Outline of Massachusetts

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts:

The Flag of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Massachusetts – U.S. state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Approximately two-thirds of the state's population lives in Greater Boston, most of which is either urban or suburban. In the late 18th century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty" for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution and the independence of the United States from Great Britain. Massachusetts is also home to Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the U.S., founded in 1636.

General reference

An enlargeable map of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Names
Common name: Massachusetts
Pronunciation: /ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɪts/

Official name: Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Abbreviations and name codes
Postal symbol: MA

ISO 3166-2 code: US-MA

Internet second-level domain: .ma.us

Nicknames
Baked Bean State[1]

The Bay State[1]

Old Colony State[2]

Pilgrim State[1]

The Spirit of America (currently used on license plates)

Taxachusetts (colloquial)[3][4][5][6][7]
Adjectival: Massachusetts
Demonyms
- Bay Stater
- Massachusettsan
- Massachusite
- Masshole (derogatory; reclaimed)

Geography of Massachusetts

Massachusetts is: a U.S. state, a federal state of the United States of America
Location:
- Northern hemisphere
- Western hemisphere
  - Americas
    - North America
      - Anglo America
      - Northern America
        United States of America
        Contiguous United States
        Eastern United States
        East Coast of the United States
        Northeastern United States
        New England
        
        Northeast megalopolis
Population of Massachusetts: 6,547,629 (2010 U.S. Census^[8])
Area of Massachusetts: 10,555 square miles (27,340 km²)
Atlas of Massachusetts

Places in Massachusetts

Environment of Massachusetts

Climate of Massachusetts
Geology of Massachusetts
Protected areas in Massachusetts
- State forests of Massachusetts
Superfund sites in Massachusetts
Wildlife of Massachusetts
- Fauna of Massachusetts
Natural Resource Protection Zoning

Natural geographic features of Massachusetts

Regions of Massachusetts

Massachusetts with three major regions highlighted: Central Massachusetts in green and teal (used to show towns in Middlesex County), Eastern Massachusetts in purple and Western Massachusetts in pink.

Central Massachusetts includes Worcester County and far northwestern Middlesex County
Eastern Massachusetts includes Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, most of Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk Counties
- Central Eastern Massachusetts:
  - Greater Boston
  - MetroWest
- Northern Eastern Massachusetts:
- Southern Eastern Massachusetts:
  - Cape Cod
  - South Shore
  - Southeastern Massachusetts (a locally named region that does not encompass the entire southeastern geographical area of the state)
  - South Coast
Western Massachusetts includes Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire Counties