ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the diversity of the physical environment and considers Maryland's boundaries and location in relation to the state's climate, soil, vegetation, water resources, and landforms. Maryland is one of the smaller states of the nation, ranking forty-second in area. The charter of Maryland issued on June 20, 1632, by King Charles I of England described the boundaries of the colony as extending from the Potomac River north to the 40th parallel and westward from the Atlantic Ocean to the first "fountain" of the Potomac. Maryland has a moderate mid-latitude climate that can be described as mesodermal. Maryland has a moist climate with no dry months. Land-use variations in Maryland are largely a product of land surface conditions such as climate, slope, soil, vegetation, and drainage. Patterns of natural vegetation vary in Maryland with latitude, elevation, slope, climate, and soils. The coastal plain covers approximately 5,000 sq mi, half the area of Maryland.