Boston, Massachusetts

Boston is the capital and the largest city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city is also the county seat of Suffolk County. It is the unofficial capital of the region known as New England as well as one of the oldest and wealthiest cities in the United States, with an economy based on education, health care, finance, and high technology.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 232.1 km² (89.6 mi²). 125.4 km² (48.4 mi²) of it is land and 106.7 km² (41.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 46.0% water. Boston is bordered by the cities of Revere, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown, Newton, and Quincy, and the towns of Winthrop, Brookline, Needham, Dedham, Canton, and Milton – often known as, and considered a part of Greater Boston.

Related Topics:
United States Census Bureau - Km² - Mi² - Revere - Chelsea - Everett - Somerville - Cambridge - Watertown - Newton - Quincy - Winthrop - Brookline - Needham - Dedham - Canton - Milton - Greater Boston

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Much of the Back Bay, and South End are built on reclaimed land—two and a half of Boston's three original hills were used as a source of material for the landfill. Only Beacon Hill, the smallest of the three original hills, remains partially intact.

Related Topics:
Back Bay - South End - Reclaimed land - Beacon Hill

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The Charles River separates Boston from Cambridge, and Charlestown. To the east lies Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands, many of which are part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area that is run by the National Park Service. The Neponset River forms the boundary between the city and its southeast neighbors, Quincy and Milton.

Related Topics:
Charles River - Cambridge - Charlestown - Boston Harbor - Boston Harbor Islands - Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area - National Park Service - Neponset River

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The weather in Boston, like much of New England, changes rapidly. It is not uncommon for the city to experience temperature swings of 54°F (30 °C) or more over the course of several days. The summers are usually warm and humid, while the winters are cold and windy. It has been known to snow in October and get quite warm in February. The hottest month is August, with an average high of 80 °F (27 °C) and a low of 64 °F (18 °C). The coldest month is January with an average high of 36 °F (2.2 °C) and a low of 22 °F (−5.6 °C).{{ref|temperature}} The city averages 42 in (1,100 mm) of rainfall a year. It also coincidentally averages 42 in (110 cm) of snowfall a year, though this increases dramatically as one goes inland away from the city.

Related Topics:
New England - Humid - F - C - In - Mm

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