Fifteen Maryland facts

1. The State of Maryland is an American State located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States.
2. Annapolis, home of the U.S. Naval Academy, has served as the state capital of Maryland since 1694 and is one of the oldest settlements in Maryland.
3. Total Area: 42nd among states, 31,849 sq km (12,297 sq mi).
4. Maryland is comparable in overall area with the European country of Belgium.
5. Baltimore was home to the nation’s first umbrella factory, the first coal-burning steam engine in 1830, and elevated electric railway in 1893. 
6. For 2009, Maryland ranked first—for the third year in a row—as the U.S. state with the highest median income for 2008, with a median income of $70,545.
7. The first dental school in the United States opened at the University of Maryland. 
8. Maryland is a nexus of life sciences research and development, with more than 350 biotechnology companies located there, making Maryland the third-largest nexus in this field in the United States.
9. The Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use. 
10. Maryland possesses a great variety of topography, hence its nickname, "America in Miniature."
11. The first practical refrigerator was invented in Baltimore in 1803. 
12. On June 24, 1784, from Baltimore, 13-year-old Edward Warren flew in the first successful manned balloon launch in the United States. 
13. Baltimore is named after Cecil Calvert who received the Maryland Colony from King Charles I. His title was “Lord Baltimore.”
14. Maryland was the first state to enact Workmen’s compensation laws in 1902.
15. Channel 67 broadcast the state’s first public television programs on October 5, 1969.