All About Connecticut
Connecticut is a constituent state of the United States of America. It was one of the original 13 states and is one of the six New England states. Connecticut is located in the northeastern corner of the United States. In area it is the third smallest state in the nation, with 5,018 square miles (12,997 square kilometres), and it ranks among the most densely populated. It lies athwart the great urban-industrial complex along the Atlantic coast, with Massachusetts on the north, Rhode Island on the east, Long Island Sound (an arm of the Atlantic Ocean) on the south, and New York on the west. Hartford is the capital. Connecticut takes its name from an Algonquian word meaning ''land on the long tidal river.''
Connecticut, with its many beaches and harbours, its forest-clad hills, and its village greens that are often surrounded by houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, represents a special blend of modern urban life, rustic landscape, and historic sites. It is a highly industrial and service-oriented state, and its personal income per capita is among the highest in the nation. The strength of its economy lies in a skilled working force, much of it fabricating products that have been manufactured in Connecticut since the products were invented.
The population is heavily urban. The state has no single large city, however, and the intense crowding characteristic of many urban areas is not found in Connecticut. It continues its long tradition of being a prosperous state, with in-migration attracted by the good employment opportunities, excellent educational facilities, and pleasant living conditions for the majority of its people.
Essentially a rectangle in shape, 90 miles (145 kilometres) west to east and an average of 55 miles north to south, Connecticut covers the southern portion of the New England section of the Appalachian Mountain system. It contains three major regions: the Western Upland, the Central Lowland (Connecticut Valley), and the Eastern Upland. The northern part of the Western Upland, often called the Berkshire Hills, contains the highest elevation in the state, 2,380 feet (725 metres), on the southern slope of Mount Frissell in the northwest corner. It is drained by one major river, the Housatonic, and numerous tributaries. The Central Lowland is different in character, being a downfaulted block of land approximately 20 miles wide at the Massachusetts border and narrowing as it progresses toward the sea, which it meets at New Haven.
With limited natural resources, a well-educated and innovative citizenry has enabled Connecticut to reach high levels of productivity. Connecticut's creative genius has produced large shares of significant inventions and patents. Connecticut, like other areas of the Northeast, lost much traditional industry to the Sunbelt in the 1940s and '50s, but the '70s and '80s were marked by economic rebound. In the 1980s Connecticut ranked first in personal income per capita and had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. Labour unions have been strong and may be given partial credit for the high wages and good working conditions characteristic of most Connecticut factories. Business is also a powerful force in the state. The Connecticut Business and Industry Association is sophisticated and influential, and there are many active local chambers of commerce.
Numerous sites important in Connecticut's past or associated with illustrious individuals are maintained by state or private organizations. These include the Putnam Wolf Den in Pomfret, Mount Riga Furnace in Salisbury, Fort Griswold State Park in Groton, Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby, the Mark Twain Memorial home in Hartford, the Tapping Reeve House and Law School in Litchfield, and the (William) Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam. Perhaps the best known is Mystic Seaport and Marine Museum in Mystic, where a small New England seaport has been recreated with all its ships and shops. The outdoorsman can tramp the many miles of trails and camp in one of the 30 state forests, covering more than 130,000 acres (52,500 hectares), or in one of 90 state parks, comprising some 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares). Colourful autumn foliage impresses many visitors to Connecticut and the rest of New England. Sport fishing, particularly for bluefish, is popular in Long Island Sound.
Interstate highways crisscross the state, but they are concentrated in the densely settled coastal and Connecticut Valley regions. Connecticut pioneered in the limited-access highway. The first section of the Merritt Parkway, from New York to near Milford, opened in 1938 and is often acclaimed as one of the most scenic and best designed. On June 28, 1983, several lives were lost with the collapse of the Mianus River bridge. The governor and legislature responded with the nation's first comprehensive infrastructure renewal program for roads and bridges. Bradley International Airport, north of Hartford, is the major air terminal, but there are many other airports throughout the state that offer regional services. The port of New Haven is one of the largest in New England, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy facilities are at New London.
