On the Eastern seaboard, Maryland is strategically located for trade. It borders the District of Columbia, the nation's capital, to the south and is within hours by land of New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Major transportation hubs include the Port of Baltimore , the Baltimore-Washington International Airport , and several arterial interstate highways. Since 1982, zone space has grown from 60,000 sq. Maryland also has 34 State Enterprise Zones , and a Federal Empowerment Zone .
All zones offer businesses economic or tax incentives.
Recent economic trends show a rebound from an economic recession that peaked in the early 1990s. Since 1996, expansion in the high technology sector has reversed that trend. Throughout this time, Maryland has retained its AAA bond rating. Federal agencies located in Maryland have been a catalyst for the State's technology base. These include the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Department of Defense operations.