the popular attractions in Maryland are the Fort McHenry National Monument; Harpers Ferry and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Parks; Antietam National Battlefield; National Aquarium, USS Constellation, and Maryland Science Center at Baltimore's Inner Harbor; Historic St. Mary's City; Jefferson Patterson Historical Park and Museum at St. Leonard; U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis; Goddard Space Flight Center at Greenbelt; Assateague Island National Park Seashore; Ocean City beach resort; and Catoctin Mountain, Fort Frederick, and Piscataway parks.

Nickname: Free State; Old Line State

Origin of name: In honor of Henrietta Maria (queen of Charles I of England)

10 largest cities (1999 est.): Baltimore, 632,681; Frederick, 48,710; Gaithersburg, 48,395; Rockville, 48,160; Bowie, 41,091; Hagerstown, 34,611; Annapolis, 33,125; College Park, 27,467; Cumberland, 22,615; Greenbelt, 22,154

Land area: 9,775 sq mi. (25,316 sq km)

Geographic center: In Prince Georges Co., 41/2 mi. NW of Davidsonville

Number of counties: 23, and 1 independent city

Largest county by population and area: Montgomery, 852,174 (1999 est.); Frederick, 663 sq mi.

State forests: 13 (132,944 ac.)

State parks: 47 (87,670 ac.)

Residents: Marylander

1999 resident population est.: 5,171,634

1990 resident census population (rank): 4,781,468 (19). Male: 2,318,671; Female: 2,462,797. White: 3,393,964 (71.0%); Black: 1,189,899 (24.9%); American Indian: 12,972 (0.3%); Asian: 139,719 (2.9%); Other race: 44,914 (0.9%); Hispanic: 125,102 (2.6%). 1990 percent population under 18: 24.3; 65 and over: 10.8; median age: 32.9.