The University of Maryland, College Park (often referred to as The University of Maryland, UM, UMD, UMCP, or Maryland) is a public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland. With a fall 2009 enrollment of 37,000 students, Maryland is the largest university in the state and the largest in the Washington Metropolitan Area.It is a member of the Association of American Universities and a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference athletic league.