Baltimore. Economy and Education. Cultural Life

Economy. Shipping. Baltimore has one of the world's largest natural harbors. The port has 45 miles (72 kilometers) of waterfront, with 1 ,589 acres (643 hectares) of water where ships can anchor. The Maryland Port Administration supervises the area. The port handles about 25 million tons (23 million metric tons) of cargo annually. Imports include automobiles, iron ore, sugar, and wood pulp. Exports include coal, electrical equipment, and grain.

Industry. The Baltimore area has over 2,000 factories. It is ranked as one of the largest industrial employers on the East Coast Leading industries include the production of radar and other electronic equipment, and of steel, power tools, and raincoats. The Bethlehem Steel plant in Sparrows Point, 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of Baltimore, is one of the world's largest steel producers. Other leading industries produce chemicals, fabricated metal products, food and food products, and machinery. McCormick & Company, the world's largest producer of spices and seasonings, is in Baltimore.

Transportation and communication. The Baltimore-Washington International Airport lies 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Baltimore. Freight railroads and about 150 truck lines serve the city. High-speed passenger trains connect Baltimore with Boston, New-York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Baltimore's highway system includes two tunnels under the harbor. The State of Maryland Mass Transit Administration (MTA) operates buses and rapid-transit trains for local transportation in the metropolitan area.

The city has two daily newspapers. The Sun and The Daily Record. About 20 radio stations and 5 television stations serve Baltimore.

Education. Baltimore has about 180 public schools. Approximately 1 10,000 students attend these schools. The Archdiocese of Baltimore operates a total of about 100 Roman Catholic schools in the city and eight nearby counties of its jurisdiction. These schools serve about 34,000 students. Baltimore has about 35 other private schools, with about 5,000 students.

Baltimore is the home of several famous colleges and universities. Johns Hopkins University and its medical center have won fame throughout the world. Other institutions include Goucher College, a private college in suburban Towson; and Morgan State University, one of the nation's oldest and most noted black schools. The Peabody Conservatory of Music is also well known. The University of Maryland System has two campuses in the area—the University of Maryland at Baltimore and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in Catonsville. The University of Baltimore is in the city.

The Enoch Pratt Free Library, founded in Baltimore in 1886, is one of the oldest public library systems in the United States. Its main library, 30 branches, and a book-mobile house about 2,200,000 volumes.

Cultural life. The arts. The Baltimore Opera Company performs in the Lyric Opera House, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performs in the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The Peabody Conservatory sponsors other musical programs. Musical shows ranging from opera to rock concerts are presented in the Baltimore Arena. The Morris A. Mechanic Theater offers dramas and musicals, and the Center Stage performs plays in its own building.

Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, includes the original fort, built in the 1 790's. Near the fort flies a replica of the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem

Museums. Baltimore has two outstanding art museums. The Baltimore Museum of Art is famous for its collection of modern art. It also features works from earlier periods. The Walters Art Gallery, which owns about 25,000 art objects, features medieval and Chinese art. The Peale Museum, which opened in 1814, specializes in the life and history of Baltimore. Its building was the first in the United States to be designed as a museum. The municipal government operates the Peale and four other museums as The City Life Museums.

These museums include the home of American critic and journalist H. L Mencken. The Maryland Historical Society displays the original manuscript of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The Baltimore and Ohio Transportation Museum houses a collection of early railroad cars and engines. The Maryland Science Center includes a science museum, a planetarium, and an observatory. It is the home of the Maryland Academy of Sciences.

Government. Baltimore is not in any county, nor is it a county itself. But the city has the same powers as do Maryland's 23 counties. For example, Baltimore sends representatives to the state legislature.

The city has a mayor-council form of government The mayor and the council members all serve four-year terms. Baltimore voters elect three council members from each of six districts. They also choose a council president in a citywide election. The council passes laws and approves the city budget. The mayor appoints department and commission heads, subject to the approval of the council. Property taxes provide Baltimore's main source of income.