Higher Education  

New Hampshire has nearly two dozen private and public colleges and universities, as well as seven public, technical community colleges. The state-run University of New Hampshire system includes the University of New Hampshire, with campuses in Durham and Manchester; Plymouth State University, in Plymouth; Keene State College, in Keene; and Granite State College, in Concord. Private institutions in New Hampshire include Dartmouth College, in Hanover; Franklin Pierce University, in Rindge; New England College, in Henniker; St. Anselm College in Goffstown; Colby-Sawyer College, in New London; and Southern New Hampshire University, in Manchester.

Geography

New Hampshire covers an area of 24,033 square kilometers, and its territory includes the three southernmost of the nine Isles of Shoals. Along the Atlantic Ocean, the state's seacoast is only 29 kilometers long. The state can be divided into three main regions: the Coastal Lowlands, the Eastern New England Upland, and the White Mountains. Located in the southeastern corner of the state, the Coastal Lowlands consists of sandy beaches, salt marshes, tidal inlets, and some meadowlands suitable for farming. Most of the southern half of New Hampshire is part of a region known as the Eastern New England Upland; this region includes the Merrimack Valley, the Hills and Lakes area, and the New Hampshire side of the Connecticut River Valley. The White Mountains, located north of the uplands region, are part of the Appalachian mountain chain. Among the state's principal rivers are the Connecticut, the Merrimack, and the Androscoggin. Lake Winnipesaukee is the state's largest lake. Major cities are Manchester, Nashua, Concord (capital), Portsmouth, and Salem. The population of New Hampshire is around 1.3 million.

Climate

While New Hampshire's summers are short and cool, its winters are long and cold. Temperatures in July average around 19° C in the north and 21° C in the south. January temperatures average around -9° C in the north and -7° C in the south. Statewide, an average of 107 cm of precipitation falls on New Hampshire each year. Annual snowfall ranges from 127 cm near the Atlantic Ocean to more than 381 cm in the mountains.

Cultural Profile

Museums in New Hampshire include the New Hampshire Historical Society Museum, in Concord; the Manchester Historic Association Museum and Currier Gallery of Art, both in Manchester; Dartmouth College's Hood Museum of Art; the Arts and Sciences Center, in Nashua; and the Lamont Gallery at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter.

Popular sites for performing arts organizations include the Palace Theater in Manchester, which hosts performances by the New Hampshire Symphony and the New Hampshire Opera League, and the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College. The Monadnock Music Concerts and the New Hampshire Music Festival are summer music programs held at various cities in the state. A summer arts festival takes place annually at Portsmouth's Prescott Park.

Recreation

The White Mountain National Forest and surrounding area is the state's major vacation area. New Hampshire's many state recreation areas also provide excellent opportunities for engaging in outdoor activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, camping, skiing, ice skating, and hiking. Some other interesting places to visit include Heritage New Hampshire, north of Glen; Lake Winnipesaukee, near Laconia; Mystery Hill, near North Salem; and Ruggles Mine, near Grafton.

Interesting Facts

In 1873, barbed wire was invented in New Hampshire. "New Hampshire Reds" are a breed of chickens developed in the state in the early 1900s. Some famous New Hampshirites are Jane Blalock (professional golfer), Ken Burns (documentary filmmaker), Mary Baker Eddy (founder of Christian Science), Daniel Chester French (sculptor), Horace Greeley (newspaper editor), Charles Francis Hall (explorer), John Irving (author), Franklin Pierce (fourteenth president of the United States), David Souter (former U.S. Supreme Court justice), Earl Silas Tupper (inventor of plastic food and drink containers known as Tupperware), and Daniel Webster (statesman).