Capital:
Concord
Governor: Jeanne Shaheen, D (to Jan. 2005)
Senators: Judd Gregg, R (to Jan. 2005); Bob Smith, R (to
Jan. 2003)
Treasurer: Georgie A. Thomas, R (to Dec. 2002)
Secy.
of State: William M. Gardner, D (to Dec. 2002)
Atty.
General: Philip T. McLaughlin (to March 2001)
Entered
Union (rank): June 21, 1788 (9)
Present
constitution adopted: 1784
Motto:
Live free or die
State Symbols:
|
flower
|
purple lilac (1919) |
|
tree
|
white
birch (1947) |
|
animal
|
white-tailed deer (1983) |
|
insect
|
ladybug (1977) |
|
saltwater fish
|
striped bass (1994) |
|
freshwater fish
|
brook
trout (1995) |
|
amphibian
|
spotted newt (1985) |
|
butterfly
|
karner blue (1992) |
|
bird
|
purple finch (1957) |
|
songs
|
"Old
New Hampshire" (1949) and "New Hampshire, My New
Hampshire" (1963) |
|
|
Under an
English land grant, Capt. John Smith sent settlers to establish
a fishing colony at the mouth of the Piscataqua River, near
present-day Rye and Dover, in 1623. Capt. John Mason, who
participated in the founding of Portsmouth in 1630, gave New
Hampshire its name.
After a
38-year period of union with Massachusetts, New Hampshire was
made a separate royal colony in 1679. As leaders in the
revolutionary cause, New Hampshire delegates received the honor
of being the first to vote for the Declaration of Independence
on July 4, 1776. New Hampshire gained a measure of international
attention in 1905 when Portsmouth Naval Base played host to the
signing of the treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War, known as
the Treaty of Portsmouth.
Abundant
water power early turned New Hampshire into an industrial state,
and manufacturing is the principal source of income in the
state. The most important industrial products are electrical and
other machinery, textiles, pulp and paper products, and stone
and clay products.
Dairy and
poultry farming and growing fruit, truck vegetables, corn,
potatoes, and hay are the major agricultural pursuits.
Tourism,
because of New Hampshire's scenic and recreational resources,
now brings over $3.5 billion into the state annually.
Vacation
attractions include Lake Winnipesaukee, largest of 1,300 lakes
and ponds; the 724,000-acre White Mountain National Forest;
Daniel Webster's birthplace near Franklin; Strawbery Banke,
restored buildings of the original settlement at Portsmouth; and
the famous "Old Man of the Mountain" granite head profile, the
state's official emblem, at Franconia.
Nickname: Granite State
Origin of name: From the
English county of Hampshire
10 largest cities (1999 est.):
Manchester, 102,830; Nashua, 82,677; Concord, 38,981; Rochester,
28,241; Dover, 26,586; Portsmouth, 25,798; Keene, 23,003;
Laconia, 17,103; Claremont, 13,871; Lebanon, 12,395
Land area:
8,969 sq mi. (23,231 sq km)
Geographic center: In Belknap
Co., 3 mi. E of Ashland
Number of counties:
10
Largest county by population and area:
Hillsborough, 367,233 (1999 est.); Coos, 1,801 sq mi.
State parks: 42 (50,000+ ac.)
Residents: New Hampshirite
1999 resident population est.:
1,201,134
1990 resident census population (rank):
1,109,252 (41). Male:
543,544; Female: 565,708.
White: 1,087,433 (98.0%);
Black: 7,198 (0.6%);
American Indian: 2,134
(0.2%); Asian: 9,343 (0.8%);
Other race: 3,144 (0.3%);
Hispanic: 11,333 (1.0%).
1990 percent population under 18:
25.1; 65 and over: 11.3;
median age: 32.7. |
