Maine is a state located in the New England region of the United States. New Hampshire borders it to the southwest, Canada from the northwest to the northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. The state has an area of 35,385 square miles, making it the largest state in New England and the 39th largest in the U.S. Moreover, Maine is 90% forested, and remains one of the world's leading producers of paper.
Maine is divided into two main geographic areas: coastal Maine and inland Maine. Coastal Maine comprises eight counties on a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean. This region features rocky shorelines, numerous islands and harbors, protected bays and estuaries, small towns, villages, and modern cities like Portland. Inland Maine stretches across eight counties and consists of large tracts of forested wilderness, lakes, rivers, and mountainous hillsides.
The state's major mountain range is the scattered Longfellow Mountains, which are considered to be an extension of New Hampshire's White Mountains. They were named by the Maine Legislature (in 1959) to honor the famous poet and the native son - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Notably, the Appalachian mountain trail finishes at Mount Katahdin, because the Longfellow range is a subregion of the Appalachians.
Furthermore, the highest point in Maine is Mount Katahdin, 5269 feet above sea level, located in Baxter State Park near Millinocket. The lowest elevation point is sea level along its coastline. The climate of Maine is moderate, with warm summers (averaging around 70°F) and cold winters (averaging around 20°F). Snowfall averages about 100 inches per year statewide during winter months but varies greatly depending on location within Maine's different geographical regions.
The major rivers that flow through or border Maine are the Penobscot River which empties into Penobscot Bay; Androscoggin River from northern New Hampshire to Merrymeeting Bay; Kennebec River from Moosehead Lake to Popham Beach; Saco River, which empties into Saco Bay; Saint John River which forms part of the US-Canada border flowing mostly northward until it empties into the Bay of Fundy; Allagash River between Chamberlain Lake and Allagash Village; Aroostook River from northeastern Maine into New Brunswick; Presumpscot River flows near Portland before reaching Casco Bay; St Croix flows southwestward through Calais toward Passamaquoddy Bay separating Saint John's Island from mainland Nova Scotia.
Additionally, many smaller rivers are all over Maine, including the Machias River near Machias Bay on Washington County's northeast coast. Machias River originates in central-western Washington County and then heads southeastward toward Lubec Channel before emptying its waters into the Gulf of Maine at Machiasport. Narraguagus river runs some 55+ miles southward before emptying its waters into Narraguagus bay at Milbridge.
Maine has numerous lakes, such as Sebago lake near Portland; Moosehead lake, located about 65 miles northwest of Bangor; Flagstaff lake, formed when the Dead river was blocked by the Flagstaff dam built in 1950; Rangeley Lake, situated in the western mountains area; and Long lake located in Oxford county.
Maine also has several large island groups such as Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park; Islesboro, situated in Penobscot Bay; and Vinalhaven placed east of Rockland.
Maine is a unique blend of varied landscapes like rocky shores, coves, bays, estuaries, islands, sandbanks, and shallow water zones dotted by many lakes, rivers, and streams. The combination of these elements gives Maine its distinct image.
The State of Maine is divided into 16 counties. In alphabetical order, these counties are: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.
With an area of 91,646 sq. km, Maine is the 12th smallest and the 9th least populous state in the USA. Located in Kennebec County is Augusta - the capital city of Maine. It is also the third least populated state capital in the US. Situated in Cumberland County is Portland - the largest and the most populous city in Maine. It also serves as an important economic center of the state and the Port of Portland is the New England region’s biggest tonnage seaport.
The State of Maine is located in the north-eastern (New England) region of the United States. Maine is bordered by the state of New Hampshire in the west; by the Atlantic Ocean in the southeast and by the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick in the northeast and by Quebec in the northwest.
Regional Maps: Map of North America
The above blank map represents the State of Maine, located in the north-eastern (New England) region of the United States. The above map can be downloaded, printed and used for geography education purposes like map-pointing and coloring activities.
The above outline map represents the State of Maine, located in the north-eastern (New England) region of the United States. It is colloquially known as the "Pine Tree State", as about 90% of the state's total land area is covered by forests.
Legal Name | State of Maine |
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ISO 3166 Code | US-ME |
Capital City | Augusta |
This page was last updated on February 13, 2023