Maine is supposedly named after the French province of Maine. However, some people argue that the actual derivation of the name stems from the people living on islands along the coast of Maine referring to going to the mainland as "going over to the Main." Four U.S. Navy ships were named USS Maine in honor of the state. Warm summers can bring an average of above 80 degrees Fahrenheit for the month of July. But as a rule, the climate within Maine is consistently chilly.

Aroostook County, Maine, is known for its potato crops. The major industrial outputs are paper, lumber, wood products, electronic equipment, leather products, food processing, textiles, and tourism. Naval shipbuilding and construction also have a huge impact on the current shape of the economy.

The ports in Maine have a long history of assisting in the smooth flow of transportation in the United States. Around 1880, Portland's rail link and ice-free port made it eastern Canada's principal winter port – that is, until the growth of Halifax, Nova Scotia in the mid-1900s. The largest city in Maine has outdone Boston as the busiest port in New England in 2001 due to its capacity for dealing with large tankers.

The number of large companies that maintain headquarters in Maine has lessened noticeably over the years because of consolidations and mergers – particularly in the pulp and paper industry. Still, some companies have opted to stay and are still operating within the state – these include Fairchild Semiconductor and the famous outdoor supply retailer L. L. Bean.

• Maine Office of Tourism