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Historical region, northwestern France.
A hereditary countship in the 10th century, it was united with Anjou in 1126 and came under English rule in 1154. With Anjou and Normandy , it fell to France early in the 13th century. After alternating between English and French rule, it reverted to the French crown in 1481 and was made a duchy under Louis XIV .
II
State (pop., 2000: 1,274,923), northeastern U.S. One of the New England states, it lies on the Atlantic Ocean and is bordered by Canada and the U.S. state of New Hampshire.
It covers 33,128 sq mi (85,801 sq km); its capital is Augusta . The Appalachian Mountains cross the state, rising to 5,268 ft (1,606 m) at Mount Katahdin; Maine's upland region has many lakes and valleys, and its Atlantic coast is rocky and scenic. Algonquian Indians were the earliest known inhabitants of the area. European settlers found the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes living along the river valleys and coasts. The French included Maine as part of the province of Acadia in 1603, and Britain included it in territory granted to the Massachusetts from 1652 until it was admitted as the 23rd state of the Union under the Missouri Compromise in 1820. Its Canadian boundary was established in 1842. The American Civil War and the Industrial Revolution diverted workers and capital from Maine in the 19th century. In the 20th century it saw slow but steady economic gains, especially in the southwestern coastal region. Its economy is based on agriculture and natural resources. Chief products include timber and wood products, potatoes, and lobsters. Tourism is also an important source of income.
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Maine coon cat
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Maine Sir Henry James Sumner