Virginia

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	Mark Warner (D) Tim Kaine (D)
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	English 86% Spanish 6% Other 8%
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.gov

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. Its most populous subdivision is Fairfax County, part of Northern Virginia, where slightly over a third of Virginia's population of 8.7 million live.

Eastern Virginia is part of the Atlantic Plain, and the Middle Peninsula forms the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Central Virginia lies predominantly in the Piedmont, the foothill region of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which cross the western and southwestern parts of the state. 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. 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, leading to Virginia's nickname as the Old Dominion. Slaves from Africa and land from displaced native tribes fueled the growing plantation economy, but also fueled conflicts both inside and outside the colony. Virginians fought for the independence of the Thirteen Colonies in the American Revolution, and helped establish the new national government. During the American Civil War, the state government in Richmond joined the Confederacy, while 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. Unlike other states, cities and counties in Virginia function as equals, but the state government manages most local roads. It is also the only state where governors are prohibited from serving consecutive terms.

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