Vermont is a state located in the northeastern region of the United States, bordering Canada to the north and the states of New Hampshire to the east, Massachusetts to the south and New York to the west. With just over 600,000 inhabitants, Vermont is the second least populous state in the country. Its name comes from the French expression Verts Monts, which means “Green Hills”, a reference to the extension of its forests, which cover about 77% of its territory.
The Vermont region was initially dominated by France, having passed to British control after the creation of the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763. In 1777, the territory proclaimed itself independent, having even been the first state to abolish slavery. Finally, Vermont joined the Union in 1791, becoming the 14th American state.
The state holds the highest percentage of forested areas in the entire country, in addition to having one of the largest lakes in the United States, Lake Champlain. Vermont has a temperate climate, with mild summers and very cold winters. The average annual temperature in the state is 6ºC.
It has a very low GDP for the American reality: 23 billion dollars. In fact, Vermont is the most rural state in the United States. Thus, its main sources of wealth are agriculture, fishing and tourism.
Although it grew by 8.1% compared to its 1990 population, the state still has a very small population. The five largest ethnic groups present in it are English, Irish, French, German and French Canadian.