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Cape Cod is a geographic cape/island and independent land mass separated from the mainland by the Cape Cod Canal that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean in the easternmost part of the state of Massachusetts in the Northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. Cape Cod stretches from Provincetown in the northeast to Woods Hole in the southwest. Cape Cod, as defined by the Cape Cod Commission's enabling legislation, comprises Barnstable County. The Cape Cod Canal cuts roughly across the base of the peninsula, though the western boundary of the cape extends to include small portions of the towns of Bourne and Sandwich which lie on the mainland side of the canal. Two road bridges cross the Cape Cod Canal: the Sagamore Bridge and the Bourne Bridge. In addition, the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge carries railway freight and limited passenger services onto the Cape. Cape territory is divided into fifteen towns with many villages. ==Region of Cape Cod and the Islands == Like Cape Cod itself, the islands south of the Cape have evolved from whaling and trading areas to become resort destinations, attracting wealthy families, celebrities, and other tourists. These include the large nearby islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard which have grown in population by 6.8 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively, between 2000 and 2010 while the year-round population of Barnstable County dropped 3 percent according to the Census.〔http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/20110323/NEWS/103230326〕 Both islands are also famous summer tourist destinations, commonly accessed by ferry from several locations on the cape. The phrases Cape Cod and the Islands and the Cape and Islands are often used to describe the whole region of Barnstable County, Dukes County (including the Vineyard and the smaller Elizabeth Islands), and Nantucket County. Several small islands right off Cape Cod, including Monomoy Island, Monomoscoy Island, Popponesset Island, and Seconsett Island, are also in Barnstable County. The Forbes family-owned Naushon Island was first purchased by John Murray Forbes. Naushon is one of the Elizabeth Islands, many of which are privately owned. One of the publicly accessible Elizabeths is the southernmost island in the chain, Cuttyhunk, with a year-round population of 52 people. Several prominent families have established compounds or estates on the larger islands, making these islands some of the wealthiest resorts in the Northeast, yet they retain much of the early merchant trading and whaling culture. Cape Cod in particular is a popular retirement area; 27.8% of the population of Barnstable County is 65 years old or older.,〔http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25/25001.html〕 and the average age of residents is the highest of any area in New England. By voter registration numbers, Democrats outnumber Republicans by less in the three counties than in the whole of Massachusetts, to varying degrees.〔See the tables on Politics of Massachusetts, Barnstable County, Dukes County, and Nantucket〕 The bulk of the land in the area is glacial terminal moraine and represents the southernmost extent of glacial coverage in southeast New England; similar glacial formations make up Long Island in New York and Block Island in Rhode Island. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Cape Cod」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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