Maryland is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. With a total land area of 12,407 square miles , Maryland is the eighth-smallest state by land area, and its population of 6,177,224 ranks it the 18th-most populous state and the fifth-most densely populated. Baltimore is the largest city in the state, and the capital is Annapolis. The western portion of the state contains numerous stretches of the Appalachian Mountains, while the central portion is primarily composed of the Piedmont. The eastern side of the state makes up the Chesapeake Bay, sharing the border with Delaware, and the southeastern side borders the Atlantic Ocean. Among its occasional nicknames are Old Line State, the Free State, and the Chesapeake Bay State. It is named after Henrietta Maria, the French-born queen of Engl Scotl and Irel who was known then in England as Mary.