New Hampshire: overview, geography, history, and culture
An encyclopedic summary of New Hampshire covering its location in New England, geography, history, symbols, economy, tourism and notable facts, with key cities and cultural highlights.
Overview
New Hampshire is a small U.S. state in the northeastern United States, one of six states that form New England. Its capital is Concord and the largest city is Manchester, followed by Nashua. The state is nicknamed the Granite State and its motto, adopted in the 19th century, is "Live Free or Die". New Hampshire has a population of roughly 1.3 million people, making it one of the less populous U.S. states.
Image gallery
10 Images
Geography and environment
New Hampshire occupies a varied landscape. To the east it borders Maine, to the south Massachusetts, to the west Vermont, and to the north the province of Quebec in Canada (province status). The state includes a short Atlantic coastline, a system of lakes and rivers, and the White Mountains, a range popular for hiking, skiing and scenic drives. The Lakes Region and the White Mountains are well known for seasonal recreation and spectacular autumn foliage.
History
Before independence the area was part of a British colony and, like other New England settlements, developed around fishing, timber and small-scale agriculture. Settlers from England established towns along rivers and near the coast. New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the United States Constitution, joining the Union in 1788. Over the 19th and 20th centuries the state moved from rural industry toward diversified manufacturing and services.
Cities, symbols and culture
Major population centers include Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and smaller cities such as Keene, Dover, Portsmouth and Merrimack. State symbols reflect local flora and fauna: the state flower is the lilac and the state bird is the purple finch. New Hampshire has a strong civic identity, with a culture that emphasizes town meetings, local control, and outdoor recreation.
Economy, tourism and notable facts
The economy blends manufacturing, high-tech firms, tourism and small businesses. Popular tourist attractions include the White Mountains, the Lakes Region, fall leaf-peeping, and motorsport events such as those at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. New Hampshire is also known for holding the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, a practice that draws national political attention every four years. Notable people associated with the state include President Franklin Pierce, entertainers such as Adam Sandler, and musicians connected to the New England music scene like members of Aerosmith.
Distinctive features
- Political prominence in early presidential contests and a tradition of active civic participation.
- Diverse outdoor recreation: hiking, skiing, boating and scenic drives.
- Short Atlantic coast but extensive inland forest and mountain terrain.
- Historic towns and a mix of small cities that preserve New England character.
For more detailed information on government, demographics, and travel resources, consult official state sites and regional histories. General introductions and maps can be found through state tourism offices and educational resources that focus on New England geography and history.
State overview · Regional context · New England · Concord · Manchester · Nashua · State motto · Maine · Massachusetts · Vermont · Quebec · Canada · Province · Franklin Pierce · Adam Sandler · Aerosmith · British · Colonial era
Geography
See also: List of rivers in New Hampshire
Location, extent and structure
New Hampshire is one of the New England states.
New Hampshire's most notable areas are the Great North Woods, the White Mountains, the Lakes Region, the Seacoast Region, the Merrimack Valley, where most residents live, the Monadnock Region, and the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region.
The White Mountains are a sub-mountain range of the Appalachians and cover the northern part of New Hampshire. The highest mountain of the mountains and the third largest of the Appalachians is Mount Washington with 1917 m. Mount Washington is one of the coldest regions in the United States, except for Alaska. When in autumn temperatures of over 0 °C are measured in the valley, it is often already -40 °C there.
In the rather flatter southwest of the state, the most prominent mountain is Mount Monadnock.
The most important rivers are the 177 km long Merrimack River, which flows through New Hampshire from north to south and continues into Massachusetts. Its most important tributaries are the Contoocook River, the Pemigewasset River and the Winnipesaukee River, the 670 km long Connecticut River forms the western border with Vermont and flows further south through the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut. What makes it special is that the state border is not the middle of the Connecticut River, but New Hampshire owns the entire river. The Piscataqua River flows into the Atlantic Ocean, and there are several ports there, including Portsmouth. New Hampshire has an ongoing border dispute with Maine over some islands (now known as Seavey Island), this includes the Portsmouth Navy Yard.
The largest lake is Lake Winnipesaukee, which covers 186 square miles and is located in central New Hampshire.
Landscape
New Hampshire is the second most forested of the 50 U.S. states in percentage terms, after its eastern neighbor Maine.
counties, cities, towns, population distribution
The largest towns are:
- List of cities in New Hampshire
- List of counties in New Hampshire
Population
| Population development | |||
| Census | Inhabitants | ± in % | |
| 1790 | 141.885 | - — | |
| 1800 | 183.858 | 29,6 % | |
| 1810 | 214.460 | 16,6 % | |
| 1820 | 244.155 | 13,8 % | |
| 1830 | 269.328 | 10,3 % | |
| 1840 | 284.574 | 5,7 % | |
| 1850 | 317.976 | 11,7 % | |
| 1860 | 326.073 | 2,5 % | |
| 1870 | 318.300 | −2,4 % | |
| 1880 | 346.991 | 9 % | |
| 1890 | 376.530 | 8,5 % | |
| 1900 | 411.588 | 9,3 % | |
| 1910 | 430.572 | 4,6 % | |
| 1920 | 443.083 | 2,9 % | |
| 1930 | 465.293 | 5 % | |
| 1940 | 491.524 | 5,6 % | |
| 1950 | 533.242 | 8,5 % | |
| 1960 | 606.921 | 13,8 % | |
| 1970 | 737.681 | 21,5 % | |
| 1980 | 920.610 | 24,8 % | |
| 1990 | 1.109.252 | 20,5 % | |
| 2000 | 1.235.786 | 11,4 % | |
| 2010 | 1.316.470 | 6,5 % | |
| Before 1900 1900–1990 2000 | |||
Religions
Almost 80% of the population professes Christianity. The largest Christian religious community is the Catholic Church - 35% of Christians are Catholics, mainly of French and Irish origin. The two most important Protestant religious communities are the United Church of Christ with 34,299 members and the United MethodistChurch with 18,927 members.
Approximately 18% describe themselves as non-religious or atheists, other religious communities (Jews, Buddhists, Muslims) together make up 2% of the population.
Demographics
In 2010, 92.3% of the population was White (excluding Hispanic), 2.2% Asian, 1.1% African American, and 0.2% Native American. 2.8% were Latino (Hispanic). In 2014, 23.6% had French or French-Canadian ancestry, 20.9% Irish ancestry, 17.1% English ancestry, 10.8% Italian ancestry, and 9.4% German ancestry. 6% of the population was born outside the United States. The French-Canadian or French-born population and the Irish-born live mainly in the traditional mining towns such as Manchester.
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com New Hampshire: overview, geography, history, and culture Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/69520
Sources
- commons.wikimedia.org : New Hampshire
- www2.census.gov : "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2018 (NST-EST2018-01)"
- factfinder.census.gov : "Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2016 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) (S1901): 2016 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates: New Hampshire"
- gencourt.state.nh.us : "New Hampshire Revised Statutes, Title 1, Chapter 3-C:1 – Official State Language"
- gencourt.state.nh.us : "New Hampshire Revised Statutes, Title 1, Chapter 3-C:2 – Exceptions"
- census.gov : "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for thepop United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008"