Vermont

People. Population (2003 est.): 619,107; rank: 49; net change (2002-2003); 0.4%. Pop. density: 66.9 per sq mi. Racial distribution (2000): 96.8% white; 0.5% black; 0.9% Asian; 0.4% Native American/Nat. AK; <0.1% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 0.2% other race; 2 or more races. 1.2% Hispanic pop. (any race): 0.9%.

Geography. Total area: 9,614 sq mi; rank: 45. Land area: 9,250 sq mi; rank: 43. Acres forested: 4.6 mil. Location: northern New England state. Climate: temperate, with considerable temperature extremes; heavy snowfall in mountains. Topography: Green Mts. N-S backbone 20-36 mi wide; avg. altitude 1,000 ft. Capital: Montpelier.

Economy. Chief Industries: manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, trade, finance, insurance, real estate, government, Chief manuf. goods: machine tools, furniture, scales, books, computer components, speciality foods. Chief crops: dairy products, apples, maple syrup, greenhouse/nursery, vegetables and small fruits. Livestock (Jan. 2004) 285,000 cattle/calves; (Jan. 2003): 2,100 hogs/pigs; (Dec. 2003): 199,000 chickens {excl. broilers). Timber/lumber (est. 2002): 206 mil bd. ft.; pine, spruce, fir, hemlock. Nonfuel minerals (est. 2003): $73 mil.; stone dimension). stone (crushed], sand apd

gravel (construction), talc (crude), gemstones. Principal internat. airport at: Burlington. New private housing (2003): 2,792 units/$372 mil. Gross state product (2001): $19.1 bil. Employment distrib. (May 2004): 18% govt.; 19.2% trade/trans./util.; 12.3% mfg.; 18% ed./health serv.; 6.9% prof./bus serv.; 9.9% leisure/hosp.; 4.4% finance; 5.3% constr.; 2.2% info. Per cap. pers. income (2003): $30,740. Sales tax (2004): 6.0%. Unemployment (2003): 4.6%. Tourism expends. (2002): $1.3 bil. Lottery (2003): total sales: $79.4 mil; net income: $16.2 mil.

Finance, FDIC-Insured commercial banks (2003): 14. Deposits: $5.4 bil. FDIC-Insured savings Institutions (2003): 5. Assets: $1.2 bil.

Federal govt. Fed. civ. employees (Mar.2003): 3,586. Avg. salary: $49,044.

Energy. Electricity production (est. 2003, kWh by source): Gas: 2 mil; Hydroelectric; 342 mil; Other: 234 mil.

State data. Motto: Freedom and unity. Flower: Red clover. Bird: Hermit thrush. Tree: Sugar maple. Song: These Green Mountains. Entereded union Mar. 4, 1791; rank, 14th. State fair at Rutland; early Sept.

History. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Abnaki and Mahicah peoples lived in the region. Champlain explored the lake that bears his name, 1609. The first American settlement was Ft. Dummer, 1724, near Brattleboro. During the American Revolution, Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys captured Ft. Ticonderoga (NY), 1775; John Stark defeated part of Burgoyne’s forces near Bennington, 1777. In the War of 1812, Thomas MacDonough defeat a British fleet on Lake Champlain off Plattsburgh (NY), 1814.

Tourist attractions. Shelburne Museum; Rock of Ages Quarry, Graniteville; Vermont Marble Exhibit, Proctor; Bennington Battle Monument; Pres. Calvin Coolidge homestead, Plymouth; Maple Grove Maple Museum, St. Johnsbury: Ben & Jerry‘s Factory, Waterbury.

Famous Vermonters. Ethan Allen, Chester A. Arthur, Calvin Coolidge, Howard Dean, John Deere, George Dewey, John Dewey, Stephen A. Douglas, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, James Fisk, James Jeffords, Rudy Vallee.

Chamber of Commerce. PO Box 37, Montpelier, VT 05601. Tourist information. Vermont Dept. of Tourism and Marketting, 6 Baldwin St., Drawer 33, Montpelier, VT 05633-1301; 1·800·VERMONT. Website: www.vermontvacation.com

Website: www.vermont.gov