In 1609, French explorer Samuel de Champlain came upon a large
lake in the area we know today as Vermont and named it after
himself. The state's name comes from two French words vert
(green) and mont (mountain), which explains Vermont's nickname,
the "Green Mountain State." Ethan Allen and the Green
Mountain Boys defended their homeland from the British during the
Revolutionary War. Vermont is one of the six New England states
and became the 14th state in 1791. Some of Vermont's major
industries are dairy farming and tourism. One of the most
picturesque states, Vermont has millions of visitors each year
who come to see the leaves turn colors in the fall and the
snow-covered mountains in the winter. The state flower is the red
clover and the tree is the sugar maple. Vermont maple syrup is
one of the state's most popular products.
State Flower: Red clover
State Motto: Vermont, Freedom and Unity
State Nickname: Green Mountain State
State Bird: Hermit thrush
Land area: 9,249 sq mi. - Length: 160 miles - Width: 80 miles
10 largest cities (1999):
Burlington, 38,332;
Rutland, 16,649;
South Burlington, 14,257;
Barre, 9,106;
Essex Junction, 8,748;
St. Albans, 7,715;
Montpelier, 7,686;
Winooski, 6,609;
Newport, 4,261;
Bellows Falls, 3,149; - Persons per square mile (1999): 64.2
