Vermont state general data
- Time zone: 6 hours less than Italy
- Capital: Montpelier
- Main towns: Burlington, Colchester, Essex, Rutland, South Burlington.
- Area: 24.900 km²
- Population: 625,000 inhabitants approximately.
- Population density: 25,1 residents / km²
- State abbreviation: VT
- Entry into the United States: It joined the United States on March 4, 1791, it is the 14th state to join the union.
The state of Vermont is the only one in the New England region that does not have direct access to the sea, although it has two important communication routes, Lake Champlain connected with the Hudson River and the Connecticut River that have allowed the rapid transport of its products. towards the coast. State of great beauty, a combination of valleys and mountains, shaped by the glaciation. The highest point in Vermont is Mount Mansfield, 1,339m, and the lowest is Lake Champlain, 29m. above sea level.
The Green Mountains, which occupy the entire central area of the state, are the protagonists of Vermont’s orography. These mountains are crossed by two rivers, the Winooski and the Lamoille. The White Mountains lie east of the Connecticut River and extend from New Hampshire into the northwestern sector of Vermont to form the Worcester Range. To the south-west of the state are the Taconic mountains, with the most important peaks of Mount Equinox, 1,163 meters, and Mount Green, 971 meters. North of the Taconics opens the Champlain Valley, an area that extends to the Canadian border. It is a region of hills. Popular ski resorts have been built in the valleys that formed at the foot of Mount Mansfield. Vermont’s major rivers feed Lake Champlain and the Connecticut River. In the first, the Lamoille, Winooski, Otter Creek and Missisquoi rivers flow. The Connecticut River is the main river in Vermont, although it officially belongs to New Hampshire. Tributaries of this are the White, West, Waits, Williams, Black and Passumpsic rivers. Alongside Lake Champlain, Lakes Memphremagog and Bomoseen are the largest in Vermont.
Flora and fauna. Much of Vermont is covered in birch, beech, and maple groves. Above all, fir trees grow at higher altitudes, and patches of tundra stretch out on the mountain tops. Oaks, white cedars and American walnuts are characteristic of the valleys.
The most common wild animals are deer, red fox, stone marten, weasel, beaver, lineage and porcupine. Coyotes and fish appear on the rise. There are also numerous species of birds of prey.
The climate of Vermont is temperate but with extreme temperatures and great variability depending on the area. The average annual temperatures recorded vary according to the measurement area, between 3 ° C and 8 ° C. Precipitation is more abundant in the central and northern regions (1,000 mm of annual madia) than in the eastern and central-eastern regions (864 mm). In the mountainous area, rainfall is usually snowy.
Vermont: places to visit
Tourist and Cultural Places – Among the many cultural institutions that exist in Vermont the most important are the following: the Bennington Museum, the Sheldon Museum, the Robert Hull Fleming Museum, the Vermont Historical Society Museum, the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium, and the Shelburne Museum. Other places of historical and cultural interest are the birthplace of Presidents Chester Alan Arthur, in Fairfield, Calvin Coolidge, in Plymouth, and that of the founder of the Church of Mormons, Joseph Smith, near the town of Sharon.
Among the landscape attractions the Green Mountain National Forest. This cordon of forests and mountains extends for about 143,000 hectares along two thirds of the Green Mountain Range. The mountains, many of them higher than 1200m, are home to some of the best ski resorts in the US, including Sugarbush and Mount Snow. In some areas of the forest, there are picnic areas, camping sites and more than 800km of trails, including the famous Long Trail and Appalachian Trail. The lakes, rivers and reservoirs in the area offer excellent opportunities for boating and fishing, and there are marked trails for horseback riding and cycling. In the southwestern corner of the Green Mountain National Forest is Bennington, Vermont’s third largest city.
Bennington — Southern Vermont is rural and welcoming, Bennington with approximately 15,000 inhabitants. An interesting mix of cafes and shops along Main St, while the adjacent historic Old Bennington district boasts colonial houses, the first ancient church from the early 19th century, where poet Robert Frost is buried. A granite obelisk on the hill commemorates the Battle of Bennington in 1777. The monument overlooks the Old Bennington Historic District, with a small park surrounded by federal-style brick buildings.
Lake Champlain — At the north end is Isle La Motte, with a statue of Samuel de Champlain, the Frenchman who explored much of the surrounding region. On nearby Grand Isle is America’s oldest log cabin. The west shore of the lake is in upstate New York and seasonal ferries travel the distance between Burlington and Port Kent in an hour. Some of Lake Champlain’s treasures are found underwater, preserved in a marine park where divers can explore the wrecks that rest on the sandbanks at the bottom of the lake. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Basin Harbor offers an overview of the region’s maritime history.
Killington — Half an hour’s drive west of Woodstock, Killington is New England’s answer to Vail. It boasts over 200 slopes of varying difficulty, an elevation gain of 1000 meters and 29 ski lifts. Thanks to the world’s largest snowmaking system, Killington has one of the longest ski seasons in the East. In summer, it becomes an important destination for mountain bikers and hikers. Killington has a wide range of accommodation, from cozy retreats to luxury hotels.
Burlington — One of the most popular tourist destinations in the state. Half of the city’s population is made up of students from the University of Vermont and the city’s four colleges. Filled with interesting shops and restaurants, grand old buildings and historic landmarks, Burlington is also Vermont’s commercial and industrial hub and is conveniently located on the shores of Lake Champlain. Downtown is small and easy to walk around and includes the Historic District, at the center of which is a four-block section called Church Street Marketplace. The neighborhood has been converted into a pedestrian mall, filled with trendy boutiques, patio restaurants, and craft shops. Among the historical monuments of the district, the First Unitarian Church (1861),
Manchester — This mountain town is popular with skiers and shoppers: Manchester Village and Manchester Center are New England’s premier outlets and offer brand name merchandise. Also popular with tourists is the Equinox Skyline Drive, with panoramic views from the top of Mount Hquinox. There are two main ski areas in town: Stratton, with more than 90 runs, is a hilltop village with shops and restaurants, and Bromley, more popular with families.
