| Sometimes referred to as "America in Miniature," Maryland's landscape varies from sandy beaches in the east, to the rolling oak hills in the piedmont region to the mountain pine groves of the west. |
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Within the borders of Maryland are the shorelines and river valley, the rolling upland hills and the wooded mountains, all which are characteristic of much of our nations landscape gives the state the nickname of "America in miniature." Prosperous farms exist alongside industries and rural charm of Old South combines with the bustling activity of Northern cities also blend flawlessly. Maryland was the sight of many of our nation’s firsts. The first commercial railroad, telegraph line and federally funded highways westward revealing the balance statewide between city and country. Labor and leisure seem to coexist.
Chicken raised mostly off the Eastern Shore is the most important agricultural product. In Chesapeake Bay breed oysters, clams, crabs and terrapins which makes the state a gourmets paradise and continues to be a major source of income. Western Maryland contains orchards and livestock also the states mining industry is located there. Service account for the majority of the gross state product. The largest concentration of research scientists and engineers in the country is located in the Baltimore-Washington corridor.
Maryland has two principal vacation areas they are the Atlantic shore and the Allegheny Mountains. These choices offer the typical activities associated with the landscape skiing, hunting, fishing and camping. What is not so typical is that Maryland has a singular official state sport jousting. The modern version of this medieval sport competitors on horseback charge down arena catching rings of decreasing size on a lance, showing that some of the old can still remain new.
