Maryland possesses a great variety of topography, hence its nickname: "America in Miniature." It ranges from sandy dunes dotted with sea grass in the east, to low marshlands teeming with water snakes and large bald cypress near the bay, to gently rolling hills of oak forest in the Piedmont Region, and mountain pine groves in the west.  A quirk of Maryland's geography is that the state contains no natural lakes

Although the fishing industry is declining, the catch of fish and shellfish, chiefly from Chesapeake Bay, yielded an income of over $67 million in 1998, and the state's annual catch of crabs is the largest in the nation.  Manufacturing industries include food products, chemicals, computer and electronic products, transportation equipment, and primary metals. Maryland is a life sciences hub with over 350 biotechnology firms, making it third-largest such cluster in the nation.  Baltimore, home of the Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, also ranks as the nation's second port in foreign tonnage. The capital, Annapolis, is the site of the U.S. Naval Academy.

Maryland's economy is diverse, but it has become popular for its leadership as a Life Sciences epicenter. The industry has become a top priority for the state. There are over 350 Biotechnology firms, making it third-largest cluster in the nation. Institutions and agencies located throughout Maryland like Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), etc. have fueled the Life Sciences growth in the state.

Maryland has a remarkably varied climate. It depends on various factors such as elevation, rainfall, and proximity to a body of water, most significantly, the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Precipitation in the state is very generous, as it is on most of the East Coast. Annual rainfall ranges from 40-45 inches in virtually every part of the state, falling very evenly.

 Maryland has arts institutions of national prominence, such as the Baltimore Symphony. The arts in Maryland reflect the State's geographic and cultural diversity from traditional Appalachian fiddle music in Western Maryland and African-American quilting on the lower Eastern Shore to experimental performance and media arts in metropolitan Baltimore and areas surrounding Washington, DC. The arts industry represents some $634 million in the State's economy, fueled by an audience of nearly 10 million each year.