Massachusetts

Massachusetts Forklift Parts - The state of Massachusetts is located within the New England region within the northeastern US. The state of Massachusetts is surrounded by the state of Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York towards the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire towards the north, and the Atlantic Ocean towards the east. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the state of Massachusetts was 6,547,629. Massachusetts features two separate metropolitan areas, the eastern Boston metropolitan area and the western Springfield metropolitan area. Around two thirds of Massachusetts people lives in Greater Boston, most of which is either urban or suburban. Western Massachusetts features one urban area, the Knowledge Corridor along the Connecticut River, and a mix of college towns and rural areas. The state of Massachusetts is the most heavily populated of the six New England states; the third most densely inhabited state within the nation, and also has the US' twelfth highest GDP per capita.

The state of Massachusetts played a key role in the cultural and commercial history of the United States. The settlement at Plymouth was the second permanent English settlement in North America, helping to bring Puritans to the area of Massachusetts in the 1630s and to New England many years later. Established in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest educational institute within the country. During 1692, the towns neighboring Salem experienced among America's most infamous cases of mass hysteria, the Salem Witch Trials. During the eighteenth century, the Protestant First Great Awakening, which swept the Atlantic world, started from the pulpit of Northampton, Massachusetts preacher Jonathan Edwards. During the late 18th century, the city of Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the agitation there that led to the Independence of the United States from Great Britain and the American Revolution.

First dependent on trade, fishing and agriculture, Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center in the Industrial Revolution. During the 20th century, the economy of the state shifted from manufacturing to services. During the 21st century, Massachusetts is a leader in health care technology, higher education, financial services, higher technology, same-sex marriage, cannabis law reform and universal healthcare.

During 2008, Massachusetts gross state product was estimated at $365 billion, according to the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis. In that same year, the per capita personal income was the 3rd highest in the nation at $50,735. 13 Fortune 500 companies are located within the commonwealth, the biggest of which are the MassMutual Financial Services and the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. CNBC's list of "Top States for Business for 2010" has recognized the state of Massachusetts as the fifth best state within the nation. Sectors essential to the Massachusetts economy comprise biotechnology, higher education, health care, tourism and finance.

As of 2005, there were 7,700 farms in Massachusetts encompassing a total of 520,000 acres (2,100 km2), averaging 68 acres (0.28 km2) apiece. Practically 2,300 of the state's 6,100 farms grossed under $2,500 in 2007. Particular agricultural products of note include tobacco, livestock, and fruits, tree nuts, and berries, wherein Massachusetts is nationally ranked 11th, 17th, and 16th, respectively. The state of Massachusetts is the 2nd largest cranberry producing state in the union, behind the state of Wisconsin.