Northeast Kingdom | |
---|---|
Area | |
Country | United States |
State | Vermont |
Area | |
• Total | 2,030 sq mi (5,250 km2) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 64,764 |
• Density | 32/sq mi (12/km2) |
The Northeast Kingdom (also, locally, "The Kingdom"[1][2] and abbreviated NEK) is the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, approximately comprising Essex, Orleans, and Caledonia counties and with a population of 64,764 at the 2010 census. The term "Northeast Kingdom" is attributed to George D. Aiken, former Governor of Vermont and a U.S. senator, who first used the term in a 1949 speech.
It includes several "gateway" towns, considered to be entry points to the region from a particular direction: at the southeastern corner, St. Johnsbury, just a few miles from the New Hampshire border; to the north, Newport and Derby, close to the Canada–US border; and to the southwest, Hardwick and Danville.
Interstate 91, Interstate 93, U.S. Route 5, and U.S. Route 2 are the main roads that connect travelers to the Northeast Kingdom.[3]