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Maine is the northernmost state in the New England region, and became the 23rd state of the United States on March 15, 1820. The state borders New Hampshire to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to its southeast. Furthermore, the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec border Maine to the northeast and northwest, respectively. Maine is also the easternmost state within the US. The capital of Maine is Augusta. There is no specific name for Maine State鈥檚 flag. Instead, it is simply referred to as 鈥淭he Flag of Maine鈥� or 鈥淭he State Flag of Maine.鈥�

Description and Adoption

The flag of Maine is blue with the state's coat of arms right at its center. At the heart of the coat of arms is a farmer supporting himself with a scythe and a seaman resting his feet on an anchor. Between the seaman and farmer is a shield containing a moose, pine tree, green grass, deep blue water, and blue sky. On top of the shield are the North Star and a red ribbon with the word "DIRIGO鈥� on it, which means "I lead" in Latin. Below the coat of arms is a large sky blue ribbon which reads, "MAINE." Adoption of the flag occurred on June 16, 1909. In addition to the state flag, Maine also has a naval ensign. The naval ensign contains a green pine tree placed on a white field. The writings of 鈥淒IRIGO鈥� and 鈥淢AINE鈥� appear at the top and bottom of the pine, respectively.

Symbology

Maine's coat of arms does not have specific official colors, and therefore it is common for state flags to vary somewhat in color depending on the manufacturer. However, the deep blue field against which the coat of arms rests is the same on all flags. The farmer featured on the coat of arms is a representation of agricultural culture, which is a symbol of pride in Maine's agrarian roots. Similarly, the seaman is a symbol of the state's strong ties to maritime industries The moose is the state animal of Maine, while the yellow star represents the North Star. The North Star, which also appears on Alaska鈥檚 state flag, is a guide to travelers, as most depended on the star to find their way. The pine is Maine's state tree, and accordingly "The Pine Tree State" is Maine's nickname. The water and woods symbolize Maine's natural resources. Dirigo is Maine鈥檚 state motto and is a representation of the state's reputation as a bellweather.

Original State Flag

Initially, the state flag consisted of a green pine tree against a buff-colored background. The pine tree symbolized New England region. The flag also had a blue "North Star" as part of its design. Today, this design has been modified and is used by the state as the naval ensign.