Higher Education  

Connecticut has about twenty-five colleges and universities, and fifteen community colleges. Yale University, in New Haven, is world-famous. Other institutions include Albert Magnus College and Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven; the University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport Engineering Institute, and Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport; Central Connecticut State University, in New Britain; Charter Oak College, Hartford Graduate Center, and Trinity College, in Hartford; the University of Connecticut, in Storrs; Connecticut College, in New London; Eastern Connecticut State University, in Willimantic; Fairfield University, in Fairfield; the University of Hartford and St. Joseph College, in West Hartford; the University of New Haven, in West Haven; Post College, in Waterbury; Quinnipiac College, in Hamden; St. Alphonsus College, in Suffield; Wesleyan University, in Middletown; and Western Connecticut State University, in Danbury.

Geography

Connecticut ranks forty-eighth in size among the fifty states, with an area of 12,997 square kilometers. The state's five major regions are the Taconic Section, the Central Valley, the Western New England Upland, the Eastern New England Upland, and the Coastal Plain. The Taconic Section, in the northwest corner of the state, includes the Taconic Mountains. The Western New England Upland, characterized by forests and rocky hills, covers the western third of the state. The Central Valley region has both level terrain and rolling hills. The Eastern New England Upland includes rolling land with narrow valleys and low hills. Bordering the Long Island Sound, the Coastal Plain is a narrow stretch of land that features beaches, bays, and harbors. The Connecticut River, the longest river in New England, runs through the center of the state. Connecticut's major cities are Bridgeport, Hartford (capital), New Haven, and Waterbury. The state's population is around 3.3 million.

Climate

Although Connecticut is a small state, it has some climatic variations. The mountainous northwestern part of the state can be extremely cold. In the summer, the central portion of the state usually has the hottest temperatures. Because of cool summer winds, the coast may have more moderate summer temperatures. In the center of the state, temperatures range from an average of 23° C in July to -3° C in January. Along the coast, average temperatures range from 23° C in July to -3° C in January. Statewide, the average annual amount of precipitation is 117 cm, including 64 cm of snow.

Cultural Profile

Hartford, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, Stamford, and Waterbury all have symphony orchestras. In the summer, concerts at held at Music Mountain, in Canaan; the Silvermine Guild of Artists, in New Canaan; and the Norfolk Music Shed. Professional theaters in the state include the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Foundation, the Long Wharf Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, and the Hartford Stage Company.

Among the state's museums are the Museum of Connecticut History and the Wadsworth Atheneum, in Hartford; Mattatuck Museum, in Waterbury; the Bruce Museum, in Greenwich; and the Peabody Museum, affiliated with Yale University, in New Haven.

Recreation

Connecticut has about 120 state parks and 29 state forests. Some of the state's most scenic parks are Devil's Hopyard State Park, near East Haddam; Lighthouse Point Park, near New Haven; and Kent Falls State Park, in North Kent. Popular outdoor activities are fishing, hunting, sailing, hiking, camping, swimming, curling, golf, and jai alai.

Interesting Facts

The United States Coast Guard Academy is located in New London, Connecticut. America's first school for the deaf was founded in Hartford in 1817. In 1878, the country's first telephone book was issued at New Haven. Famous people from Connecticut include Noah Webster (lexicographer), Karen Carpenter (singer/songwriter), P. T. Barnum (showman), Katharine Hepburn (actress), Clare Booth Luce (playwright, politician, and diplomat), Eugene O'Neill (playwright), and Benjamin Spock (physician and educator).

 

General Information State Bird: Robin State Flower: Mountain Laurel State Tree: White Oak State Capitol: Hartford Area: 12,973 sq. km Population: 3,287,000 Elevation: 725m-0m Major Cities: Hartford / Bridgeport Industry Information Agriculture Industry: Milk, Eggs, and Tobacco Fishing Industry: Lobsters, Oysters and Clams Mining Industry: Stone, Sand and Gravel Manufacturing Industry: Transportation Equipment, Chemicals, Instruments, Primary Metals and Textiles Temperature Range Spring Temperature (range): 2C / 16C (Hartford) Summer Temperature (range): 17C / 30C (Hartford) Fall Temperature (range): 5C / 18C (Hartford) Winter Temperature (range): -8C / 2C (Hartford)