From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Connecticut (IPA: /kəˈnɛtɪkət/)[7] is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state borders New York to the west and south (Long Island by sea), Massachusetts to the north, and Rhode Island to the east. Portions of southwestern Connecticut are considered part of the New York metropolitan area. Connecticut is the 29th most populous state with 3.4 million residents and ranked 48th in size by area, making it the 4th most densely populated state.[5]
Called the "Constitution State", Connecticut has a long history dating
from the early colonial times, and was influential in the development
of early American government.
While Connecticut's first European settlers were Dutch, the first major settlements were established in the 1630s by the English. Thomas Hooker led a band of followers overland from the Massachusetts Bay colony and founded what would become the Connecticut Colony; other settlers from Massachusetts founded the Saybrook Colony and the New Haven Colony. Both the Connecticut and New Haven Colonies established documents of Fundamental Orders, considered the first constitutions in North America. In 1662, the disparate colonies merged under a royal charter, making Connecticut a crown colony. This colony was one of the Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution.
Connecticut enjoys a temperate climate thanks to its long coastline on the Long Island Sound. This has given the state a strong maritime
tradition. Modern Connecticut is also known for its wealth. In the 18th
and 19th centuries, Connecticut had ready access to raw materials which
helped to develop a strong manufacturing industry. In the 19th and 20th centuries, financial organizations flourished: first insurance companies in Hartford, then hedge funds along the Gold Coast. This prosperity has helped give Connecticut the highest per capita income, Human Development rating, and median household income in the country.[8][9][10]
Geography
- Further information: Geology of Connecticut
Connecticut is bordered on the south by Long Island Sound, on the west by New York State, on the north by Massachusetts, and on the east by Rhode Island. The state capital is Hartford, and the other major cities include New Haven, New London, New Britain, Norwich, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford, Waterbury, Danbury and Bridgeport. There are 169 incorporated towns in Connecticut.
Bear Mountain, highest peak in Connecticut
The highest peak in Connecticut is Bear Mountain in Salisbury in the northwest corner of the state. The highest point is just east of where Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York meet (42° 3' N; 73° 29' W), on the southern slope of Mount Frissell, whose peak lies nearby in Massachusetts.[11]
The Connecticut River cuts through the center of the state, flowing into Long Island Sound, Connecticut's outlet to the Atlantic Ocean.
- Further information: List of Connecticut rivers
Highest point in Connecticut on slope of Mount Frissell, as seen from Bear Mountain
Despite its size, the state has regional variations in its landscape
and culture from the wealthy estates of Fairfield County's "Gold Coast" to the rolling mountains and horse-farms of the Litchfield Hills
of northwestern Connecticut. Connecticut's rural areas and small towns
in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply
with its industrial cities, located along the coastal highways from the
New York border to New Haven, then northwards to Hartford, as well as
further up the coast near New London. Many towns center around a "green", (such as the New Haven Green),
Litchfield Green, Simsbury Green, Lebanon Green (the largest in the
state), and Wethersfield Green (the oldest in the state). Near the
green typically stand historical visual symbols of New England towns, such as a small white church, a colonial meeting house, a colonial tavern or "inne", several colonial houses, etc., establishing a scenic historicity maintained for both historic preservation and the tourism trade.
Due to the climate, degree of urbanization, and economic status of the state, it offers easily accessed forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and a coastline, all developed for recreation.
- Further information: List of Connecticut state forests
The northern boundary of the state with Massachusetts is marked by
the distinctive Southwick Jog or Granby Notch, an approximately 2.5
mile (4.0 km) square detour into Connecticut slightly west of the
center of the border. The actual origin of this anomaly is uncertain,
with stories ranging from the original surveyors having been drunk,
having attempted to avoid hostile Native Americans, or having taken a
shortcut up the Connecticut River; Massachusetts residents having
attempted to avoid Massachusetts' higher taxes for the lower taxes of
Connecticut; Massachusetts' interest in the resources represented by
the Congamond Lakes
which lie on the border of the jog; and the need to compensate
Massachusetts for an amount of land given to Connecticut due to
inaccurate survey work.[12][13]
Windsor's Town Hall and Fountain on the Town Green
The southwestern border of Connecticut, where it abuts New York State, is marked by a panhandle in Fairfield County, containing the towns of Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan and Darien. This irregularity in the boundary is the result of territorial disputes
in the late 1600s, culminating with New York giving up its claim to the
area, whose residents considered themselves part of Connecticut, in
exchange for an equivalent area extending northwards from Ridgefield, Connecticut to the Massachusetts border as well as undisputed claim to Rye, New York.[14]
- Further information: Connecticut Panhandle
Areas maintained by the National Park Service include: Appalachian National Scenic Trail; Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor; and Weir Farm National Historic Site.[15]
Climate
Parts of Connecticut, including northwestern Connecticut, have a Humid continental climate while other parts, especially southeastern Connecticut, have a Humid subtropical climate, with seasonal extremes tempered by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.
Winters are cold, with average temperatures ranging from 31°F (−1°C) in
the southeast to 23°F (−5°C) in the northwest in January. The average
yearly snowfall is about 25–100" (64–254 cm) across the state, with
higher totals in the northwest. Spring has variable temperatures with
frequent rainfall. Summer is hot and humid throughout the state, with
average highs in New London of 81°F (27°C) and 87°F (31°C) in Windsor
Locks. Fall months are mild, and bring foliage across the state in
October and November. During hurricane season, tropical cyclones
occasionally affect the region. Thunderstorms are most frequent during
the summer, occurring on average 30 times annually. These storms can be
severe, though tornadoes are rare.[16]
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Classical
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