Vermont is a state in the New
England region of the northeastern United States of America. The
state ranks 45th by total area, and 43rd by land area at 9,250
square miles, and has a population of 608,827, making it the
second least populous state (second only to Wyoming). The only
New England state with no coastline along the Atlantic Ocean,
Vermont is notable for the Green Mountains in the west and Lake
Champlain in the northwest. It is bordered by Massachusetts to
the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, and
the Canadian province of Quebec to the north.
Originally inhabited by Native American tribes (Abenaki, and
Iroquois), the territory that is now Vermont was claimed by
France but became a British possession after France's defeat in
the French and Indian War. For many years, control of the area
was disputed by the surrounding colonies, notably between New
Hampshire and New York. Settlers who held land titles granted by
these colonies were opposed by the Green Mountain Boys militia,
which eventually prevailed in creating an independent state.
Vermont became the 14th state to join the United States,
following a 14-year period during and after the Revolutionary
War as the independent Republic of Vermont.
It is the leading producer of maple syrup in the United States.
The state capital is Montpelier, and the largest city is
Burlington.