Until 1820 Maine was a district of Massachusetts, and its early symbols were based on that connection. The pine tree emblem that had been adopted for the Massachusetts naval flag in April 1776 was prominently featured in the coat of arms of Maine when it became a state. Pine trees were important to the early economy of the area because of their use in the shipbuilding industry. A flag design consisting of a pine tree and the North Star on a buff (orange-yellow) background was adopted on March 21, 1901. The star was an appropriate symbol, as Maine was the northernmost state for many years. The current state flag was established in February 1909. Its coat of arms shows a moose-and-pine tree emblem on a shield supported by a farmer and a sailor; a ribbon below bears the state name, and above is the North Star and the Latin motto "Dirigo" ("I direct"). Maine also has a special naval flag resembling that of Massachusetts; it features a white background with a green pine tree.

Maine Official name: State of Maine. State nickname: the Pine Tree State. Total area: 33,741 sq mi, 87,388 sq km. Population (2000): 1,274,923. Population by race, origin (1997): white non-Hispanic 97.7%; white Hispanic 0.6%; black (including Hispanic) 0.5%; American Indian/Eskimo/Aleut 0.5%; Asian/Pacific Islander 0.7%. Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1995): 1.7 (U.S. avg. 6.0). Gross domestic (state) product (1996): U.S.$28,900,000,000 (U.S.$23,330 per capita). Land use (1992): federal land 0.8%; non-federal land 99.2%, of which forest 89.2%, cropland 2.3%, pasture 0.6%, rangeland 0.0%, urban and built-up areas 3.5%, other 3.6%. Exports by state (1997): U.S.$1,723,000,000; percent of national total 0.28%.

© 2001 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated