Daily Almanac for
Nov 23, 2008
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New Hampshire

New Hampshire flag

Capital: Concord

State abbreviation/Postal code: N.H./NH

Governor: John Lynch, D (to Jan. 2009)

Senators: Judd Gregg, R (to Jan. 2011); John E. Sununu, R (to Jan. 2009)

U.S. Representatives: 2

Historical biographies of Congressional members

Treasurer: Michael Ablowich, R (to Dec. 2008)

Secy. of State: William M. Gardner, D (to Dec. 2008)

Atty. General: Kelly Ayotte, R (to March 2009)

Entered Union (rank): June 21, 1788 (9)

Present constitution adopted: 1784

Motto: Live free or die

State symbols:

flowerpurple lilac (1919)
treewhite birch (1947)
animalwhite-tailed deer (1983)
insectladybug (1977)
saltwater fishstriped bass (1994)
freshwater fishbrook trout (1995)
amphibianspotted newt (1985)
butterflykarner blue (1992)
birdpurple finch (1957)
songs“Old New Hampshire” (1949) and “New Hampshire, My New Hampshire” (1963)

Nickname: Granite State

Origin of name: From the English county of Hampshire

10 largest cities (2005 est.): Manchester, 109,691; Nashua, 87,321; Concord, 42,336; Rochester, 30,004; Dover, 28,486; Keene, 22,778; Portsmouth, 20,674; Laconia, 17,060; Claremont, 13, 388; Lebanon, 12,606

Land area: 8,968 sq mi. (23,227 sq km)

Geographic center: In Belknap Co., 3 mi. E of Ashland

Number of counties: 10

Largest county by population and area: Hillsborough, 401,291 (2005); Coos, 1,801 sq mi.

State parks: 72

Residents: New Hampshirite

2005 resident population est.: 1,309,940

2000 resident census population (rank): 1,235,786 (41). Male: 607,687 (49.2%); Female: 628,099 (50.8%). White: 1,186,851 (96.0%); Black: 9,035 (0.7%); American Indian: 2,964 (0.2%); Asian: 15,931 (1.3%); Other race: 7,420 (0.6%); Two or more races: 13,214 (1.1%); Hispanic/Latino: 20,489 (1.7%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 75.0; 65 and over: 12.0; median age: 37.1.

See additional census data

Area codes

Tourism office

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 turned New Hampshire into an industrial state early on, and manufacturing is the principal source of income. The most important industrial products are electrical and other machinery, textiles, pulp and paper products, and stone and clay products. Dairy and poultry, and growing fruit, truck vegetables, corn, potatoes, and hay are the major agricultural pursuits.

Because of New Hampshire's scenic and recreational resources, tourism 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; and Strawbery Banke, restored buildings of the original settlement at Portsmouth. In 2003, the famous “Old Man of the Mountain” granite head profile, the state's official emblem, fell from its perch in Franconia.

See more on New Hampshire:
Encyclopedia: New Hampshire
Encyclopedia: Geography
Encyclopedia: Economy
Encyclopedia: Government
Encyclopedia: History
Monthly Temperature Extremes

Accredited Colleges and Universities

All U.S. States: Geography & Climate
Printable Outline Maps
Record Highest Temperatures
Record Lowest Temperatures
Highest, Lowest, and Mean Elevations
Land and Water Area

All U.S. States: Population & Economy
Historical Population Statistics, 1790–Present
Per Capita Personal Income
Minimum Wage Rates
State Taxes
Federal Government Expenditure
Percent of People in Poverty
Births and Birth Rates
Homeownership
Percentage of Uninsured by State

All U.S. States: Society & Culture:
Most Livable States
Healthiest States
Most Dangerous States
Smartest States
Crime Index
Residency Requirements for Voting
Compulsory School Attendance Laws
Driving Laws
National Public Radio Stations

Selected famous natives and residents:

  • Sherman Adams former governor and presidential advisor;
  • Dustin Farnum actor;
  • Benjamin F. Keith theater entrepreneur;
  • Jackson Hall Kelly promoter of Oregon settlement;

Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

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