John Cletheroe's
USA and Canada Holiday Hints


Massachusetts - Introduction

Name

Officially Massachusetts is a commonwealth, not a state. In everyday usage it is normally referred to as a state.

Area

Total area 10,555 square miles. 44th largest state of the USA.

The land area is 7838 square miles. The area covered by water (lakes, rivers, etc) is 2717 square miles. This figure may also include territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean.

Encyclopedia Britannica quotes the area as being 8284 square miles.

Furthest North to Furthest South

110 miles.

Furthest East to Furthest West

190 miles.

Population Density

570 per square mile.

Licence Plate

Background: White.

Image: None.

Text: Massachusetts.

State Highway Marker Shield Design

A white square with a thin black border.

Derivation of Name

Probably from the name of an Algonquian Indian village, possibly meaning "place of big hills".

Nickname

The Bay State (from Massachusetts Bay, Cape Cod Bay, Buzzards Bay and numerous smaller bays).

Climate

Boston: January high 36F, July high 81F.

Pittsfield: January high 30F, July high 79F.

Official State Tourism Office

Tel (US): 1-800-447-MASS (1-800-447-6277) (to request a copy of the vacation kit only) or 1-800-227-MASS (1-800-227-6277)

Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism

Checked Jan-99.

Highway Conditions

Tel (US): 1-617-374-1234.

Departments of Transportation etc for each US state and Canadian province

State Parks

Massachusetts State Parks

Official site. Checked Mar-99.
Massachusetts

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Most recently modified 19-Apr-02