Virginia

For other uses, see the U.S. state.

Virginia
State
Country	United States
Admitted to the Union	June 25, 1788 (10th)
Capital	Richmond
Largest city	Virginia Beach
Largest metro and urban areas	Northern Virginia
Government
• Governor	Tim Kaine (D)
• Upper house	{{{Upperhouse}}}
• Lower house	{{{Lowerhouse}}}
U.S. senators	John Warner (R) Jim Webb (D)
Population
• Total	7,078,515
• Density	178.8/sq mi (69.03/km2)
• Median household income	$53,275
• Income rank	7th
Language
• Official language	English
Latitude	36° 32′ N to 39° 28′ N
Longitude	75° 15′ W to 83° 41′ W

The Commonwealth of Virginia (pronounced /vɚˈdʒɪnjə/) is a Southeastern state on the Atlantic Coast in the United States of America. It is named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, who was known as the Virgin Queen because she never married. The Virginia Colony was the first part of the Americas to be continuously inhabited by colonists from its founding as a European colony up to the American Revolution. The Virginia Company of London became incorporated as a joint stock company by a proprietary charter drawn up on April 10, 1606. The commonwealth was one of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution to form the United States of America.

The capital is Richmond and the most populous city is Virginia Beach. The most populous local jurisdiction is Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. Virginia is divided into independent cities and counties function, which in the same manner; according to the US Census Bureau independent cities are considered county-equivalent. The largest city in land area is Suffolk, which includes a large portion of the Great Dismal Swamp. Virginia is known as the "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson.

Virginia has a diverse economy, with many federal and military employees in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, which have the world's largest office building and the world's largest naval base respectively. In modern times, the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia area includes Jamestown, Yorktown and the living museum of Colonial Williamsburg. Linked by the Colonial Parkway, they combine to form one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Geography

Map of Virginia

Virginia - topographic map

See also: List of Virginia counties; List of Virginia county seats; List of Virginia rivers; and Lost Counties, Cities and Towns of Virginia

Virginia is bordered by West Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia (across the Potomac River) to the north; by Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean to the east; by North Carolina and Tennessee to the south; and by Kentucky and West Virginia to the west. Due to a peculiarity of Virginia's original charter, its northern boundary with Maryland does not extend past the low-water mark of the southern shore of the Potomac River, meaning Maryland possesses the whole width of the river rather than it being split between them. Virginia has an area of 42,774 square miles (110,785 km²) making it the 35^th largest state.

The Chesapeake Bay divides the commonwealth, with Virginia's Eastern Shore, a part of the Delmarva Peninsula, completely separate (an exclave) from the rest of the Commonwealth. Geographically, Virginia is divided into the following six regions:

• Ridge and Valley—between the Appalachian Plateau and Allegheny Plateau to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east. Sometimes referred to as Valley and Ridge.
• Shenandoah Valley—located within the Ridge and Valley Region; it is referred to geographically—and culturally— as its own region.
• Blue Ridge Mountains—between the Ridge and Valley Region to the west and the Piedmont region to the east.
• Foothills—area now recognized directly between the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Pertaining to the counties of Madison, Green, Albemarle, and Nelson. Denotes a region just west of the Southwest Mountains range and north of the James river subject to its own unique microclimate.
• Piedmont—between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west and the Tidewater region to the east.
• Tidewater—between the fall line to the west and the Atlantic coast to the east; it includes the Eastern Shore.

Virginia's long east-west axis means that metropolitan northern Virginia lies as close to New York City and New England as to its own rural western panhandle. Lee County, at the tip of the panhandle, is closer to eight other state capitals than it is to Richmond, Virginia's own capital. Virginia has many National Park Service units, including one national park, the Shenandoah National Park, and numerous other areas in the National Park System. There are thirty-four Virginia state parks.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Virginia

The climate is considered mild compared to other areas of the United States. Most of the state east of the Blue Ridge, plus the southern part of the Shenandoah Valley, has a humid subtropical climate (Koppen climate classification Cfa). In the mountainous areas west of the Blue Ridge, the climate becomes humid continental (Koppen Dfa).

Many variations occur because of the state's significant relief. Elevations in Virginia vary from sea level to Mount Rogers at 5,729 ft (1,746 m) above sea level, with major gradations occurring at the edges of the Atlantic Ocean, the end of the Piedmont, and the Blue Ridge and Allegheny chains of the Appalachian Mountains. The usually moderating influence of the ocean from the east, powered by the Gulf Stream, is interspersed with brief moments of danger due to the potential for hurricanes near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. On the other hand, cold air masses arrive over the mountains, especially in winter, leading to significant snowfalls. However, in something of an anomaly, much of the state south of Northern Virginia has not had over one foot of snow in a single storm since the Blizzard of 1996. The interaction of these elements with the state's topography create micro-climates in the Shenandoah Valley, the mountainous southwest, and the coastal plains that are slightly but noticeably distinct from each other. An additional element in recent years is the expansion of the southern suburbs of Washington into northern Virginia, creating an urban heat island due to the increased energy output of the city. However, aside from the urban stations, no global warming effects have been noted by Virginia weather stations by 2001.

Severe weather is a concern in Virginia. Hurricanes make the coastal area of Virginia vulnerable. It is fairly rare for a major hurricane to threaten the Virginia coast as hurricanes this far north tend to become somewhat weakened, but it happens (see Hurricane Gaston). Virginia is often struck with the remnants of systems which hit further south bringing torrential rain to the state. Thunderstorms are an occasional concern with the state averaging anywhere from 30-50 days of thunderstorm activity annually, with the highest area of occurrence going towards the west. Eastern Virginia has a lower rate of tornadoes, and the state averages around 2 tornadoes per year. The last tornado that Virginia experienced was around November 2006.

Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Virginia Cities
City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Lynchburg	37/22	42/27	56/30	68/43	76/51	82/60	86/64	85/62	78/56	68/44	58/35	44/28
Norfolk	48/32	50/34	58/40	67/48	75/58	83/66	87/71	85/70	79/65	69/53	61/44	52/36
Richmond	45/28	49/30	58/37	69/45	76/55	84/63	88/68	86/67	80/60	69/47	60/38	50/31
Roanoke	39/25	43/27	58/32	68/44	76/52	83/60	88/65	86/63	79/57	69/45	58/37	45/29
[1]

Faults and quakes

Main article: Virginia seismic zone

Virginia has not had a history of major seismic activity: the earthquakes are rarely above 4.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. The largest, at 6.0 magnitude, came in 1897 in Blacksburg. There is no volcanic activity in the state, and it is located centrally on the North American Plate—where the Earth's crust is thicker than at the edges—which leads to fewer strong earthquakes.

History

Main article: History of Virginia

Indigenous Americans

A 19th century depiction of Pocahontas, of the Powhatan tribe.

At the time of the English colonization of Virginia, Native American people living in what now is Virginia includes tribes known as the Cherokee, Chesepian, Chickahominy, Chiskiack, Mattaponi, Meherrin, Monacan, Moobs, Nansemond, Nottoway, Pamunkey, Povic, Powhatan, Occoneechees, Rappahannock, Saponites and others. The natives are often divided into three groups, based to a large extent upon language differences. The largest group are known as the Algonquian who numbered over 10,000, most of whom were united in the Powhatan Confederacy led by Chief Powhatan. The other groups are the Iroquoian (numbering 2,500) and the Siouan.

Virginia colony

Sketch of Jamestown c.1608

Main article: Colony of Virginia

At the end of the 16th century, when England began to colonize North America, Queen Elizabeth I of England (who was known as the "Virgin Queen" because she never married) gave the name "Virginia" to the whole area explored by the 1584 expedition of Sir Walter Raleigh along the coast of North America, and at one time it also included Bermuda (known as Virgineola). The name eventually applied to the whole coast from South Carolina to Maine. The London Virginia Company became incorporated as a joint stock company by a proprietary charter drawn up on April 10, 1606. The charter granted lands stretching from approximately the 34th parallel (North Carolina) north to approximately the 45th parallel (U.S.-Canada border) and from the Atlantic Ocean westward. It swiftly financed the first permanent English settlement in the New World, which was at Jamestown, named in honor of King James I, in the Virginia Colony, in 1607. The settlement was founded by Captain Christopher Newport and Captain John Smith. Its Second Charter was officially ratified on May 23, 1609. Many of the colonists died during the starving time. A dispute over how to deal with the Indians led to Bacon's Rebellion. To try to attract more settlers, Virginia used the headright system, in which each family of settlers got 50 acres per person.

Jamestown was the original capital of the Virginia Colony, and remained so until the State House burned (for the fourth time) in 1698. After the fire, the colonial capital was moved to nearby Middle Plantation, which was renamed Williamsburg in honor of King William III. Virginia was given the title, "Dominion", by King Charles II of England at the time of The Restoration, because it had remained loyal to the crown during the English Civil War. The present moniker, "Old Dominion" is a reference to that title.

Independent commonwealth

Further information: [[:Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War]]

Patrick Henry's speech on the Virginia Resolves.

Virginia sent delegates to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, beginning in 1774. On June 12, 1776, the Virginia Convention adopted the Virginia Declaration of Rights written by George Mason, a document that influenced the Bill of Rights added later to the United States Constitution. Then on June 29, 1776, the convention adopted a constitution that established Virginia as a commonwealth independent of the British Empire.

Patrick Henry, of Charlotte County, Virginia, served as the first Governor of the new commonwealth from 1776 to 1779, and again from 1784 to 1786. In 1780, the capital was moved to Richmond at the urging of then-Governor Thomas Jefferson, who was afraid that Williamsburg's location made it vulnerable to a British attack during the American Revolutionary War.

In the autumn of 1781, the combined action of Continental and French land and naval forces trapped the British on the Yorktown peninsula. Troops under George Washington and French Comte de Rochambeau defeated British General Cornwallis in the crucial Battle of Yorktown. The British surrender on October 19, 1781 ended the major hostilities and secured the independence of the former colonies, though sporadic fighting continued for another two years.

In 1790, both Virginia and Maryland ceded territory to form the new District of Columbia, but in an Act of the U.S. Congress dated July 9, 1846, the area south of the Potomac that had been ceded by Virginia was retroceded to Virginia effective 1847, and is now Arlington County and part of the City of Alexandria.

American Civil War

Main article: Virginia in the American Civil War

Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy.

Virginia seceded from the Union (on April 17, 1861) in response to Lincoln's call for volunteers to attack the Confederate States of America after its attack on Fort Sumter. Virginia briefly operated as an independent state until it joined the Confederacy. It turned over its military on June 8 and ratified the Constitution of the Confederate States on June 19. Upon its admission, the CSA moved its capitol from Montgomery, Alabama to Richmond. In 1863, during the Civil War, 48 counties remaining loyal to the Union in the northwest of the state separated from Virginia to form the State of West Virginia, an act which was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in 1870. More battles were fought on Virginia soil than anywhere else in America during the Civil War including the First Battle of Manassas, Second Battle of Manassas, the Seven Days Battles, the Battle of Fredricksburg and the Battle of Chancellorsville. After those major battles and the capture of Virginia, the confederate capitol was moved to Danville, Virginia. Virginia formally rejoined the union on January 26, 1870, after Reconstruction.

Twentieth century

In 1902 the Constitution of Virginia was rewritten for a third time. Legislators included the poll tax and Jim Crow laws enacted during the post-war disfranchisement of African Americans after the Civil War. This constitution remained in force until redrafted in 1971.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement gained many participants and achieved the moral force to gain national legislation for suffrage and civil rights for African Americans in Virginia and throughout the South. These gains followed years of resistance. In 1950 the first black students attended the University of Virginia School of Law and in 1952 they gained admission to Virginia Tech. Despite the determination of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, Virginia declared in 1958 that desegregated schools would not receive state funding. In 1959 Prince Edward County closed their schools rather than integrate them.

Many Virginians participated in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. By the time state legislators created the 1971 constitution, goals such as integration and the repeal of Jim Crow laws had been achieved. On January 13, 1990, Douglas Wilder was elected Governor of Virginia and became the first African American to achieve that office since Reconstruction.

World War II and the Cold War led to massive expansion of government programs in the areas near Washington, including the record-breaking rapid construction of the Pentagon, United States Department of Defense headquarters. These programs became the basis of the Northern Virginia economy, based on well-educated, professional work force. Subsequent growth of defense projects has also generated a local information technology industry. The Hampton Roads region has also grown due to government and military expansion. Because of the Pentagon site, northern Virginia was targeted in the September 11, 2001 attacks. One hundred eighty-five people died in the attack on the Pentagon.

In 1926, Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of Williamsburg's Bruton Parish Church, began restoration of colonial era buildings in the historic district with financial backing of John D. Rockefeller Jr. The resulting Colonial Williamsburg project is a major part of the Historic Triangle and Virginia's largest tourist destination. In 2007, Virginia marked its quadricentennial year, celebrating 400 years since the establishment of the Jamestown Colony. The far-reaching social changes of the mid- to late-20th century were expressed by broad-based celebrations marking contributions of three cultures to the state: Native American, European and African. The celebrations marked the multicultural strengths of Virginia and US history.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	691,737		—
1800	807,557		16.7%
1810	877,683		8.7%
1820	938,261		6.9%
1830	1,044,054		11.3%
1840	1,025,227		−1.8%
1850	1,119,348		9.2%
1860	1,219,630		9.0%
1870	1,225,163		0.5%
1880	1,512,565		23.5%
1890	1,655,980		9.5%
1900	1,854,184		12.0%
1910	2,061,612		11.2%
1920	2,309,187		12.0%
1930	2,421,851		4.9%
1940	2,677,773		10.6%
1950	3,318,680		23.9%
1960	3,966,949		19.5%
1970	4,648,494		17.2%
1980	5,346,818		15.0%
1990	6,187,358		15.7%
2000	7,078,515		14.4%

As of 2006, Virginia had an estimated population of 7,642,884, which is an increase of 78,557, or 1.0%, from the prior year and an increase of 563,854, or 8.0%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 276,039 people (that is 633,794 births minus 357,755 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 276,292 people into the commonwealth. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 151,748 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 124,544 people. The commonwealth has 940,899 residents who were born outside the United States (8.14% of the population), while 99,104 were born in a different state. Also in 2006, 6.58% of Virginia's population were reported as under 5 years old, 24.6% under 18, and 11.2% were senior citizens-65+. The center of population of Virginia is located in Goochland County.

Ethnicity

Demographics of Virginia (csv)

By race	White	Black	AIAN*	Asian	NHPI*
2000 (total population)	75.70%	20.54%	0.76%	4.32%	0.15%
2000 (Hispanic only)	4.17%	0.42%	0.09%	0.07%	0.02%
2005 (total population)	74.94%	20.65%	0.74%	5.20%	0.16%
2005 (Hispanic only)	5.44%	0.46%	0.10%	0.09%	0.03%
Growth 2000–05 (total population)	5.84%	7.49%	4.61%	28.64%	17.09%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only)	3.87%	7.27%	2.22%	28.47%	15.73%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only)	39.60%	18.30%	22.10%	38.58%	24.16%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

The five largest reported ancestry groups in Virginia are: African (19.6%), German (11.7%), unspecified American (11.2%), English (11.1%), Irish (9.8%).

Historically Virginia was the largest and wealthiest colony and state and the birthplace of Southern and American culture. A large proportion (about half) of Virginia's population was made up of enslaved Africans who worked its tobacco, cotton, and hemp plantations. Initially, these slaves were imported from west central Africa, primarily Angola. During the eighteenth century, however, about half of them were derived from various ethnicities located in the Niger Delta region of modern day Nigeria. They contributed strongly to the development of Southern foodways, music, vernacular architecture, and religion. With continued immigration to Virginia of other European groups and the 19th century sales of tens of thousands of enslaved African Americans from Virginia to the Deep South, by 1860 enslaved African Americans comprised only 31% of the state's population of 1.6 million.

Virginia Population Density Map

In colonial Virginia the majority of free people of color were descended from marriages or relationships of white women (servants or free) and black men (slave, servant or free), reflecting the fluid relationships among working people. Many free black families were well-established and headed by landowners by the Revolution. From 1782 to 1818, a wave of slaveholders inspired by the Revolutionary ideals of equality freed slaves, until the legislature made manumissions more difficult. A careful reading of the abstracts indicates some African Americans freed were those whose fathers were white masters; others were freed for service. By 1860 there were 58,042 free people of color (black or mulatto, as classified in the census) in Virginia. Over the decades, many had gathered in the cities of Richmond and Petersburg where there were more job opportunities, but many others were landowners who had working farms. They had found acceptance from neighbors in the frontier areas of Virginia.

The twentieth century Great Migration of blacks from the rural South to the urban North reduced Virginia's black population to about 20%. Today, African-Americans are concentrated in the eastern and southern Tidewater and Piedmont regions where plantation agriculture was the most dominant. The western mountains are populated primarily by people of heavily Scots-Irish ancestry. There are also sizable numbers of people of German descent in the northwestern mountains and Shenandoah Valley. Because of immigration in the late 20th century and early 21st century, there are rapidly growing populations of Hispanics (particularly Central Americans) and Asians in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. In addition, the Hampton Roads area, in particular, has a large Filipino population. Northern Virginia has the largest Vietnamese population on the East Coast, with slightly more than 99,000 Vietnamese migrants.

Religion

The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is located in the Richmond's Fan district.

Religious affiliation
Christian:		76%		Baptist:	30%
	Protestant:	49%		Methodist:	7%
	Roman Catholic:	14%		Lutheran:	2%
	Other Christian:	13%		Presbyterian:	3%
Judaism:		1%		Episcopalian:	3%
Islam:		1%		Pentecostal:	2%
Other religions:		4%		Congregational:	1%
Non-religious:		12%		Other/general:	2%

Virginia is predominantly Protestant; Baptists account as the largest single group with 30% of the population being members. Roman Catholics, are the second-largest group, and also the third fastest growing. Islam, the second fastest growing group, accounts for 0.99% of the population. Buddhism and Hinduism combined form the fastest group, and largest of the "Other Religions" group, accounting for 1.00% of the population. About 50.0% of those practicing non-Christian faiths come from India, 5.50% from China, 3.70% from the Middle East, 2.20% from Guyana, 0.1% from Sri Lanka, and 37.9% from other nations.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington covers much of Northern Virginia's Catholic churches while the Diocese of Richmond cover the rest. The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, Southern Virginia, and Southwestern Virginia support the various Episcopal churches. The Virginia Synod is likewise responsible for the churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

In November 2006, fifteen conservative Episcopal churches in the Diocese of Virginia voted to split from the diocese and the larger Anglican Communion church over the issue of the sexuality and the ordination of openly gay clergy and bishops. Virginia law allows parishioners to determine their church's affiliation, and the resulting property law case is a test for Episcopal churches nationwide.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Virginia

Virginia's economy is well balanced with diverse sources of income. From the Hampton Roads area to Richmond and down to Lee County in the southwest includes military installations, cattle, tobacco and peanut farming in Southside Virginia. Tomatoes recently surpassed soy as the most profitable crop in Virginia. Tobacco, peanuts and hay are also important agricultural products from the commonwealth. Wineries and vineyards in the Northern Neck and along the Blue Ridge Mountains also have become increasingly popular. Northern Virginia (once considered the state's dairy capital) hosts software, communications, consulting, defense contracting, diplomats, and considerable components of the professional government sector.

The Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense in Arlington, is the largest office building on earth.

As of the 2000 census, Virginia had the highest number of counties and independent cities (15) in the top 100 wealthiest jurisdictions in the United States based upon median income; in addition, Virginia tied with Colorado as having the most counties (10) in the top 100 based on per capita income. There are seven Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Northern Virginia, and nine in the Richmond area (most of which are within the city itself.) Only five metro areas in the country have more Fortune 500 companies than the Richmond area.

Loudoun and Fairfax counties in Northern Virginia have the highest and second highest median household income, respectively, of all counties in the United States as of 2006. Many of Northern Virginia's well-educated population work directly for Federal agencies; many others work for defense and security contractors. Well-known government agencies headquartered in Northern Virginia include the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense, as well as the National Science Foundation, the United States Geological Survey and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The Hampton Roads area has the largest concentration of military bases and facilities of any metropolitan area in the world, the largest of these being Naval Station Norfolk. The state is second to Alaska and ahead of North Dakota and New Mexico in per capita defense spending.

Virginia has the highest concentration of technology workers of any state. Computer chips became the state's highest-grossing export in 2006, surpassing its traditional top exports of coal and tobacco, combined. The Dulles Technology Corridor centered on the border of Fairfax County and Loudoun County near Dulles International Airport has a high concentration of Internet, communication technology and software engineering firms.

Taxation

Virginia collects personal income tax in five income brackets, ranging from 3.0% to 5.75%. The sales and use tax rate is 4%. The tax rate on food is 1.5%. There is an additional 1% local tax, for a total of a 5% combined sales tax on most Virginia purchases and a combined tax rate of 2.5% on food. Virginia's property tax is set and collected at the local government level and varies throughout the commonwealth. Real estate is taxed at the local level based on 100% of fair market value. Effective true tax rates on real estate vary and are set by locality. Tangible personal property also is taxed at the local level and is based on a percentage or percentages of original cost. Tangible personal property includes, but is not limited to, machinery and equipment, furniture, fixtures, and trucks and automobiles. The Virginia General Assembly exempted intangible personal property from taxation in 1984 by making the tax rate zero. Virginia does not collect inheritance taxes; however, its estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws, and therefore the Commonwealth imposes its own estate tax.

Transportation

File:PA300043.JPG

Virginia is home to many shortline railroads such as the Buckingham Branch Railroad.

Main article: Transportation in Virginia

Virginia has five major airports: Washington Dulles, Washington Reagan National, Richmond International, Norfolk International and Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. Virginia is unique among most states in that the state government owns and operates most of the roads in the state, instead of the local city or county authority. Run by the Virginia Department of Transportation, this is the third largest highway system in the United States.

In the Hampton Roads area, there are three bridge-tunnel complexes known as the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Two tunnels and numerous bridges span portions of the Elizabeth River. The James River Bridge, opened in 1928, and rebuilt in the 1970s, spans the James River near its mouth and north of the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel.

Interstate 95 and Interstate 81 are the two major north-south highways through Virginia. The Capital Beltway, Interstate 495, which allows through traffic to avoid passing through Washington, DC crosses the Potomac River in Alexandria and McLean. The Springfield Interchange at the junction of I95, Interstate 395, and the Capital Beltway (I495) in Springfield, Virginia, south of Washington, D.C. has recently been reconstructed to improve traffic flow; widening of Woodrow Wilson Bridge will finish in mid-2008. Interstate 66, another heavily traveled route into Washington, DC, connects the Capital Beltway to I81 at Front Royal, Virginia. Interstate 64 runs east-west through the state, from the terminus in Virginia's southeast in Chesapeake running northwest into Richmond, then west through Charlottesville and into West Virginia and beyond, to just over the Mississippi River into St. Louis.

Virginia has Amtrak passenger rail service along several corridors, and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) maintains two commuter lines into Washington, D.C. from Fredericksburg and Manassas. The Washington Metro rapid transit system currently serves Northern Virginia as far west as Fairfax County, although expansion plans call for Metro to reach Dulles Airport in Loudoun County by 2015. The Virginia Department of Transportation operates several free ferries throughout Virginia, the most notable being the Jamestown-Scotland ferry which crosses the James River between historic Jamestown and the community of Scotland in Surry County.

Law and government

The Virginia State Capitol building, designed by Thomas Jefferson, recently underwent massive renovations.

Main article: Government of Virginia

Virginia currently functions under the 1971 Constitution of Virginia, modeled on the federal government of the United States. It is the Commonwealth's seventh constitution. Under the Constitution, the government is composed of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch or state legislature is the General Assembly, a bicameral body whose 140 members make all laws of the Commonwealth. The current governor of Virginia is Tim Kaine. Under the state constitution, incumbent governors cannot run for re-election. Other members of the executive branch include the Lieutenant Governor, and the Attorney General. The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Virginia Court of Appeals, the General District Courts and the Circuit Courts.

Historic government

In colonial Virginia, the lower house of the legislature was called the House of Burgesses. Together with the Governor's Council, the House of Burgesses made up the "General Assembly". The idea of electing burgesses was important and new. It gave Virginians a chance to control their own government for the first time. At first, the burgesses were elected by all free men in the colony. Founded in 1619, the Virginia General Assembly is still in existence as the oldest legislature in the New World. The State Capitol building in Richmond was designed by Thomas Jefferson, and the cornerstone was laid by Governor Patrick Henry in 1785. By the time of the Constitution of 1901, which lasted longer than any other state constitution, was amended many times, notably in the 1930s and 1950s, before it was abandoned in favor of more modern government, with fewer elected officials, reformed local governments and a more streamlined judiciary.

Politics

Governor Tim Kaine with U.S. Senator John Warner and former Senator George Allen.

Main article: Politics of Virginia

Virginia's politics reflect a commonwealth in transition from a largely rural, conservative state to an increasingly diverse and cosmopolitan state with growing suburban areas that increasingly vote Democratic. While Virginia's Governor is a Democrat, the Lieutenant Governor is a Republican, and Republican Robert McDonnell became Attorney General by 360 votes following a legally mandated recount of ballots for that race in 2005. Fairfax County and other northern Virginia areas overwhelmingly voted for John Kerry in the 2004 U.S. Presidential election and won 45.48% of the vote in Virginia. Though Northern Virginia continues to trend Democratic, most of rural Virginia, once a Democratic stronghold, has been trending Republican, balancing out the state's politics and reflecting the national urban-rural split. Portions of Southwest Virginia influenced by unionized coal mines, college towns such as Charlottesville and Blacksburg, and southeastern counties in the Black Belt Region have remained more likely to vote Democratic. In the 2007 state elections, the Democrats regained control of the State Senate, and narrowed the Republican majority in the House of Delegates to 7 or 8 votes.

Virginia could become a more competitive state in future presidential elections, as the number of Democrats in the north have begun to balance the number of Republicans in other parts of the state. The election of Jim Webb as one of Virginia's two U.S. Senators in the Congressional midterm elections of 2006 seemed to reinforce this prediction. His election also indicated widespread voter disaffection with the Republican Party. In that midterm election, the Virginia Senate race was the last decided. Through it the Democratic Party secured a majority in the United States Senate.

John Warner, a Republican, holds Virginia's other seat in the U.S. Senate. Republicans also hold 8 out of 11 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Northern Virginia, the most staunchly Democratic areas were placed in the 8th Congressional District represented by Jim Moran leaving behind traditionally Republican leaning areas in the 11th Congressional District represented by Thomas M. Davis and the 10th Congressional District represented by Frank Wolf. The predominately African American 3rd Congressional District represented by Robert C. Scott stretches from the Richmond metropolitan area to Hampton Roads and is surrounded by Republican-controlled districts.

Important cities and towns

Main articles: List of cities in Virginia and List of towns in Virginia

See also: List of U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) in Virginia and Political subdivisions of Virginia

Richmond skyline crossing the Manchester Bridge

Under Virginia law, all municipalities incorporated as cities are independent of any county. As of 2006, 39 of the 42 independent cities in the United States are in Virginia. Richmond is the capital of Virginia, and the Greater Richmond Region has a population of over 1.3 million people. Richmond, Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia are the most populated areas of the state.

Because Richmond is home to both a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and a Federal Reserve bank, as well as offices for international firms such as Hunton & Williams, LLP, McGuireWoods LLP, Troutman Sanders LLP, CapitalOne, Philip Morris USA, and numerous other banks and brokerages, Richmond has been cited as having evidence of being a Global city.

Virginia Beach is the most populous city in the commonwealth, with Norfolk and Chesapeake second and third, respectively. Norfolk forms the urban core of this metropolitan area, which is home to over 1.7 million people and the world's largest naval base. Some other municipalities are incorporated towns, which are not independent of a county but are located within one of the 95 counties in Virginia. Although it is not incorporated as a city, Fairfax County is the most populous locality in Virginia, estimated in 2005 to have slightly over one million residents. Fairfax has a major urban business and shopping center in Tysons Corner. It and its western neighbor, Loudoun County are ranked as two of the most affluent counties in the nation. Loudoun County also ranked as the fastest-growing county in the United States.

Arlington County, which lies across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. and originally part of the District, is an urban community; it is much like a city but remains organized as a county, and has no towns within its borders. It is the smallest self-governing county in the United States, by land area. Neighboring Alexandria has a historic seaport district. Roanoke, the largest city in southwestern Virginia, is known as the Star City. In addition, it was once a major hub for several railroads and is currently a technological leader in the region.

Virginia does not have any political subdivisions, such as villages or townships, for areas of counties that are not within the boundaries of incorporated towns. There are also hundreds of other unincorporated communities in Virginia, sometimes informally called towns.

Education

The University of Virginia is located in the city of Charlottesville.

Public schools

See also: List of school divisions in Virginia

Public schools in Virginia are generally operated by the counties and cities, and not by the state. Besides the public schools in Virginia, there are Governor's Schools. The Governor's Schools are a collection of regional selective magnet high schools and summer programs intended for gifted students.

Colleges and universities

Main article: List of colleges and universities in Virginia

According to the popular U.S. News and World Report annual college rankings, two of the top 10 public national universities in the United States are located in Virginia, with only California having more in the top 10. The University of Virginia, a World Heritage Site founded by Thomas Jefferson, is ranked #2 and the College of William and Mary, the second-oldest college in America, is ranked #6.

Additionally, James Madison University is perennially named the #1 public master's level university in The South. Virginia is also home to the Virginia Military Institute, the oldest state military college in the U.S. and the Nation's #1 public liberal arts college for three consecutive years.

Virginia Commonwealth University is the largest university in Virginia with over 30,000 students, followed closely by George Mason University. Virginia Tech and Virginia State University are the land-grant universities of the state.

Sports

Harbor Park is home to the Norfolk Tides.

See also: List of professional sports teams in Virginia

Virginia is by far the most populous U.S. state without a major professional sports league franchise. The reasons for this include the proximity of Washington, D.C. which has franchises in all four major sports, and the lack of any dominant city or market within the state. Virginia is home to many minor league clubs, especially in baseball and soccer. Virginia has many professional caliber golf courses including Upper Cascades, Kingsmill Resort and the new Greg Norman course at Lansdowne Resort. Other favorites include Old Trail GC, Winton Country Club, and Devils Knob at Wintergreen Resort.

Washington-based sports teams are popular throughout much of Virginia. Professional teams based in North Carolina (the Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Panthers, and Charlotte Bobcats) also have followings in the southern part of Virginia. The Atlanta Braves are one of the more popular baseball teams in much of Virginia, perhaps in part because of the location of a farm team, the Richmond Braves. The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles also have followings due to their proximity to the state, and the Cincinnati Reds have fans in Southwest Virginia.

Virginia has been a hub of NASCAR racing since the series' inception. NASCAR Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) Champion of 1962 and 1963 Rex White was born in Norfolk. Current Virginia drivers in the series include brothers Jeff Burton and Ward Burton of South Boston, Chesterfield's Denny Hamlin, Chesapeake's Ricky Rudd, and Emporia's Elliot Sadler. Virginia is also home to two tracks currently on the Cup schedule, Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway. Former Virginia Cup tracks include South Boston Speedway, Langley Speedway, Southside Speedway, and Old Dominion Speedway.

Virginia does not allow state appropriated funds to be used for either operational or capital expenses for intercollegiate athletics. Despite this, both the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech have been able to field competitive teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference and maintain modern facilities. Both regularly have attendance over 60,000 at home football games. Virginia has several other universities that compete in Division I of the NCAA, particularly in the Colonial Athletic Association. Notable successes include James Madison University's Division I-AA national championship in football in 2004 and George Mason University's advancement to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament in 2006.

Three historically black schools compete in the Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and two others compete in Division I MEAC. Several smaller schools compete in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the USA South Athletic Conference of NCAA Division III. The NCAA currently holds its Division III championships in football, men's basketball, volleyball and softball in Salem.

State symbols

File:Welcometovasign.JPG

The Virginia welcome sign on State Route 32 uses the state bird, the cardinal, and the state tree and flower, the dogwood.

Main article: List of Virginia state symbols

• State motto: "Sic semper tyrannis" (Thus always to tyrants)
• State bird: Cardinal
• State dog: American Foxhound
• State nickname: Old Dominion
• State flower: Dogwood
• State tree: Dogwood
• State insect: Tiger swallowtail
• State bat: Virginia Big-Eared Bat
• State song: none; the former state song, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny/Virginia", was retired in 1997
• State dance: Square Dance
• State boat: Chesapeake Bay deadrise
• State fish: Brook trout
• State shell: Oyster
• State fossil: Chesapecten jeffersonius
• State beverage: milk
• State flag: Flag of the Commonwealth
• State seal: The Great Seal.

See also

• Virginia is for Lovers
• Appalachia
• List of historic houses in Virginia
• List of people from Virginia
• List of school divisions in Virginia
• Lost counties, cities and towns of Virginia
• New South
• Scouting in Virginia
• Virginia census statistical areas
• Virginia State Police
• Democratic Party of Virginia
• Republican Party of Virginia

Further reading

• Fiske, John, Old Virginia and Her Neighbours, Cambridge University Press, and Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston & New York, 1897, in two volumes.
• Billings, Warren M., A Little Parliament - The Virginia General Assembly in the Seventeenth Century, Library of Virginia &c., Richmond, 2004, ISBN 0-88490-202-1
• Price, A. David., "Love & Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and The Start of a New Nation", Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, Inc., New York, 2003.
• Boyer, S. Paul., Clark Jr., E. Clifford., Kett, Joseph., Salisbury, Neal., Sitkoff, Harvard., and Woloch, Nancy. The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston & New York, 2000, Fourth Edition.

External links

• State Government website
• Virginia Tourism Website
• Virginia Historical Markers
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Virginia
• The First Charter of Virginia; April 10, 1606
• The Second Charter of Virginia; May 23, 1609
• The Third Charter of Virginia; March 12, 1611
• Virginia Historical Society
• Geography of Virginia
• Virginia State Climatology Office
• Virginia State Parks
• Interactive Virginia for Kids
• Virginia State Fact Sheet from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
• National Geographic Magazine Jamestown/Werowocomoco Interactive

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