Maine State Seal
Maine Population Chart
Map showing organized (white) and unorganized (green) places; (red) will show the location of a selected city, town, plantation, or township.
Photograph of the Maine State House, likely early 19th Century
Animals: Ducks, Birds, Mammals, Endangered Species
General Questions
What are the official Maine State symbols, such as the state motto, bird, flower, etc?
Population
How many people live in Maine?
How many people per square mile?
Which are the most populous communities and counties?
Geography
How far is it from one town to another?
Which town is farthest north, east, west, or south?
Where are the points of land most north, east, west, or south?
What are the highest mountains?
What are the longest rivers?
How long is Maine’s coastline?
When did glaciers cover the state? When did they leave?
History and Government
When did Maine become a state?
Which is the oldest town?
Maine has the following 482 incorporated municipalities: 23 cities, 425 towns, 34 plantations;
about 454 townships (unincorporated territories) and three Indian reservations.
How many counties does Maine have? How can I find something about them?
How is state government organized?
What movies have been made in or about Maine?
I would like to know where county government derives its’ authority. Does it belong to the Executive Branch of state government, the Legislative Branch or neither? Is it autonomous? Do the commissioners (whether 3, 5, 7 or 9) answer to the Governor?
Counties are a form of local government, not a branch of state government, deriving their authority from state law. Commissioners are elected and answer to their voters. See the article “Counties” for more information.
I would like to study the history of the railroad in Thorndike,Maine.
Try the nearby Unity Historical Society: 207-948-2798; or try the Thorndike Town Office (207-568-3655) which may be helpful in locating the Thorndike Historical Society.
what is the procedure for a town to adopt a town charter?
The effect of the grant of Home Rule powers in 1970 is that, in general, State Legislative action or approval is no longer necessary in order for a municipality to adopt or amend a local charter. Rather, establishment or revision of, or change in, the local governmental structure may be accomplished by the voters solely on the local level through the prescribed procedure.
See more from the Maine Municipal Association:
https://www.memun.org/DesktopModules/Bring2mind/DMX/Download.aspx?EntryId=5275&Command=Core_Download&language=en-US&PortalId=0&TabId=119