Maine is bordered by New Hampshire to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and northwest, respectively. It is the only U.S. state to border only one other state.

Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820 when it voted to secede from Massachusetts to become a separate state. On March 15, 1820, under the Missouri Compromise, it was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state.

On January 16, 2009, the state experienced its coldest day ever, hitting minus 50 degrees in Big Black River, beating the old state record of minus 48 degrees.

More than 80 percent of America's lobsters are hauled in from Maine.

In 2011, the Maine State Legislature designated blueberry pie, made with wild Maine blueberries, as the official state dessert. Blueberry plants are plentiful in Maine because their hardy nature allows them to withstand the harsh weather and rough soil that are common in the rural parts of the state.

Along the famous rock-bound coast of Maine are lighthouses, beaches, fishing villages, and thousands of offshore islands--4,613 islands, to be precise. Geologists describe this type of landscape as a "drowned coast", where a rising sea level has invaded former land features, creating bays out of valleys and islands out of mountain tops.

West Quoddy Head in Lubec is the easternmost point in the contiguous United States, and therefore the first place in the country to see the sun each morning.

Maine's official nickname is "The Pine Tree State". Over 89% of its total land is forested or unclaimed, the most forest cover of any U.S. state, and the pine tree is featured on Maine's flag, seal, and quarter.

Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine, on September 21, 1947. Known for works such as Carrie, Pet Sematary, and 'Salem's Lot, all of which are set in the Pine Tree State, he has been described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high standing in pop culture.

State biologists estimate the Maine moose population to be around 75,000. Next to Alaska, that's the largest concentration of moose in the country.