New Hampshire: The Granite State

New Hampshire is one of the smallest states in the US, ranking 46th in size with 9,350 square miles in total land area. Its borders consist of Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Massachusetts to the south, and the Canadian Province of Quebec to the north. As of 2009, the estimated population of New Hampshire was 1,324,575. It ranks just 41st in terms of total population, but 20th in terms of population density at 146.7 persons per square mile. Median income is high at $60,441, ranking 6th in the U.S.

Before statehood, New Hampshire was actually known as the Province of New Hampshire. Admission to the Union occurred on June 21, 1788, making it the 9th U.S. state. Prior to European settlement, New Hampshire was inhabited by several local Algonquian tribes before being permanently settled in 1631 at Hilton's Point, known today as Dover. Before that point, the areas of present-day New Hampshire had been visited for about three decades by English and French explorers.

Nicknamed "The Granite State," New Hampshire was named after the English county of Hampshire. Naming newly-settled towns, cities, states, and areas after original British towns and lands became quite common to many northeastern states, thus bringing about the term "New England." New Hampshire was one of the original 13 colonies settled by the British, and thus one of the original 13 states to declare independence from Britain in 1776 to form the United States of America.

Many famous people have ties to or are from New Hampshire. Some of these include WWE wrestler Triple H, baseball star Stan Williams, poet Robert Frost, "The Catcher in the Rye" author J. D. Salinger, "Saturday Night Live" star and comedian Seth Meyers, actor/comedian/screenwriter/musician Adam Sandler, comedian Sarah Silverman, TV personality and "Dancing with the Stars" host Tom Bergeron, Sully Erna of the rock band Godsmack, pop singer and actress Mandy Moore, and Steven Tyler of the rock band Aerosmith.

Prominent colleges and universities based out of New Hampshire include Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire, affectionately called UNH.

The state does not boast any major professional sports teams, but is home to several minor league teams and some non-mainstream sports teams; these include minor league baseball teams American Defenders of New Hampshire and New Hampshire Fisher Cats, minor league hockey team Manchester Monarchs, minor league soccer team New Hampshire Phantoms, Manchester Millrats of the Premier Basketball League, and the former Manchester Wolves of minor league Arena Football. The Town of Loudon is also home to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a location of several NASCAR events and championships and offering racing fans events of all kinds.