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Located in the northeastern region of the U.S., Vermont is one of the smallest states and ranks 45th
in total area at 9,615 square miles (24,903 square kilometers or 2,490,274 hectares). The state
contains 9,249 square miles (23,955 square kilometers or 2,395,480 hectares) of land, whereas 366
square miles (948 square kilometers or 94,794 hectares) are covered by water. Vermont shares borders
with Canada’s province Quebec to the north, Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and
to the west by New York.
Vermont is a scenic state of old mountains, valleys, lakes, and streams, and still retains broad
swaths of forested areas. The geography of Vermont is characterized by six land regions: the
Northeast Highlands, with granite mountains and streams; the Western New England Upland, covering much
of the eastern part of the state, dotted with lakes to the north, and covered with rich lowlands of the
Connecticut River Valley; the ancient range of the Green Mountains of central Vermont, the dominant
physiogeographic feature of the state including its tallest mountains; the Vermont Valley, a region of
small rivers and river valleys in western Vermont; the Taconic Mountains of southwestern Vermont,
extending form Massachusetts and distinguished by lakes and streams; and the Champlain Valley,
bordering Lake Champlain and comprised of fertile lowlands and farms. Major Vermont rivers include
the Missisquoi, Lamoille, Winooski, Otter, White, West, Battenkill, and Connecticut Rivers. Major
lakes include Lake Champlain, the sixth largest body of freshwater in the U.S., Lake Memphramagog, Lake
Willoughby, Lake Bomoseen, and Lake St. Catherine. The highest peak is at Mount Mansfield, at 4,393 feet (1.3 kilometers) above sea level.
Vermont experiences a variable, humid continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are
short and cool, winters are long, cold, and snowy; fall is delightful and famous for leaf color. The
northeastern part of the state tends to be cooler, with an average January high of around 17 degrees F
(-8.3 degrees C) and an average July high of about 70 degrees F (21.1 degrees C); whereas central
Vermont has an average January high of around 22 degrees F (-5.5 degrees C) and an average July high of
around 70 degrees F (21.1 degrees C). Winter brings significant snowfall to parts of Vermont, with
higher elevations sometimes receiving up to 120 inches (305 centimeters) of snow per year, whereas
lower elevations can receive roughly 60 inches (152 centimeters) annually. Vermont can receive floods
in early spring, due to snow melt and rain causing the overflow of rivers and streams. Summer
occasionally brings thunderstorms.
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