The state of Maine is located in the New England region of the United States. The state shares its borders with New Hampshire towards the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast, and by the Atlantic Ocean to the south and east. Maine is New England's most northern and eastern portions. It is popular for its surroundings, its rolling, low mountains, its jagged, mostly rocky mountains, its picturesque waterways and heavily forested interior as well as for its seafood cuisine, particularly clams and lobsters.
The first inhabitants of the territory which is currently Maine were Algonquian-speaking peoples. The very first European settlement in the state of Maine was in 1604 by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons on Saint Croix Island. The very first English settlement in the state of Maine, the short-lived Popham Colony, was established by the Plymouth Company during 1607. A few English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, though the rugged weather conditions, conflict with the local people and deprivations wiped out a lot of them over the years. As Maine entered the 18th century, just a half dozen European settlements still survived. Patriot and British forces contended for the territory within the state of Maine during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Maine was an enclave of Massachusetts until the year 1820, when as a result of the political deal regarding slavery and the growing population, it became the 23rd state on March 15 under the Missouri Compromise.
The state of Maine has a longstanding tradition of being home to numerous shipbuilding companies. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Maine was home to lots of shipyards which produced wooden sailing ships. The main function of these ships was to transport either passengers or cargoes overseas. One of these yards was located within Pennellville Historic District in what is currently Brunswick, Maine. This yard, owned by the Pennell family, was typical of the numerous family-owned shipbuilding companies of the time period. Other such examples of shipbuilding families were the Morses and the Skolfields. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, wooden shipbuilding of this kind made up a sizable part of the economy.
The agricultural output of Maine include poultry, eggs, cattle, dairy products, wild blueberries (Maine produces 25% of all blueberries within North America, making it the largest blueberry producer in the world), maple syrup, maple sugar and apples. Aroostook County is popular for its potato crops. Commercial fishing, once a mainstay of the economy of the state, maintains a presence, mainly groundfishing and lobstering. Western Maine aquifers and springs are a major source of bottled water.
The industrial outputs of Maine consist mainly of lumber, wood and paper products, leather products, electronic equipment, bio-technology, food products and textiles. Naval shipbuilding and construction remain important too, with Bath Iron Works in Bath and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. Naval Air Station Brunswick is likewise in Maine, and serves as a huge support base for the United States Navy. Nonetheless, the BRAC campaign recommended the closing of Brunswick, despite a recent effort which was financed by the government to upgrade its facilities.