Global InformationVirginia information
Virginia | |
|---|---|
State | |
| Commonwealth of Virginia | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents | |
| Motto(s): Sic semper tyrannis (English: Thus Always to Tyrants)[1] | |
| Anthem: "Our Great Virginia" | |
 Map of the United States with Virginia highlighted | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Colony of Virginia |
| Admitted to the Union | June 25, 1788 (10th) |
| Capital | Richmond |
| Largest city | Virginia Beach |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Washington (metro and urban) |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Glenn Youngkin (R) |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Winsome Sears (R) |
| Legislature | General Assembly |
| • Upper house | Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Delegates |
| Judiciary | Supreme Court of Virginia |
| U.S. senators |
|
| U.S. House delegation | 6 Democrats 5 Republicans (list) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 42,774.2 sq mi (110,785.67 km2) |
| • Rank | 35th |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 430 mi (690 km) |
| • Width | 200 mi (320 km) |
| Elevation | 950 ft (290 m) |
| Highest elevation (Mount Rogers[2]) | 5,729 ft (1,746 m) |
| Lowest elevation (Atlantic Ocean) | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2023) | |
| • Total | 8,715,698[3] |
| • Rank | 12th |
| • Density | 219.3/sq mi (84.7/km2) |
| • Rank | 14th |
| • Median household income | $80,615 |
| • Income rank | 10th |
| Demonym | Virginian |
| Language | |
| • Official language | English |
| • Spoken language |
|
| Time zone | UTC-05:00 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-04:00 (EDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | VA |
| ISO 3166 code | US-VA |
| Traditional abbreviation | Va. |
| Latitude | 36° 32′ N to 39° 28′ N |
| Longitude | 75° 15′ W to 83° 41′ W |
| Website | virginia |
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia,[a] is a state in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The state's capital is Richmond and its most populous city is Virginia Beach, though its most populous subdivision is Fairfax County, part of Northern Virginia, where slightly over a third of Virginia's population of 8.72 million live as of 2023[update].
The Blue Ridge Mountains cross the western and southwestern parts of the state. The state's central region lies predominantly in the Piedmont. Eastern Virginia is part of the Atlantic Plain, and the Middle Peninsula forms the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The fertile Shenandoah Valley fosters the state's most productive agricultural counties, while the economy in Northern Virginia is driven by technology companies and U.S. federal government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency. Hampton Roads is also the site of the region's main seaport and Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base.
Virginia's history begins with several Indigenous groups, including the Powhatan. In 1607, the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent English colony in the New World. Virginia's state nickname, the Old Dominion, is a reference to this status. Slaves from Africa and land from displaced native tribes fueled the growing plantation economy, but also fueled conflicts both inside and outside the colony. Virginia was one of the original Thirteen Colonies in the American Revolution and several key battles were fought there during that war. More major battles were fought in Virginia during the American Civil War, which split the state as the government in Richmond joined the Confederacy, but many northwestern counties remained loyal to the Union, which led to the separation of West Virginia in 1863.
Although the state was under one-party rule for nearly a century following the Reconstruction era, both major political parties have been competitive in Virginia since the repeal of Jim Crow laws in the 1970s. Virginia's state legislature is the Virginia General Assembly, which was established in July 1619, making it the oldest current law-making body in North America. It is made up of a 40-member Senate and a 100-member House of Delegates. Unlike other states, cities and counties in Virginia function as equals, but the state government manages most local roads inside each. It is the only state where governors are prohibited from serving consecutive terms.
- ^ Hamilton 2016, pp. 6
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