Maryland

Maryland is located in the Mid-Atlantic United States with its coast along the Atlantic Ocean. Water is highly prevalent in the state and accounts for 21% of Maryland’s total territorial jurisdiction. President George Washington chose the area around the Potomac River for the nation’s capital city because it offered a convenient waterway to the ocean and was far enough inland to be protected. Maryland accordingly agreed to give up some of its land to provide for Washington D.C. During colonial times, Maryland’s economy was based largely on one crop, tobacco. Its manufacturing industry took precedence in the nineteenth century as shipbuilding and steelmaking found a hub within the state. In recent years, most growth has occurred in the general services sector as well as the public sector. The growth of Washington D.C. and its suburbs has created a number of federal government jobs within Maryland. Coal mining, agriculture, and fishing also remain important to the economy.