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Connecticut is located in
the New England region of
the northeastern United
States of America. The state
borders New York to the west
and south (Long Island by
sea), Massachusetts to the
north, and Rhode Island to
the east. Portions of
southwestern Connecticut are
considered part of the New
York metropolitan area.
Connecticut is the 29th most
populous state with 3.4
million residents and ranked
48th in size by area, making
it the 4th most densely
populated state. Called the
"Constitution State,"
Connecticut has a long
history dating from the
early colonial times, and
was influential in the
development of early
American government.
While Connecticut's first
European settlers were
Dutch, the first major
settlements were established
in the 1630s by the English.
Thomas Hooker led a band of
followers overland from the
Massachusetts Bay colony and
founded what would become
the Connecticut Colony;
other settlers from
Massachusetts founded the
Saybrook Colony and the New
Haven Colony. Both the
Connecticut and New Haven
Colonies established
documents of Fundamental
Orders, considered the first
constitutions in North
America. In 1662, the
disparate colonies merged
under a royal charter,
making Connecticut a crown
colony. This colony was one
of the Thirteen Colonies
that revolted against
British rule in the American
Revolution.
Connecticut enjoys a
temperate climate thanks to
its long coastline on Long
Island Sound. This has given
the state a strong maritime
tradition. Modern
Connecticut is also known
for its wealth. In the 18th
and 19th centuries,
Connecticut had ready access
to raw materials which
helped to develop a strong
manufacturing industry. In
the 19th and 20th centuries,
financial organizations
flourished: first insurance
companies in Hartford, then
hedge funds along the Gold
Coast. This prosperity has
helped give Connecticut the
highest per capita income,
Human Development rating,
and median household income
in the country.
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