Maryland, one of the original 13 States of the USA, was founded by Lord Baltimore in 1634. Its Atlantic Plain, divided by Chesapeake Bay, rises through the rolling hills and scenic farmland of the State’s heartland to the Allegheny Mountains of the northwest.

Its tourist destinations range from the 16km (10 miles) of white, sandy beaches at Ocean City to Baltimore’s bustling Inner Harbor. Chesapeake Bay’s 6400km (4000 miles) of shoreline, including its tributaries, separate the Eastern Shore area of Maryland from the rest of the State. The twin-spanned Chesapeake Bay Bridge is the major link between the two sections. The distance between Baltimore and Washington, DC is only about 60km (40 miles).