Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, New York to the west, Quebec, Canada to the north, and New Hampshire to the east by the Connecticut River. The capital is Montpellier. The state’s name comes from the French “Monts Verts”, which means “green hills”. Vermont is also known as the “Green Mountain State”. The name of the capital, Montpellier, also comes from the French city of the same name. Vermont is known for its beautiful scenery, dairy, maple syrup, and radical politics.

Population

Vermont had 608,827 residents in 2000. The state capital is Montpellier and the largest city is Burlington. Vermont is one of the least populous states in the United States. About 96.8% are white, 0.5% black, 0.4% Indian and 0.9% Asian. According to 1997 statistics, about 9.7% of the population lives below the poverty line.

History

Originally Indian tribes such as the Iroquois and Algonquin lived in Vermont. In 1609, the French explorer Samuel de Champlain took the present-day Lake Champlain area as his own and called the surrounding mountains Les Verts Monts (Green Mountains), from which the state’s name came from.

The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ended the French-Indian War, and the land was returned to Great Britain, and some of it was sometimes administered by the states of New York and New Hampshire. Ethan Allen and his “Green Mountain Boys” first fought against British rule and later New York and New Hampshire). During this period the Vermont Constitution was drafted and signed, the first constitution in North America. Vermont joined the United States in 1791 as its 14th state.

Terrain

The Green Mountains run through the central part of the state from north to south, dividing the state into eastern and western parts. The mountain range is 32 to 58 kilometers wide, with 31 peaks over 1066 meters above sea level. Mansfield Peak, at 1,339 meters above sea level, is the highest point in the state.

To the west is the Champlain Valley. Lake Champlain is located in the northwest corner and gathers rivers such as the La Moyle, Winooski and Otell Rivers. It covers an area of ​​20.7 square kilometers and is the largest lake in the state. At 29 meters above sea level, the area along the lake is the lowest point in the state. About 77 percent of the state is forest, most commonly pine, spruce, hemlock, and fir trees. Among the deciduous trees, maple, birch and elm are more common.

Climate

The climate is characterized by long winters and short summers, and the temperature and precipitation vary greatly depending on the terrain. The average winter snow in the valley is 1700-2000 mm, and the mountain is as high as 2800 mm. The precipitation in the east and west is 860 mm, and the mountain reaches 1000 mm. Temperatures can drop below -34°C in winter and rarely exceed 32°C in summer. Except for the Champlain Valley, which has a longer growth period, the growth period in other areas is only about 120 days. The first frost begins in September, and the last frost can be delayed until June 1 of the following year.

Vermont’s spring is short and rainy, with cool summers, colorful fall and very cold winters. In particular, the north is extremely cold, often ten degrees colder than the southern part of the same state. Vermont is a ski mecca on the East Coast of the Americas. In the fall, the hills of Vermont are dyed red, orange and gold with sugar maple leaves. These different colors are not formed by different tree species, but by different soils and climates.

Culture

Vermont has a state-funded symphony orchestra and the Blanche Moyse Choir in Brattleboro. Summer concerts in the state include Marlborough College’s Marlborough Festival, the New England Baja Festival in Brattleboro, and the Vermont Mozart Festival in Champlain. Theater and dance performances are offered in communities across the state.