Maryland i/ˈmɛrɨlənd/[8] is a U.S. state located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. to its south & west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east. Maryland was the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution, & has three occasionally used nicknames: the Old Line State, the Free State, & the Chesapeake Bay State.

Maryland is one of the smallest states in terms of area, as well as one of the most densely populated states of the United States. The state’s largest city is Baltimore, & its capital is Annapolis. Although the state is officially claimed to be named after Queen Henrietta Maria,^[9] many historians believe Maryland was named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, byGeorge Calvert, 1st Lord Baltimore prior to his death in 1632.^[10] The original intent may never be known.^[11] Maryland has the highest median household income, making it the wealthiest state in the nation.^[12]