Baltimore is arguably the most important urban center in the state of Maryland. Baltimore has a population of approximately six hundred thirty seven thousand five hundred residents, although when the city’s metropolitan area is considered, that figure expands to above two and a half million individuals. On an even larger level, the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area includes a total of more than eight million residents, thanks to the city of Washington. Baltimore is technically considered an independent city, which it has been since the community broke apart from Baltimore County in the middle of the nineteenth century. Baltimore takes its name from Lord Baltimore, a member of the Irish House of Lords who served as the founder of the entirety of Maryland.

Some of the many nicknames held by Baltimore include The City of Firsts, Charm City, Monument City, B-More, and Ravenstown. The city’s motto is “the Greatest City in America”, and encompasses a total area of just over ninety two square miles, including about eleven and a quarter square miles of water. Baltimore actually came into existence substantially later than the rest of the state of Maryland, specifically in the year seventeen six, when a port was founded at the city’s current location. Baltimore was officially incorporated in the year seventeen twenty nine, and experienced its first growth spurt during the eighteenth century. Baltimore played an interesting role in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War, and has since leveled out in terms of growth.

There is a remarkable array of educational institutions available in the city of Baltimore, including primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions of both the private and public variety. The largest conglomerate of schools in Baltimore is the Baltimore Public School System, and other important institutions include Archbishop Curley High School, Arlington Baptist High School, the University of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University, and Baltimore International College. Attractions in Baltimore include the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Municipal Museum of Baltimore, the National Aquarium, and the Phoenix Shot Tower. Baltimore also maintains an extensive array of parks and recreational facilities throughout the city limits.