According to babyinger, Maryland is a state located on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the south, West Virginia to the west, and Pennsylvania and Delaware to the north. Maryland is divided into two distinct geographic regions: The Eastern Shore, which lies on the Delmarva Peninsula, and the Chesapeake Bay region. The Eastern Shore features flat coastal plains with many inlets, coves, islands, and wetlands. This region is home to many species of wildlife including osprey, bald eagles, herons, and oysters. The Chesapeake Bay region is characterized by rolling hills and forests that stretch along its shores. This area includes Maryland’s largest city Baltimore as well as many smaller cities such as Annapolis and Frederick. In addition to this region’s large population centers there are also numerous rural areas with farms that produce corn, soybeans, wheat, vegetables and fruit among other crops. Maryland also has several mountains located in its westernmost counties including Catoctin Mountain in Frederick County which reaches a height of 2200 feet above sea level at its highest point.
Administrative Regions in Maryland
According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, Maryland is divided into 24 counties and one independent city. Each county is governed by a board of county commissioners, with the exception of Baltimore City, which has its own mayor and city council. The state capital, Annapolis, is located in Anne Arundel County. Maryland also has several small towns and cities that are not part of any county; these are known as municipalities.
The state is divided into eight administrative regions: Western Maryland, Central Maryland, Southern Maryland, Eastern Shore, Upper Eastern Shore, Lower Eastern Shore, Northern Maryland and Baltimore Metro. Western Maryland encompasses Allegany and Garrett counties. Central Maryland includes Anne Arundel County and Howard County as well as Baltimore City. Southern Maryland consists of Calvert County and Charles County while the Eastern Shore includes Cecil County, Dorchester County, Kent County, Queen Anne’s County, Somerset County and Talbot County. Upper Eastern Shore covers Caroline County and Worcester Counties while Lower Eastern Shore covers Wicomico Counties and Worcester Counties. Northern Maryland includes Carroll Counties along with Harford counties while the Baltimore Metro region includes Baltimore City as well as Baltimore and Howard Counties.
Each region is served by various local government entities such as police departments, fire departments and public schools districts among other services depending on the region’s size or population density. The state government has established Regional Councils to coordinate activities between different levels of government in each region to ensure that all citizens have access to quality services regardless of where they live in the state.
Demographics of Maryland
The population of Maryland is estimated to be 6.045 million people, making it the 19th most populous state in the U.S. The racial makeup of the state is 58.2% White, 28.8% Black or African American, 7.9% Hispanic or Latino, 5.3% Asian and 2.2% other races according to the 2019 Census estimates.
Maryland also has a large immigrant population with approximately 11% of its residents being foreign-born according to the Migration Policy Institute. The largest immigrant communities in Maryland are from El Salvador, India, Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras respectively. Additionally, Maryland has a large Jewish population with more than 300,000 Jewish residents as well as a significant Muslim population with more than 70 mosques throughout the state as of 2019 estimates by American Islamic Congress and Pew Research Center respectively.
The median household income in Maryland stands at $80,776 as per 2019 estimates by US Census Bureau while the poverty rate stands at 8%. The unemployment rate was 3.6% in October 2020 according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics which is lower than the national average for that month (6%).
The largest cities in Maryland are Baltimore (population 602k), Columbia (102k) and Germantown (90k). The largest counties by population are Montgomery County (1 million), Prince George’s County (900K) and Baltimore County (827K).
Transportation in Maryland
The state of Maryland offers a variety of transportation options for its residents. Public transportation is provided by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) which operates buses, light rail, metro and commuter trains throughout the state. There are also several regional private bus companies that provide transportation to various parts of the state.
In addition to public transportation, Maryland also has a well-developed road network with both interstate and non-interstate highways connecting major cities and towns in the state. The most important highways are Interstate 95 and Route 50 which run along the eastern part of Maryland connecting it to Washington D.C., Virginia and Delaware.
For air travel, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is located near Baltimore City and serves as the primary airport for domestic flights within the United States as well as international flights to Canada, Mexico, Europe and Central America. Additionally, there are smaller regional airports in Salisbury and Easton that offer limited service for private planes or chartered flights.
Railways have been an important part of Maryland’s history since the 19th century when they were used to transport goods from ports on Chesapeake Bay to other parts of the country. Today, Amtrak operates several routes throughout Maryland with stops in Baltimore, Annapolis and other cities along its route from Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York City in the North to Richmond in Virginia in the South.
Finally, a number of ferry services are available between different points on Chesapeake Bay such as Annapolis-Kent Island Ferry Service or Crisfield-Tylerton Ferry Service among others providing an important means of transport for those living on or traveling through these areas.