An independent city, Baltimore is the largest city located in the state of Maryland, United States of America. The city’s population was 641,943 as of 2005, and also a part of even bigger Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area (CMSA) of approximately 8.1 million residents, with a 19th largest metropolitan area in the country.

Baltimore is a major city of U.S. seaport, situated closer to major midwestern markets than any other major seaport on the East Coast.

History
During the 17th century, various towns called "Baltimore" were founded as commercial ports on the upper Chesapeake Bay. Dates back from 30, 1729, Baltimore is named after Lord Baltimore, who was the first Proprietary Governor of the Province of Maryland, which grew as a granary for sugar-producing colonies in the Caribbean in the mid- to late 18th century.

During the War of 1812, British declared Baltimore a "nest of Pirates." The city's Fort McHenry came under attack by British forces near the harbor after they had burned Washington, D.C. Known today as the Battle of Baltimore, American forces won by resisting joint land and naval attacks.

Culture
Despite the city's fame for its high crime rate, Baltimore keeps a distinctive local culture and social flavor. It has sometimes been dubbed a "city of neighborhoods," with different districts traditionally occupied by distinct ethnic groups, including most notable the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, and Little Italy, located between the other two. Mt. Vernon is the traditional center of cultural and artistic life of the city; it is home to a distinctive Washington Monument, set atop a hill in a 19th century. The locals refer to their city as "Bawlmer" or "Ballmer," dropping with the "t". The language is similar to that of most Marylanders and many Pennsylvanians.

Night Life
Baltimore has a thriving nightlife. The Federal Hill, Canton and Fells Point neighborhoods have numerous bars and pubs, which serve as popular places to gather on Friday and Saturday nights. The Mount Vernon area has bars, which target the gay community, and there are establishments, which support the Baltimore Club scene located in proximity to M&T Bank Stadium. Power Plant Live is home to a variety of bars, dance clubs and restaurants. The Block contains a wide range of Adult Entertainment venues.

Geography
Baltimore is in the north central part of the state of Maryland, on the Patapsco River. It is on the western edge of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, with low hills rising on the western edge of the city.

The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is the 4th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States, with an estimated population of 8,052,496. The Baltimore-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 19th largest MSA, with a population of 2,655,675.

Climate
Baltimore has a humid subtropical climate, according to the Köppen classification, with moderating influence from its relative proximity to the ocean. It gets relatively hot, humid summers and cool, moist winters.

July is typically the hottest month of the year; with an average high temperature of 33°C. January is the coldest month, with an average high of 7°C. However, winter warm fronts can bring brief periods of spring like weather, and arctic fronts can briefly drop nighttime low temperatures into the teens.

Demographics
Baltimore is the second city in the United States to reach a population of 100,000, and the second largest city in the nation until 1860. It remained one of the 10 largest cities in the United States from 1790 until about 1970. The city and metropolitan area currently rank in the top 20 in terms of population. Recently, a 2005 census estimate projected that Baltimore was the city with the largest population drop alongside Detroit and Washington D.C., losing over 84,000 residents between 1990 and 2000.

Famous Places:
Inner Harbor
Baltimore's Inner Harbor is one of the most photographed, visited, and major seaports in the United States since 1700's and started blossoming into the cultural center of Baltimore since the 1970's.

From breath-taking panoramic views of the skyline from the Observation Level of the World Trade Center to the up-close and personal experiences of street performances happening spontaneously at the waterfront, Inner Harbor offers a variety of fine dining, cultural experiences and exciting nightlife.

Harbor place and The Gallery
Located in the heart of Inner Harbor on Pratt Street, Harbor place and The Gallery offer unique shopping, diverse dining and a variety of entertainment right on the picturesque waterfront.

Maryland Science Center
Maryland Science Center is an amazing place, featuring an Imax theater and a planetarium, to please everyone.

Baltimore Aquarium
The National Aquarium in Baltimore houses sharks, dolphins, rays and tropical fish among the more than 11,000 creatures in naturalistic exhibits, including a walk-through rain forest and an exciting live-action dolphin show.

Baltimore Maritime Museum
Located at Pier 3 and Pier 5, offers the treasures of Inner Harbor, the USS Torsk, the USCGC Taney, the Lightship Chesapeake, the USS Constellation, (only Civil War ship still floating today) and more.