MARYLAND AT A GLANCE

Population. 3,922,399 in 1970 census; ranked
18th among the states.

Estimated Population, July 1, 1977. 4,137,620

Area. In square miles: land, 9,874; inland water,
703; Chesapeake Bay, 1,726; total, 12,303. Ranks
42nd among the states.

Physiography. Divided into three provinces with
progressively higher altitudes from east to west;
Coastal Plain province extends from Atlantic
Ocean to Fall Line; Piedmont or "Foothill" prov-
ince from Fall Line to base of the Catoctin
Mountains; Appalachian province from base of
Catoctin Mountains to western boundary of
State. Mean elevation, 350 feet; maximum eleva-
tion, 3,360 feet on Backbone Mountain.

Distances. Longest east-west, 198.6 miles—Fair-
fax Stone to Delaware Line; north-south, 125.5
miles — Pennsylvania line to Virginia line at Smith
Point on south-shore mouth of the Potomac River;
shortest north-south, 1.9 miles—Pennsylvania
line to south bank of Potomac River near Han-
cock; farthest points northwest corner to southeast
corner at Atlantic Ocean, 254.7 miles.

Climate. Generally moderate, the climate varies
from mild to hot in summer and in winter from
moderate in the east and south to very cold in
the mountainous region. Average annual rainfall,
41.65 inches; average annual snowfall, 26.70
inches; temperature average 64.4 degrees Fahren-
heit maximum, 43.7 degrees Fahrenheit minimum,
and 54 degrees Fahrenheit mean.

Chesapeake Bay. 195 miles long with 1,726
square miles in Maryland and 1,511 square miles
in Virginia. Varies in width from 3 to 20 miles.
Navigable for ocean-going ships and has two
outlets to the Atlantic Ocean, one through the
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, one through the
mouth of the Bay between the Virginia capes.

Chief Rivers. Potomac, Wye, Patuxent, Susque-
hanna, Choptank, Nanticoke, Elk, Magothy, Pa-
tapsco. Sassafras, South, Severn, Gunpowder,
Tred Avon, Bush, Miles, Chester, Northeast,
Wicomico, Pocomoke, and Great Bohemia.

Boating Waters. Twenty-three rivers and bays
with more than 400 miles of water tributary to
the Chesapeake Bay; Chincoteague Bay with 35
miles of water accessible to and from the Atlantic
Ocean.

Water Frontage. Sixteen of the 23 counties and
Baltimore City border on tidal water. Length of
tidal shoreline, including islands, 3,190 miles.

Forest Area. More than 2,970,000 acres, or ap-
proximately 47 per cent of the land surface. Chief
forest products are lumber, puipwood, and piling.
Nine State forests and one State forest nursery
cover 118,362 acres.

State Parks and Recreation Areas. Thirty-five
operational State parks covering 63,525 acres; 66
lakes and ponds open lo public fishing; 9 State
forests and portions of 9 State parks open to pub-
lic hunting; 31 wildlife management areas cover-
ing 64,799 acres open to public hunting; 3 natural
environment areas containing approximately
5,700 acres.

Manufacturers, 1976. Number of establishments,
2,432; total employees, 231,600; total payroll,
$3,284,000,000; total value added by manu-
facturers, $5,257,000,000. Most important
manufactures: food and kindred products; prima-
ry metal products; electric and electronic
products; transportation equipment; chemical and
allied products; and machinery (except electrical).

Agriculture, 1977. 17,400 farms covering
2,900,000 acres. Total farm receipts $660,865,000.
Most valuable farm products: poultry and poultry
products $204,491,000, field crops $165,198,000;
dairy products $162,168,000. Most valuable
crops: corn $68,856,000; soybeans $41,089,000;
tobacco $30,200,000; vegetables and melons
$25,766,000; greenhouse and nursery $25,000,000;
wheat $10,733,000; fruit $10,721,000. Workers on
farms 31,000.

Mineral Production, 1975. Stone, 15,709,000
short tons, value, $47,669,000; sand and gravel,
12,942,000 short tons, value, $31,914,000; bitumi-
nous coal, 2,830,000 tons, value, $61,974,000;
clays (except ball clay) 702,000 short tons, value,
$1,817,000; natural gas, 75 million cubic feet, val-
ue, $24,000; peat, 2,000 tons; value of mineral
production that cannot be itemized, $41,026,000;
total value of all mineral production,
$181,424,000.

Seafood Production, 1977. Fish, 15,830,000
pounds, dockside value, $2,752,000; crabs,
20,400,000 pounds, dockside value, $6,018,000;
oysters, 2,191,000 bushels, dockside value,
$14,142,000; clams, including soft-shell, hard-
shell, and surf, 10,037,000 pounds, dockside