New Hampshire is in the New England region of the northeast. It became the first post-colonial sovereign nation in the Americas when it broke off from Great Britain in 1776, and was one of the original thirteen states that founded the U.S.A. Concord is the state capital, while Manchester is the largest city in the state.It is known internationally for the New Hampshire primary, the first primary in th U.S. presidential election cycle. Metropolitan areas in the New England region are defined as New England City and Town Areas: Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Franklin, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Manchester and Nashua metro division.