Vermont, admitted to the Union in 1791, is the only New England state that has no Atlantic coastline. With a population of 608,000, it is the second least populous state in the nation. The capital is Montpelier and the largest city is Burlington in this 9,620 square mile state.
Summers in Vermont are warm and humid, but the winters are cold with 60-100 inches of snow average, making for the best skiing in New England. Tourism is the largest industry with its many ski resorts. The highest point in Vermont is Mount Mansfield at 4,393 feet, and the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain are other tourist attractions in the state.
Vermont is the leading producer of maple syrup in the United States, which makes it a prominent industry. However, captive insurance plays a large role in Vermont’s economy as well. In fact, Vermont is the third largest producer of captive insurance in the world – next to Cayman Islands and Bermuda.
While Vermont is served by two airports, Burlington International and Rutland State and two Amtrak trains; most of the state’s transportation is done by vehicle.