Bangor , city (1990 pop. 33,181), seat of Penobscot co., S Maine, at the confluence of the Penobscot and Kenduskeag rivers; inc. as a town 1791, as a city 1834. It is a port of entry, commercial center, and gateway to an extensive resort and lumber region. Major industries include the production of shoes, pulp and paper, and wood products. The city was settled in 1769 and was known as Sunbury. During the War of 1812 it was occupied by the British. In the 19th cent., Bangor was a shipbuilding center that carried on an extensive coastal and overseas trade in lumber, stone, and ice. The city has a theological seminary, a conservatory of music, and three colleges. Bangor International Airport, part of which was once Dow Air Force Base, has one of the longest runways in the United States.

Bangor

The City in Brief

Founded: 1769 (incorporated 1791)

Head Official: Mayor Frank J. Farrington (since 2001)

City Population

1980: 31,643

1990: 33,181

2000: 31,473

2003 estimate: 31,550

Percent change, 1990–2000: -9.0%

U.S. rank in 1990: 809th (State rank: 4th)

U.S. rank in 2000: Not reported (State rank: 3rd)

Metropolitan Area Population

1980: 83,919

1990: 91,629

2000: 90,864

Percent change, 1990–2000: -0.8%

U.S. rank in 1990: 258th

U.S. rank in 2000: 259th

Area: 34 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 158 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperature: 43.9° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 41.7 inches of rain; 76 inches of snow

Major Economic Sectors: Services, trade, government

Unemployment Rate: 5.5% (February 2005)

Per Capita Income: $19,295 (1999)

2004 ACCRA Average House Price: Not reported

2004 ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Not reported

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 1,630

Major Colleges and Universities: University of Maine at Orono, Husson College, Eastern Maine Community College, University College of Bangor, Beal College

Daily Newspaper: Bangor Daily News