Welcome to Baltimore!
Baltimore is an independent city located in the state of Maryland in the United States of America. As of 2006, the population of
Baltimore City was 631,366. The city is a major U.S. seaport, situated closer to major Midwestern markets than any other major seaport on the
East Coast. Once an industrial town with an economic base in manufacturing, Baltimore's economy has now shifted primarily to a service
sector-oriented, with its largest employer no longer Bethlehem Steel but Johns Hopkins University and The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The Baltimore Metropolitan Area, which includes the city's surrounding suburbs, has approximately 2.6 million residents. Baltimore is also part
of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area (CMSA) of approximately 8.1 million residents. Baltimore is the largest city in Maryland, and its
metropolitan area is the 19th largest in the country.
The city is named after the founding proprietor of the Maryland Colony, Lord Baltimore in the Irish House of Lords. Baltimore himself took his
title from a place named Baltimore in Ireland, which is the English transliteration of the Irish language Baile an Tí Mhoir, or "Home of The Big
House". It is not clear whether this Baltimore was the town of Baltimore in County Cork, or a place in the county of Longford which was called
Baltimore at the time.
Baltimore became the second leading port of entry for immigrants to the United States during the 1800s.
During the 17th century, various towns called "Baltimore" were founded as commercial ports at various locations on the upper
Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland colonial General Assembly created the port (at Locust Point) in 1706 as a tobacco port of entry. The present city
dates from July 30, 1729, and is named after Lord Baltimore, who was the first Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland. Baltimore grew
swiftly in the mid- to late 18th century as a granary for sugar-producing colonies in the Caribbean. The profit from sugar encouraged the
cultivation of cane and the importation of food. Baltimore's shorter distance from the Caribbean, compared to other large port cities such as New
York City and Boston, reduced transportation time and minimized the spoilage of flour.
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