Commonwealth of Virginia
Flag of Virginia Seal of Virginia Nickname(s): Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents Motto(s): Sic semper tyrannis
Official language(s)	English
Spoken language(s)	English 94. The Flag of Virginia consists of the Seal of Virginia against a blue background The Seal of Virginia is the official symbol of the Commonwealth of Virginia. This is a list of US state nicknames, including officially adopted Nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states of the United States. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. Sic semper tyrannis is a Latin phrase meaning "thus ever (or always to tyrants The United States does not have an Official language; however the majority of the population speaks English as a native language (about 82% The United States does not have an Official language; however the majority of the population speaks English as a native language (about 82% English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States 3%, Spanish 5. 8%
Demonym	Virginian
Capital	Richmond
Largest city	Virginia Beach
Largest metro area	Northern Virginia
Area	Ranked 35th in the US
- Total	42,774 sq mi (110,785 km²)
- Width	200 miles (320 km)
- Length	430 miles (690 km)
- % water	7. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. This is a list of the largest cities of US states by population Virginia Beach (pronounced /vɚˌdʒɪnjəˈbiːtʃ/ is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area and one of the largest cities in Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 4
- Latitude	36° 32′ N to 39° 28′ N
- Longitude	75° 15′ W to 83° 41′ W
Population	Ranked 12th in the US
- Total	7,078,515
- Density	178. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the This article is a list of the 50 US States ordered by Population density. 8/sq mi  69. 03/km² (14th in the US)
- Median income	$53,275 (10th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Mount Rogers[1] 5,729 ft  (1,747 m)
- Mean	950 ft  (290 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[1] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	June 25, 1788 (10th)
Governor	Timothy M. Kaine (D)
Lieutenant Governor	Bill Bolling (R)
U.S. Senators	John Warner (R) Jim Webb (D)
Congressional Delegation	8 Rep. Household income is a measure of current private income commonly used by the United States government and private institutions Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> Mount Rogers is the highest point in the state of Virginia, USA, with a summit elevation of above mean sea level Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of U Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine (born February 26, 1958) is an American politician and the current Governor of Virginia. This is a complete and current List of United States Lieutenant Governors. William T "Bill" Bolling (born June 15, 1957) is the Republican Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives John William Warner (born February 18 1927 is an American Politician, who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and has served as the James Henry "Jim" Webb Jr (born February 9 1946 is the Junior Senator from Virginia. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses and 3 Dem. (list)
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	VA US-VA
Website	www.virginia.gov

The Commonwealth of Virginia (pronounced /vɚˈdʒɪnjə/) is an American state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. These are tables of congressional delegations from Virginia to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. This is a list of United States of America States by time zone The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America Daylight saving time ( DST The traditional abbreviations for US states and territories were widely used in mailing addresses prior to the introduction of two-letter U ISO 3166-2US is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United States of America. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive Virginia is the 12th-most populous state in the U. S. with over 7. 7 million residents, and the 35th-largest in area. ^[2] It is named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, who, never having married, was known as the 'Virgin Queen'. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The state is also known as the "The Old Dominion" and sometimes "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by

The roots of modern Virginia trace back to the founding of the Virginia Colony in 1607 by the Virginia Company of London. The Colony of Virginia (also known frequently as the Virginia Colony and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia) was the English colony The London Company (also called the Charter of the Virginia Company of London) was an English Joint stock company established by royal charter by Agriculture, colonialism and slavery played significant roles in Virginia's early economy and politics. It was the first permanent New World English colony and became one of the thirteen colonies that would take part in the American Revolution, and subsequently became the heart of the Confederacy in the American Civil War. The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. The Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris (1783 recognized the In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South

The capital of the commonwealth is Richmond, while Virginia Beach is the most populous city, and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision. Four of the constituent states of the United States officially designate themselves Commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia Beach (pronounced /vɚˌdʒɪnjəˈbiːtʃ/ is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area and one of the largest cities in Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia, in the United States. Although traditionally conservative and historically part of the Southern United States, modern Virginia is a politically competitive state for both major national political parties. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive The politics of Virginia reflect a state that is beginning to experience a conflict between its increasingly liberal northern region and its traditionally conservative southern region ^[3] Virginia's government is ranked with the highest efficiency grade in the nation. ^[4]

Virginia has an economy with several important industries, including the federal government administration in Northern Virginia and military-industrial bases in Hampton Roads, as well as significant agricultural production. Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. The Historic Triangle includes Jamestown, Yorktown and the living museum of Colonial Williamsburg as popular tourist destinations. The Historic Triangle is located on the Virginia Peninsula of the United States and includes the colonial communities of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg Jamestown, located on Jamestown Island in the Virginia Colony, was founded on May 14 1607 Yorktown is a Census-designated place (CDP in York County, Virginia, United States. An open air museum is a distinct type of Museum exhibiting its collections out-of-doors Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia. ^[5] The growth of the technology sector has made computer chips the state's leading export, with the industry based on the strength of Virginia's public schools and universities, some of which are at the top of national rankings. Microchipsjpg|right|thumb|200px|Microchips ( EPROM memory with a transparent window showing the integrated circuit inside The following is a list of Colleges and universities in the U ^[6]

Geography

See also: List of counties in Virginia and List of county seats in Virginia

Map of Virginia's major cities and roads

Virginia has an area of 42,774 square miles (110,784 km²) making it the thirty-fifth largest state. The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties and 39 independent cities, which are considered County-equivalents for census purposes List of Virginia County seats County seats in italics are independent cities that are legally separate from their surrounding county This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area ^[7] Virginia is bordered by Maryland and the District of Columbia to the north and east; the Atlantic Ocean to the east; by North Carolina and Tennessee to the south; by Kentucky to the west and by West Virginia to the north and west. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Due to a peculiarity of Virginia's original charter, its boundary with Maryland does not extend past the low-water mark of the southern shore of the Potomac River, meaning Maryland and the District of Columbia contain the whole width of the river rather than splitting it between them and Virginia. The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid- Atlantic coast of the United States. ^[8]

Geology and terrain

Topographic map of Virginia counties

The Chesapeake Bay divides the terresterially contiguous portion of the Commonwealth with a two county peninsula- Virginia's Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore of Virginia consists of two Counties ( Accomack and Northampton) on the Atlantic coast of the Commonwealth of Many of Virginia's rivers flow into the Chesapeake. This is a list of rivers in the US state of Virginia. By Drainage Basin This list is arranged by drainage basin with respective ^[9] The Virginia seismic zone has not had a history of regular activity. The Virginia Seismic Zone is located in the US State of Virginia. Earthquakes are rarely above 4. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer 5 on the Richter magnitude scale because Virginia is located centrally on the North American Plate. The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude M L scale assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released The North American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia. The largest earthquake, at 5. 9 magnitude, came in 1897 in Blacksburg. WELCOME TO WIKIPEDIA **** Please read before you edit or add info about the shootings ^[10] Besides coal, resources such as slate, kyanite, and sand and gravel are mined with an annual value over $2 billion. Slate is a fine-grained foliated homogeneous, Metamorphic rock derived from an original Shale -type Sedimentary rock composed of Clay Kyanite, whose name derives from the Greek word kyanos, meaning blue is a typically blue Silicate Mineral, commonly found in Aluminium -rich ^[11] Geographically and geologically, Virginia is divided into five regions from east to west:

• Tidewater—Coastal plain between the Atlantic coast and the fall line, including the Eastern Shore and major estuaries. The Tidewater region of Virginia is a term used to refer to the eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia. A coastal plain is an area of flat low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features In Geomorphology, a fall line (at times referred to as a fall zone) marks the area where an upland region (continental Bedrock) and a Coastal plain An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open
• Piedmont—Mesozoic sedimentary and igneous rock based foothills east of the Appalachian Mountains, but including the Southwest Mountains. Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching Sedimentary rock is one of the three main rock types (the others being igneous and Metamorphic rock) Igneous rocks (etymology from Latin ignis, fire are rocks formed by solidification of cooled Magma (molten rock Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in hilly areas at the base of a Mountain range. The Appalachian Mountains ( often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. The Southwest Mountains of Virginia are a range parallel to and geologically associated with the Blue Ridge Mountains, which lie about 30 miles ( 50 km ^[12]
• Blue Ridge Mountains—includes Mount Rogers and the Appalachian Trail. The Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division Mount Rogers is the highest point in the state of Virginia, USA, with a summit elevation of above mean sea level The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A
• Ridge and Valley—includes Massanutten Mountain and the Great Appalachian Valley with carbonate rock below. The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of Massanutten Mountain is a synclinal Ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, located in the U The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. Carbonate rocks are a class of Sedimentary rocks composed primarily of Carbonate Minerals The two major types are Limestone and Dolomite
• Appalachian Plateau—west of the mountains toward the Allegheny Plateau with a dendritic drainage system flowing into the Ohio River basin. The Appalachian Plateau is the western part of the Appalachian mountains, stretching from New York to Georgia and Alabama. The Allegheny Plateau is a large Dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. ^[13]

Climate

Main article: Climate of Virginia

The Blue Ridge Mountains have a humid continental climate. The climate of Virginia, a state on the east coast of the United States, is considered mild compared to other areas of the United States

Most of the state east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, plus the southern part of the Shenandoah Valley, has a humid subtropical climate. The Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division The Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia and West Virginia is bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa or Cwa) is a climate zone characterized by hot humid summers and chilly to mild winters In the mountainous areas west of the Blue Ridge, the climate becomes humid continental. The humid continental climate is a Climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between ^[14] The moderating influence of the ocean from the east, powered by the Gulf Stream, also creates the potential for hurricanes near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, making the coastal area vulnerable. The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful warm and swift Atlantic Ocean current that A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding Although Hurricane Gaston in 2004 inundated Richmond hurricanes rarely threaten far inland. Hurricane Gaston was a minimal hurricane that made landfall in South Carolina on August 29 2004 This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. ^[15]

Thunderstorms are an occasional concern, with the state averaging from 35-45 days of thunderstorm activity annually. The area of most frequent occurrence is in the west. ^[16] The state averages in just in excess of 85 tornadoes per year, though most are F2 and lower on the Fujita scale. A tornado is a violent rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a Cumulonimbus cloud or in rare cases the base of a Cumulus The Fujita scale ( F-Scale) or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating Tornado intensity based on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures ^[17] Cold air masses arriving over the mountains, especially in winter, can lead to significant snowfalls in those regions, such as the Blizzard of 1996. The Blizzard of 1996 was a Nor'easter that paralyzed the US East Coast with up to four feet (1 The interaction of these elements with the state's topography creates micro-climates in the Shenandoah Valley, the mountainous southwest, and the coastal plains that are distinct. ^[18] In recent years the expansion of the southern suburbs of Washington into Northern Virginia, has created an urban heat island due to the increased energy output of more densely used areas. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several An urban heat island ( UHI) is a metropolitan area which is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas ^[19] In 2005, seventeen of the ninety-five counties received failing grades for air quality, with Fairfax County having the worst in the state. Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia, in the United States. ^[20]

Flora and fauna

Deer at Tanner Ridge Overlook in Shenandoah National Park

Virginia is sixty-five percent covered by forests. Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U ^[21] In some mountainous areas of the state, pine predominates and there is also the occasional naturally growing prickly pear cactus. Opuntia is a Genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae. Currently only prickly pears (also known as Nopal or A cactus (plural cacti) is any member of the Spine plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas Lower altitudes are more likely to have small but dense stands of moisture-loving hemlocks and mosses in abundance. Tsuga canadensis, also known as Eastern or Canadian Hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as Pruche du Canada Mosses are small soft Plants that are typically 1–10  cm (0 Other commonly found plants include oak, hickory, chestnut, maple, tulip poplar, mountain laurel, milkweed, daisies, and many species of ferns. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin Trees in the genus Carya (from Ancient Greek κάρυον " Nut " are commonly known as Hickory. Chestnut ( Castanea) (including some chinkapin or Chinquapin) is a Genus of eight or nine Species of Deciduous Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or Liriodendron tulipifera,commonly known as the American tulip tree, tulip poplar or yellow poplar, is the Western Hemisphere representative Kalmia latifolia, commonly called Mountain-laurel or Spoonwood, is a Flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native A fern is any one of a group of about 20000 Species of Plants classified in the phylum or division Pteridophyta, also known as Filicophyta Gypsy moth infestations beginning in the early 1990s have eroded the dominance of the oak forests. The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth in the family Lymantriidae of Eurasian origin ^[22]

Mammals include Whitetailed deer, black bear, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, opossum, groundhog, gray fox, and eastern cottontail rabbit. A deer is a Ruminant Mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. The Bobcat ( Lynx rufus) is a North American Mammal of the cat family Felidae. The raccoon ( Procyon lotor) (sometimes spelt as racoon) also known as the common raccoon, North American raccoon, northern raccoon Skunks (sometimes referred to as polecats) are Mammals best known for their ability to excrete a strong foul-smelling odor. Didelphimorphia is the order of common opossums of the Western Hemisphere. The groundhog ( Marmota monax) also known as the woodchuck land beaver or whistlepig, is a Rodent of the family Sciuridae The Gray Fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world ^[23] Though unsubstantiated, there have been some reported sightings of mountain lion in areas of the state. The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family ^[24] Birds include Virginia cardinal, barred owls, Carolina chickadees, Red-tailed Hawks, and wild turkeys. The Northern Cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis) is a North American Bird in the Cardinal family. The Barred Owl, Strix varia, is a large Typical owl. It goes by many other names including eight hooter, rain owl, wood owl, The Carolina Chickadee, Poecile carolinensis, is a small Songbird, a Passerine Bird in the tit family Paridae The Red-tailed Hawk ( Buteo jamaicensis) is a medium-sized Bird of prey, one of three species colloquially known in the United States as the " Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The Peregrine Falcon was reintroduced into Shenandoah National Park in the mid-1990s. The Peregrine Falcon ( Falco peregrinus) also known simply as the Peregrine, and historically as the "Duck Hawk" in North America is a ^[25] Freshwater fish include brook trout, longnose and blacknose dance, and the bluehead chub. The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, (sometimes called the eastern brook trout, Adirondack coaster lake trout) is a Species of Fish ^[26] The Chesapeake Bay is home to many species, including blue crabs, clams, oysters, and rockfish, also known as striped bass. The blue crab ( Callinectes sapidus, from the Greek calli ="beautiful" nectes ="swimmer" and Latin Clam is a word which can be used for all some or only a few Species of Bivalve Mollusks the word is a Common name which has The common name oyster is used for a number of different groups of Bivalve Mollusks most of which live in marine habitats or Brackish water. The striped bass ( Morone saxatilis, also called rock or rockfish is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and ^[27]

Virginia has many National Park Service units, including one national park, the Shenandoah National Park. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U Shenandoah was established in 1935 and encompasses the scenic Skyline Drive. This article refers to the road in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia Almost forty percent of the park's area (79,579 acres/322 km²) has been designated as Wilderness and is protected as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness is generally defined as a Natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by Human activity The US National Wilderness Preservation System protects federally managed land areas that are of a pristine condition Other parks in Virginia, such as Great Falls Park and Prince William Forest Park are included in the many areas in the National Park System. Great Falls Park is a small National Park Service (NPS site in Virginia, United States. Prince William Forest Park was established as Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area in 1936 and is located in southeastern Prince William County, Virginia The following is a list of all areas managed by the United States National Park Service within Virginia: Appalachian National Scenic Additionally, there are thirty-four Virginia state parks, run by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Virginia Department of Forestry. This is a list of State parks and reserves in the Virginia state park system ^[28] The Chesapeake Bay, while not a national park, is protected by both state and federal legislation, and the jointly run Chesapeake Bay Program which conducts restoration on the bay and its watershed. The Chesapeake Bay Program is the regional partnership that directs and conducts the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is protected by both Virginia and North Carolina. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1974 to help protect and preserve a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, a marshy region on the Coastal Plain of North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States

History

Main article: History of Virginia

A 19th century depiction of Pocahontas, of the Powhatan tribe, an ancestor of many of the First Families of Virginia

Jamestown 2007 marked Virginia's quadricentennial year, celebrating four hundred years since the establishment of the Jamestown Colony. The recorded History of Virginia began with settlement of the geographic region now known as the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States thousands of years ago Pocahontas (c 1595 – March 21 1617 was a Native American woman who married an Englishman John Rolfe, and became a celebrity in London in the last year of her The Powhatan (also spelled Powatan and Powhaten) or Powhatan Renape (literally the "Powhatan Human Beings" is the name of a First Families of Virginia (FFV originated with colonists from England who primarily settled at Jamestown and along the James River and other navigable Jamestown 2007 is the name of the organization planning the events commemorating the 400th Anniversary Over the centuries Virginia has been at the front of warfare from the American Revolution and the Civil War to the Cold War and the War on Terrorism. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The War on Terrorism (also known as the War on Terror) is the common term for the military political and legal, and ideological conflict and specifically for U 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. ^[29]

Colony

Main article: Colony of Virginia

At the time of the English colonization of Virginia, Native American people were living in what now is Virginia. The Colony of Virginia (also known frequently as the Virginia Colony and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia) was the English colony Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States Native American tribes in Virginia included the Cherokee, Chesepian, Chickahominy, Mattaponi, Meherrin, Monacan, Nansemond, Nottoway, Pamunkey, Powhatan, Rappahannock, Saponi and others. This page details the status of Native American tribes in the U The Cherokee (ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ a-ni-yv-wi-ya, in the Cherokee language) are a people native to North America, who at the time of European contact Chesepian were a Native American tribe who inhabited the area now known as South Hampton Roads in the U The Chickahominy are a tribe of Native Americans who primarily live in Charles City and New Kent counties in the Greater Richmond - Mattaponi tribe traces its history back to the Powhatan Confederation of tribes led by Chief Powhatan. The Meherrin Nation is one of eight state-recognized Nations of Native Americans in North Carolina. The Monacans are a group of people of mixed ancestry recognized as a Native American tribe by the state of Virginia in the United States. Nansemond refers to a group of people of mixed ancestry who have been recognized as a Native American tribe by the Commonwealth of Virginia, along with five other The Pamunkey Native American tribe is one of two existing tribes in Virginia that were part of the Powhatan Confederacy. The Powhatan (also spelled Powatan and Powhaten) or Powhatan Renape (literally the "Powhatan Human Beings" is the name of a The Rappahannock are a tribe of Native Americans. History In 1607 the Rappahannock were the dominant tribe of the Rappahannock River valley maintaining thirteen Saponi, is the name of one of the eastern Siouan tribes related to the Tutelo, Occaneechi, Monacan, Manahoac and other eastern Siouan ^[30] The natives are often divided into three groups, based to a large extent upon language differences. The largest group are known as the Algonquian led by Chief Powhatan. The Algonquian (also Algonkian, and pronounced both and) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic Chief Powhatan (c June 17, 1547 &ndash c 1618 whose proper name was Wahunsenacawh or (in seventeenth century English spelling Wahunsunacock It is estimated that at the time of English contact in the Tidewater region, the native Tidewater population of the Powhatan numbered 20,000. Powhatan controlled more than 32 chiefdoms in more than 150 town and settlements of various sizes. Two groups distinct from the Powhatan, the Nottoway and Meherrin, who numbered about 20,000 also, and lived in the Coastal Plain of Virginia beside other, more numerous Powhatan villages. They spoke dialects of the Iroquoian language and lived along the Nottoway and Meherrin Rivers. Like the coastal Algonquian (Powhatan), the people farmed and hunted, and their houses were similarly interspersed among fields of crops. Unlike members of the Powhatan chiefdom, however, the Nottoway and Meherrin lived as tribes in autonomous villages, with a local chief holding little sway beyond the village. A number of Indian tribes that spoke dialects of the Siouan language lived in the Piedmont of Virginia. ^[31]

In 1583, Queen Elizabeth I of England granted Sir Walter Raleigh a charter to explore and plant a colony north of Florida. List of current queens regnant A queen regnant (plural "queens regnant" is qualifying reference to a female Monarch possessing and exercising all of the monarchal Sir Walter Raleigh or Ralegh (c 1552 – 29 October 1618 was a famed English writer Poet, Soldier, Courtier and Explorer Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the ^[32] In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh explored the Atlantic coast of North America. Sir Walter Raleigh or Ralegh (c 1552 – 29 October 1618 was a famed English writer Poet, Soldier, Courtier and Explorer The East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard" refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern Raleigh, or possibly the Queen herself, named the area "Virginia" after Queen Elizabeth, known as the "Virgin Queen" because she never married. ^[33] The name eventually applied to the whole coast from South Carolina to Maine, and included Bermuda. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Ba (officially The Bermuda Islands or The Somers Isles) is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. The London Virginia Company was incorporated as a joint stock company by the proprietary Charter of 1606, which granted land rights to this area. The London Company (also called the Charter of the Virginia Company of London) was an English Joint stock company established by royal charter by A joint stock company (JSC is a type of business entity it is a type of Corporation or Partnership. In the Charter of 1606, King James I formed the Virginia Company; a group of Entrepreneurs from London to live and rule in North America Land rights are those Property rights that pertain to Real estate land ^[34] The Company financed the first permanent English settlement in the New World. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. Jamestown, named for King James I, was founded on May 13, 1607 by Captains Christopher Newport and John Smith. The James Settlement was the first permanent English settlement in North America. James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James Events 1497 - Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola. Christopher Newport (c 1561&ndash1618 was an English sailor and Privateer. Captain Sir John Smith (c January 1580– June 21 1631) Admiral of New England was an English Soldier, Sailor ^[35] In 1609 many colonists died during the "starving time" after the loss of the Third Supply's flagship, the Sea Venture. The Starving Time at Jamestown in the English Colony of Virginia killed all but 60 of 500 colonists during the winter of 1609 – 1610 The Third Supply was the first truly successful wave of Colonization in the first British settlement in the Americas at Jamestown. The Sea Venture was a 17th-century English sailing ship the wrecking of which in Bermuda is widely thought to have been the inspiration for Shakespeare's ^[36]

The House of Burgesses was established in 1619 as the colony's elected governance. The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected lower house in the legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia in ^[37] During this early period Virginia's population grew with the introduction of settlers and servants into the burgeoning plantation economy. In 1619, African servants were first introduced, with slavery being codified in 1661. ^[38] After 1618 the headright system led to more indentured servants from Europe. A headright is a legal grant of land of settlers moving into an area uninhabited by settlers ^[39] In this system, settlers received land for each servant they transported. ^[40] Land from the Native Americans was appropriated by force and treaty, including the Treaty of 1677, which made the signatory tribes tributary states. The Treaty of 1677 (or the Treaty Between Virginia And The Indians 1677) was signed in Virginia on May 28, 1677 between Charles II of England The term tributary state refers to one of the two main ways in which a pre-modern state might be subordinate to a more powerful neighbour ^[41] The colonial capital was moved in 1698 to Williamsburg, where the College of William and Mary had been founded in 1693. Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia The College of William and Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, also known as William & Mary or W&M) is a Public university ^[42]

1851 painting of Patrick Henry's speech before the House of Burgesses on the Virginia Resolves against the Stamp Act of 1765

The House of Burgesses was temporarily dissolved in 1769 by the Royal governor Lord Botetourt, after Patrick Henry and Richard Henry Lee led speeches on the distresses of the British taxation without representation. Patrick Henry ( May 29, 1736 June 6, 1799) was a prominent figure in the American Revolution, known and remembered for his " The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected lower house in the legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia in This page is about the pre-revolutionary resolves against the Stamp Act, for the later resolution against the Alien and Sedition Act, see Virginia Resolution The Stamp Act of 1765 (short title Duties in American Colonies Act 1765; 5 George III c Norborne Berkeley 4th Baron Botetourt (1718 &ndash October 15, 1770) was a British noble and a governor of the Virginia Colony from 1768 to 1770 Patrick Henry ( May 29, 1736 June 6, 1799) was a prominent figure in the American Revolution, known and remembered for his " Richard Henry Lee (January 20 1732 June 19 1794 was an American statesman from Virginia best known for proposing the motion in the Second Continental " No taxation without representation " began as a Slogan in the period 1763–1776 that summarized a primary grievance of the British Colonists In 1773, Henry and Lee formed a committee of correspondence, and in 1774 Virginia sent delegates to the Continental Congress. The committees of correspondence were bodies organized by the local governments of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution for the purposes of coordinating The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the ^[43] On May 15, 1776, the Virginia Convention declared independence from the British Empire. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Virginia Conventions were a series of five political meetings in the Colony of Virginia during the American Revolution. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. ^[44] Shortly after, the Virginia Convention adopted the Virginia Declaration of Rights written by George Mason, a document that influenced the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. The Virginia Declaration of Rights is a document drafted in 1776 to proclaim the inherent Natural rights of men including the right to rebel against "inadequate" government George Mason IV ( December 11, 1725 &ndash October 7, 1792) was a United States patriot, statesman and delegate from The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then In the United States the Bill of Rights is the name by which the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are known ^[45] Then on June 29, 1776, the convention enacted a constitution, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, that formally declared Virginia as an independent commonwealth. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the document that defines and limits the powers of the state government and the basic rights of the citizens of the United States Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence ^[46]

During the American Revolutionary War, the capital was moved to Richmond at the urging of Governor Thomas Jefferson, fearing Williamsburg's location made it vulnerable to British attack. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 ^[47] In 1781, the combined action of Continental and French land and naval forces trapped the British on the Yorktown peninsula, where troops under George Washington and French Comte de Rochambeau defeated British General Cornwallis in the Battle of Yorktown. The American Continental Army was an Army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America Yorktown is a Census-designated place (CDP in York County, Virginia, United States. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau ( July 1, 1725 &ndash May 10, 1807) was a French Charles Cornwallis 1st Marquess Cornwallis ( 31 December 1738 &ndash 5 October 1805) was a British military commander and colonial The Siege of Yorktown or Battle of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington The British surrender on October 19, 1781 so shifted British public opinion that it led to the end of major hostilities and secured the independence of the colonies. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[48]

Statehood

Virginians were instrumental in writing the United States Constitution. The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. James Madison drafted the Virginia Plan in 1787 and the Bill of Rights in 1789. James Madison Jr (March 16 1751 – June 28 1836 was an American Politician, the fourth President of the United States (1809–1817 and one of the Founding The Virginia Plan (also known as the Randolph Plan, after its sponsor or Large-State Plan) was a proposal by Virginia delegates drafted by Virginia ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788. The Virginia Ratifying Convention was a convention of 168 delegates from Virginia who met in 1788 to ratify or reject the United States Constitution, which Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap The three-fifths compromise ensured that Virginia initially had the largest bloc in the House of Representatives, which with the Virginia dynasty of presidents gave the commonwealth national importance. The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise between Southern and Northern states reached during the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 in which The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The Virginia dynasty is a term sometimes used to describe the fact that four of the first five Presidents of the United States were from Virginia. In 1790, both Virginia and Maryland ceded territory to form the new District of Columbia, though in 1847 the Virginian area was retroceded. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D ^[36] Virginia is sometimes called "Mother of States" because of its role in being carved into several mid-western states. ^[49]

Richmond was the capital of the Confederate States of America. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861

Nat Turner's slave rebellion in 1831 and John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859 showed deep social discontent over the issue of slavery in Virginia and its role in the plantation economy. Nat Turner's Rebellion (also known as the Southampton Insurrection) was a Slave rebellion that took place in Southampton County, Virginia during John Brown (May 9 1800 December 2 1859 was an American Abolitionist who advocated and practiced armed Insurrection as a means to end all Slavery Harpers Ferry redirects here For other uses see Harpers Ferry (disambiguation. A plantation economy is an Economy which is based on Agricultural mass production usually of a few staple products grown on large farms called Plantations Besides agriculture, slave labor was also increasingly used in mining, shipbuilding and other industries. ^[50] By 1860, almost half a million people, roughly thirty-one percent of the total population of Virginia, were enslaved. ^[51]

Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861 after Abraham Lincoln called for a response to the Confederate States of America (CSA) attack on Fort Sumter. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 Fort Sumter, a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston harbor South Carolina, was named after General Thomas Sumter Virginia turned over its military and ratified the CSA constitution in June 1861. The CSA then moved its capitol to Richmond. In 1863 forty-eight counties in the northwest of the state separated from Virginia to form the State of West Virginia. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia in the American Civil War saw more battles fought than anywhere else, including the Battles of Bull Run, the Seven Days Battles, the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the concluding Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. The Commonwealth of Virginia was a prominent part of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Start of the Peninsula Campaign Opposing forces See also [[Seven Days Confederate order of battle]] [[Seven Days Union order of battle]] Almost Forces and plans The Chancellorsville campaign began with the potential of leading to one of the most lopsided clashes in the war Background On April 1, 1865, Maj Gen Philip Sheridan 's Cavalry turned Lee's flank at the Battle of Five Forks. After the capture of Richmond, the Confederate capitol was moved to Danville, Virginia. Danville is an Independent city in Virginia, bounded by Pittsylvania County Virginia and Caswell County North Carolina. With the work of the Committee of Nine during post-war Reconstruction, Virginia formally rejoined the Union on January 26, 1870, and adopted a constitution which provided for Negro suffrage, a system of free public schools, and guarantee of civil and political rights. The Committee of Nine was a group of state leaders in Virginia, following the American Civil War, who engineered the political machinery so that the Old Dominion might Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 1870 ( MDCCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The issue of voting rights in the United States has been contentious over the country's history. The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and ^[52]

Oliver Hill oversees the swearing in of the first African American member of the Trial Bureau of the Department of Justice

However during the culmination of the Jim Crow era, legislators rewrote the Constitution of Virginia to include a poll tax and other measures on voter registration that effectively disfranchised African Americans, leading to underfunding for segregated schools and services, and the lack of representation. Oliver White Hill Sr ( May 1, 1907 &ndash August 5, 2007) was a Civil rights Attorney from Richmond Virginia For animal rights group see Justice Department (JD The United States Department of Justice ( DOJ) is a Cabinet department The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enacted primarily but not exclusively in the Southern and border states of the United States between 1876 and 1965 The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the document that defines and limits the powers of the state government and the basic rights of the citizens of the United States A poll tax, head tax, or capitation is a Tax of a uniform fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income ^[53] From 1900 to 1904, estimated black voting in Presidential elections dropped to zero. ^[54] African Americans still created vibrant communities and made progress. The first black students attended the University of Virginia School of Law in 1950, and Virginia Tech in 1953. The University of Virginia School of Law (Virginia Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, better known as Virginia Tech, is a public land grant polytechnic University in ^[55] Despite the determination of Brown v. Board of Education, Virginia declared in 1958 that desegregated schools would not receive state funding, under the policy of "massive resistance" spearheaded by the powerful segregationist Senator Harry F. Byrd. Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, 347 US 483 (1954 was a Landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court, which overturned earlier Desegregation is the process of ending Racial segregation, most commonly used in reference to the United States. Massive Resistance was a policy declared by US Senator Harry F Harry Flood Byrd Sr ( June 10, 1887 – October 20, 1966) of Berryville in Clarke County Virginia was an American ^[56] In 1959 Prince Edward County closed their schools rather than integrate them. Prince Edward County is a county located in the US state &mdash officially " Commonwealth " &mdash of Virginia. Racial integration, or simply integration includes Desegregation (the process of ending systematic Racial segregation) ^[57]

The subsequent lawsuit to open the schools, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, was won by Richmond natives Spottswood Robinson and Oliver Hill, beginning the slow integration of Virginia's schools. Davis v County School Board of Prince Edward County (Docket number Civ This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Spottswood William Robinson III ( July 26, 1916 &ndash October 11, 1998) was an Educator, Civil rights Attorney Oliver White Hill Sr ( May 1, 1907 &ndash August 5, 2007) was a Civil rights Attorney from Richmond Virginia ^[56] In addition, the Civil Rights Movement gained many participants in the 1960s and achieved the moral force to gain national legislation for protection of suffrage and civil rights for African Americans. The American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968 refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa In 1971, state legislators rewrote the constitution, after goals such as legal 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. Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Lawrence Douglas Wilder (born January 17, 1931) is an American Politician and was the first African American to be elected In the History of the United States, " Reconstruction " refers to the time between 1863 and 1877 when the U

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. resulting in Colonial Williamsburg. The Reverend Dr William Archer Rutherfoord Goodwin ( June 18, 1869 &ndash September 7, 1939 Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg Virginia, USA. John Davison Rockefeller Jr (January 29 1874 &ndash May 11 1960 was a major Philanthropist and a pivotal member of the prominent Rockefeller family. Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia. ^[5] World War II and the Cold War led to massive expansion of government programs in the areas near Washington. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the Northern Virginia was targeted in the September 11, 2001 attacks because of the Pentagon site, where one hundred eighty-five people died. Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several Tragedy again struck Virginia in 2007 when thirty-two students were killed in the Virginia Tech massacre. The Virginia Tech massacre was a School shooting consisting of two separate attacks approximately two hours apart on April 16 2007 that took place on the campus of

Cities and towns

Main article: Political subdivisions of Virginia

Virginia population density map

Virginia is divided into independent cities and counties, which function in the same manner. The political subdivisions of Virginia are the areas into which the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U According to the US Census Bureau, independent cities are considered county-equivalent. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census A county-equivalent in the United States is a term used by the Federal government to describe one of the two following state subdivisions A ^[58] As of 2006, thirty-nine of the forty-two independent cities in the United States are in Virginia. An independent city is a City that does not form part of another general-purpose Local government entity Incorporated towns are recognized as part of the 95 counties in Virginia, but are not independent. This is a complete list of Towns in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties and 39 independent cities, which are considered County-equivalents for census purposes There are also hundreds of other unincorporated communities in Virginia. This is a list of important population centers in the Commonwealth of Virginia that are not incorporated as independent cities or Towns As of 2005 Virginia does not have any further political subdivisions, such as villages or townships.

Richmond skyline from the Manchester Bridge

Virginia has eleven Metropolitan Statistical Areas. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Richmond-Petersburg are the three most populated metropolitan areas of the state. Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. See also Richmond Virginia Richmond-Petersburg (also known as the Greater Richmond Region) is a region located in a central part of the state Richmond is the capital of Virginia, and the Richmond metropolitan area has a population of over 1. See also Richmond Virginia Richmond-Petersburg (also known as the Greater Richmond Region) is a region located in a central part of the state 2 million people. ^[59] Virginia Beach is the most populous city in the commonwealth, with Norfolk and Chesapeake second and third, respectively. Virginia Beach (pronounced /vɚˌdʒɪnjəˈbiːtʃ/ is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area and one of the largest cities in Norfolk is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States Chesapeake is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads portion of the Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia in the 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. ^[60]

Although it is not incorporated as a city, Fairfax County is the most populous locality in Virginia, with over one million residents. Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia, in the United States. ^[61] Fairfax has a major urban business and shopping center in Tysons Corner, Virginia's largest office market. Tysons Corner is an Unincorporated area in Fairfax County, Virginia, near Washington D ^[62] Neighboring Loudoun County, with the county seat at Leesburg, is the fastest-growing county in the United States. Loudoun County (ˈlaʊdən "LOUD-un" is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Leesburg is a historic town in and County seat of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States of America ^[63] Arlington County, the smallest self-governing county in the United States by land area, is an urban community organized as a county. ^[64] Roanoke, with a population of 292,983, is the largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in western Virginia. For the metropolitan area see Roanoke Metropolitan Area. Roanoke is an Independent city located in the Roanoke Metropolitan Area in ^[65][66] Suffolk, which includes a portion of the Great Dismal Swamp, is the largest city geographically. Suffolk is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area of eastern Virginia. The Great Dismal Swamp is a marshy area on the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk Virginia, and ^[67]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Virginia

As of 2006, Virginia had an estimated population of 7,642,884 which is an increase of 78,557, or one percent, from the prior year and an increase of 563,854, or eight percent, since the year 2000. This includes 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. ^[68] The center of population of Virginia is located in Goochland County. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Goochland County is a county located in the US state &mdash officially " Commonwealth " &mdash of Virginia. ^[69]

English was passed as the commonwealth's official language by statutes in 1981 and 1996, and by law in 2006, though the status is not mandated by the Constitution of Virginia. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the document that defines and limits the powers of the state government and the basic rights of the citizens of the United States ^[70] English is the only language spoken by 6,201,784 (86. 9%) Virginians, though it is spoken very well by an additional 536,508 (7. 5%) (for a total of 94. 3% of the Commonwealth which speaks English. ) Spanish has the most speakers of other languages, with 412,416 (5. 8%). 240,332 (3. 4%) speak Asian and Pacific Islander languages, including Vietnamese and Filipino. Vietnamese ( tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ) formerly known under French colonization as Annamese ( see Annam) Filipino is the national and an Official language of the Philippines as designated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. ^[71]

Ethnicity

The five largest reported ancestry groups in Virginia are: African (19. An ancestor is a Parent or ( recursively) the parent of an ancestor (i 6%), German (11. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 7%), unspecified American (11. The ancestry of the people of the United States is widely varied and includes descendants of Populations from around the World, some presumably extinct 4%), English (11. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry 1%), and Scots-Irish and Irish (9. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 8%). ^[72] 20. 8% of Virginians are African-American, most of whom are descendants of enslaved Africans who worked its tobacco, cotton, and hemp plantations. Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp This article is about the cultivation and uses of industrial hemp not its psychoactive cousin Cannabis (drug. These men and women were brought from west central Africa, primarily Angola and Niger Delta region of modern day Nigeria. Angola, officially the Republic of Angola (República de Angola Pronounced ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɨ ɐ̃ˈgɔlɐ Repubilika ya Ngola is a country in south-central The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal ^[73] The twentieth century Great Migration of blacks from the rural South to the North reduced Virginia's black population; however, in the past forty years there has been a reverse migration of blacks returning to Virginia and the rest of the South. See also Second Great Migration (African American The Great Migration was the movement of approximately seven million African-Americans out of the Great Migration (African American The New Great Migration (African American is the term for demographic changes from 1965-present that are a reversal of the previous 35-year trend ^[68] Virginia also continues to be the home to eight federally recognized and organized American Indian tribes. Six other incorporated groups are officially recognized as Indian tribes by the Commonwealth of Virginia. ^[74]

The western mountains have many settlements founded by Scots-Irish immigrants before the Revolution. ^[75] There are also sizable numbers of people of German descent in the northwestern mountains and Shenandoah Valley. People of English heritage settled throughout the state during the colonial period, and others of British heritage have migrated there through the decades for work. ^[76] Because of more recent immigration in the late 20th century and early 21st century, there are rapidly growing populations of Hispanics, particularly Central Americans, and Asians in Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several The Hispanic population of the state tripled from 1990 to 2006, with two-thirds of Hispanics living in Northern Virginia. ^[77] As of 2007, 6. 6% of Virginians are Hispanic, 5. Hispanic (hispano hispánico hispânico Hispānus adjective from ''Hispānia'', the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula) is a term that historically 5% are Asian, and 1. Asian or Asiatic is a Demonym for people from Asia. However the use of the term varies by country and person often referring to people from a particular 8% are American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. ^[68] Northern Virginia has the largest Vietnamese population on the East Coast, with slightly more than 99,000 Vietnamese residents, whose major wave of immigration followed the Vietnam War. A Vietnamese American (người Mỹ gốc Việt is a resident of the United States who is of Vietnamese heritage The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia ^[78]

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

Top Ancestries by County

Religion

Virginia is predominantly Protestant; Baptists are the largest single group with thirty percent of the population. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Roman Catholicism in the United States has grown dramatically over the country's history from being a tiny minority faith during the time of the Thirteen Colonies Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. ^[80] Roman Catholics are the second-largest group. Roman Catholicism in the United States has grown dramatically over the country's history from being a tiny minority faith during the time of the Thirteen Colonies Baptist denominational groups in Virginia include the Baptist General Association of Virginia, with about 1,400 member churches, which supports both the Southern Baptist Convention and the moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship; and the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia with over 500 affiliated churches, which supports the Southern Baptist Convention. In continuous service since its founding in 1823 the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV is an umbrella organization of churches that supports and assists them in their various The Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC) is a United States -based mostly conservative Christian denomination Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Inc (CBF — "a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission of The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia ( SBC of Virginia, or SBCV) is a fellowship of 511 conservative Southern Baptist churches in Virginia and in surrounding ^[81][82]

While a small population in terms of the state overall, Jewish people have been long part of its history. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington includes most of Northern Virginia's Catholic churches, while the Diocese of Richmond covers the rest. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington is a Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond is an ecclesiastical and episcopal see or Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The Virginia Synod is responsible for the churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the geographical synod consisting of the entire state of Virginia, except for several counties The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, Southern Virginia, and Southwestern Virginia support the various Episcopal churches. The Diocese of Virginia is a Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America encompassing 38 counties in the northern and central parts of the state General Information Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia is the Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America located in the southeast Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia is the Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America located in the southwest area of Virginia 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 sexuality and the ordination of openly gay clergy and bishops. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches Virginia law allows parishioners to determine their church's affiliation. The resulting property law case is a test for Episcopal churches nationwide, as the diocese claims the church properties of those congregations that want to secede. ^[83]

About fifty percent of those practicing non-Christian faiths come from India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Others may include Vietnamese Americans and others of Asian descent. Together, those who practice Buddhism and Hinduism form the fastest growing group, and largest of the "Other Religions" group, accounting for one percent of the population. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Islam, the second fastest growing religious group, accounts for 0. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. 99% of the population. ^[84] Non-denominational megachurches in the state include McLean Bible Church and Immanuel Bible Church. A megachurch is a church having around 2000 attendants for a typical weekly service McLean Bible Church is a Non-denominational, Evangelical Christian Megachurch located in McLean Virginia, a suburb of Washington Immanuel Bible Church is a Non-denominational Bible church located in Springfield Virginia, about 2 miles

Economy

Main article: Economy of Virginia

Tourism is an important sector in Virginia Beach's economy

Virginia's economy is well balanced with diverse sources of income. The Economy of Virginia is well balanced with diverse sources of income Virginia Beach (pronounced /vɚˌdʒɪnjəˈbiːtʃ/ is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area and one of the largest cities in In 2006, Forbes Magazine named Virginia the best state in the nation for business. Forbes is an American Publishing and media company Its flagship publication Forbes magazine is published bi-weekly ^[85] As of the 2000 census, Virginia had the highest number of counties and independent cities, fifteen, in the top one-hundred wealthiest jurisdictions in the United States based upon median income. There are 3142 counties in the United States. The source of the data is the U In addition, Virginia tied with Colorado as having the most counties, ten, in the top one-hundred based on per capita income. ^[86] As of 2007, seven Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in the Richmond area. Please do not add the complete list of fortune 500 companies The list is copyrighted by Fortune which makes money by selling the content See also Richmond Virginia Richmond-Petersburg (also known as the Greater Richmond Region) is a region located in a central part of the state ^[87] Virginia has seventeen total Fortune 500 companies, making it rank tenth nationwide. Additionally, ten Fortune 1000 companies are in Northern Virginia, with a total of twenty-nine in the state. Please do not add the complete list of fortune 1000 companies ^[88]

In Southside Virginia from the Hampton Roads area to Richmond and down to Lee County, the economy is based on military installations, and cattle, tobacco and peanut farming. Traditionally the term Southside refers to the portion of Virginia east of the Blue Ridge Mountains and south of the James River, the geographic feature Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. Lee County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. The peanut, or Groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the Legume family Fabaceae native to South America, Mexico About twenty percent of Virginian jobs are in agriculture, with 47,000 farms, averaging 181 acres (0. The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U 28 sq mi/0. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 73 km²). Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of ^[12] Tomatoes surpassed soy as the most profitable crop in Virginia in 2006, with peanuts and hay as other agricultural products. The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum, syn Lycopersicon lycopersicum) is a herbaceous usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family Hay is a generic term for grass or Legumes that have been cut dried and stored for use as animal feed, particularly for grazing animals like ^[89] Oysters are an important part of the Chesapeake Bay economy, but declining populations due to disease, pollution, and overfishing have diminished catches. The common name oyster is used for a number of different groups of Bivalve Mollusks most of which live in marine habitats or Brackish water. ^[90] Wineries and vineyards in the Northern Neck and along the Blue Ridge Mountains also have begun to generate income and attract tourists. The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three Peninsulas on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay The Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division ^[91]

The Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense in Arlington, is the largest office building on earth. The Pentagon is the Headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. The United States Department of Defense ( DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government

Northern Virginia, once considered the state's dairy capital, now hosts software, communication technology, and consulting companies. Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several Information and Communications Technology - or technologies ( ICT) is an umbrella term that includes all technologies for the manipulation and communication of Information Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Northern Virginia have the highest and second highest median household income, respectively, of all counties in the United States as of 2006. Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia, in the United States. Loudoun County (ˈlaʊdən "LOUD-un" is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan ^[92] Virginia has the highest concentration of technology workers of any state. ^[93] One-third of Virginia's jobs are in the service sector. ^[7] Computer chips became the state's highest-grossing export in 2006, surpassing its traditional top exports of coal and tobacco, combined. Microchipsjpg|right|thumb|200px|Microchips ( EPROM memory with a transparent window showing the integrated circuit inside ^[6] The Dulles Technology Corridor near Dulles International Airport has a high concentration of Internet, communications and software engineering firms. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington Dulles International Airport, the Dulles Technology Corridor, dubbed the " Netplex " in 1993 by Washington Dulles International Airport is a public Airport located 25 miles (40 km) west of the Central business district of Washington D The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks ^[94]

Many of Northern Virginia's well-educated population work directly for Federal agencies. Many others work for government contractors, including defense and security contractors. A government contractor is a private company that produces goods or services under contract for the Government. ^[95] 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. near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all The United States Department of Defense ( DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government The National Science Foundation (NSF is a United States Government agency that supports fundamental Research and Education in all the non-medical The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. The United States Patent and Trademark Office ( PTO or USPTO) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues Patents to The Hampton Roads area has the largest concentration of military bases and facilities of any metropolitan area in the world. The Seven Cities of Hampton Roads are seven independent cities located in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in the United States The largest of the bases is Naval Station Norfolk. Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces operating in the Atlantic Ocean, ^[60] The state is second to Alaska in per capita defense spending. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' ^[96]

Virginia collects personal income tax in five income brackets, ranging from 3. 0% to 5. 75%. The sales and use tax rate is 5%. A sales tax is a Consumption tax charged at the Point of purchase for certain goods and services A use tax is a type of Excise tax levied in the United States. The tax rate on food is 2. 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. A sales tax is a Consumption tax charged at the Point of purchase for certain goods and services 5% on food. ^[97] Virginia's property tax is set and collected at the local government level and varies throughout the commonwealth. Property tax, or millage tax, is an Ad valorem tax that an owner pays on the value of the property being taxed Real estate is taxed at the local level based on one-hundred percent of fair market value. Real estate is a legal term (in some jurisdictions notably in the USA, United Kingdom Tangible personal property also is taxed at the local level and is based on a percentage or percentages of original cost. ^[98]

Culture

Map of nine Virginia cultural regions

Colonial Virginian culture and style is reenacted in Williamsburg.

Virginia's historic culture was popularized and spread across America and the South by Washington, Jefferson, and Lee, and their homes represent Virginia as the birthplace of America and of the South. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence Robert Edward Lee (January 19 1807 &ndash October 12 1870 was a career United States Army officer, an Engineer, and among the most celebrated ^[99] Modern Virginia culture is a subculture in the wider culture of the Southern United States, though it shows elements of the North as well as the South. The Culture of the Southern United States or Southern Culture is a Subculture of the United States that has resulted from the blending of a heavy amount Although the Piedmont dialect is one of the most famous with its strong influence on Southern American English, various accents are present including the Tidewater dialect and the anachronistic Elizabethan of Tangier Island, as well as a more homogenized American English in urban areas with a great deal of transplants. Piedmont Virginia is a part of the greater Piedmont region which stretches from the falls of the Potomac, Rappahannock, and James Rivers to the Southern American English is a group of Dialects of the English language spoken throughout the Southern region of the United States, from Southern Tangier is a town in Accomack County, Virginia, United States, on Tangier Island in Chesapeake Bay. Phonology North American English regional phonology In many ways compared to English English, North American English is conservative in its Phonology. ^{[100] [101]}

Besides the general cuisine of the Southern United States, Virginia maintains its own particular traditions. See also List of foods of the Southern United States The Cuisine of the Southern United States is defined as the regional culinary form of states Virginia wine is made in many parts of the state. Virginia wine refers to Wine made from Grapes grown in the US ^[91] Smithfield ham, sometimes called Virginia ham, is a type of country ham which is protected by state law, and can only be produced in the town of Smithfield. Country ham or Virginia ham is a variety of cured ham from the United States, associated with the Southern United States. A geographical indication (GI is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (eg Smithfield is an Incorporated town in Isle of Wight County, in the South Hampton Roads subregion of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia ^[102] Virginia furniture and architecture are typical of American colonial architecture. From the colonial Era to today Virginia furniture has a long Tradition. American colonial architecture includes several building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States including First Period English (late-medieval Thomas Jefferson and many of the states early leaders favored the Neoclassical architecture style, leading to its use for important state buildings. Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century both as a reaction against the Rococo The Pennsylvania Dutch and their style can also be found in parts of the state. The Pennsylvania Dutch (perhaps more strictly Pennsylvania Deitsch, Pennsylvania Germans or Pennsylvania Deutsch) are the descendants of German ^[76]

Fine and performing arts

See also: Music of Virginia

The Meadow Pavilion is one of the theaters at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Virginia 's musical contribution to American culture has been diverse and includes Piedmont blues musicians and later Rock and roll bands many centered at such college

The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities works to improve commonwealth's civic, cultural, and intellectual life. The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH aims to develop the civic cultural and intellectual life of the Commonwealth of Virginia by creating learning opportunities ^[103] The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a state-funded museum with the largest collection of Fabergé eggs outside of Russia. The Virginia Museum of Fine arts, or ‘’’VMFA’’’ is an art museum in Richmond Virginia. A Fabergé egg is any one of sixty-nine jeweled eggs made by Peter Carl Fabergé and his assistants between 1885 and 1917 Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending ^[104] The Chrysler Museum of Art is home to many pieces, stemming from the Chrysler family collection, including the final sculpture of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The Chrysler Museum of Art is an Art museum in the Ghent district of Norfolk Virginia. "Bernini" redirects here For people named Bernini see Bernini (surname. ^[105] Other museums include the popular Science Museum of Virginia, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum, the Frontier Culture Museum, and the Mariners' Museum. The Science Museum of Virginia is a Science museum located in Richmond Virginia. The Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM's annex at Washington Dulles International Airport in The National Air and Space Museum (NASM of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington D The Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, also referred to as the Frontier Culture Museum, and formerly known as the Museum of American Frontier Culture, is a The Mariners' Museum is located in Newport News Virginia. It is one of the largest Maritime museums in the world Besides these sites, many open air museums and battlefields are located in the state, such as Colonial Williamsburg, Richmond National Battlefield, and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. An open air museum is a distinct type of Museum exhibiting its collections out-of-doors Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia. Richmond National Battlefield Park commemorates more than 30 American Civil War sites around Richmond Virginia. Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service in Fredericksburg Virginia, and elsewhere in Spotsylvania

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is located in Vienna and is the only national park intended for use as a performing arts center. Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 14453 at the 2000 census and it has grown by about 3% since Wolf Trap hosts the Wolf Trap Opera Company, which produces an opera festival every summer. The Harrison Opera House in Norfolk is home to the official Virginia Opera. The Edythe C and Stanley L Harrison Opera House, also known as the Harrison Opera House, is the official home of the Virginia Opera in the Ghent district Norfolk is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States Virginia Opera is an Opera company based in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is based in Hampton Roads. The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is an American regional Orchestra in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. The American Shakespeare Center is located in Staunton, and home to resident and touring theater troupes. The American Shakespeare Center (ASC is a non-profit 501(c(3 corporation located in Staunton Virginia in the United States. Staunton ( is an Independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. Other notable theaters include the Ferguson Center for the Arts, the Barter Theatre, and the Landmark Theater. Performing arts venues The Ferguson Center for the Arts contains three distinct separate concert halls the Concert Hall, the Music and Theatre Hall, and the Barter Theatre, located in Abingdon Virginia, opened on June 10, 1933. The Landmark Theater in Richmond, Virginia, United States is a theater at the southwest corner of Monroe Park.

Ralph Stanley, Patsy Cline, The Statler Brothers and The Carter Family are award winning Bluegrass and Country music musicians from Virginia. Ralph Stanley (born February 25, 1927) also known as Dr Ralph Stanley is a legendary American bluegrass artist known for his distinctive Patsy Cline (b Virginia Patterson Hensley September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American Country The Statler Brothers are an American Country music group founded in 1955 in Staunton Virginia. The Carter Family was a Country music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956 Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of Country music. Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Ella Fitzgerald and Pearl Bailey — celebrated jazz and blues singers of all time — were both from Newport News, Virginia. Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25 1917 &ndash June 15 1996 also known as " Lady Ella " and the "First Lady of Song" is considered one of the most influential Pearl Mae Bailey ( March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American singer and actress The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River Bluegrass, Jazz and Blues musician Bruce Hornsby is also a Grammy Award winner from the commonwealth. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23 1954 in Williamsburg Virginia) is an American singer Pianist, Accordion player and songwriter The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

Besides native music, like Piedmont blues, bluegrass, and the traditional "mountain music" of Appalachia, Virginia has also launched many internationally successful popular music acts. The Piedmont blues (also known as Piedmont fingerstyle or East Coast' blues) is a type of Blues music characterized by a unique fingerpicking method on the Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of Country music. Appalachia is a term used to describe a region in the eastern United States that stretches from southern New York state to northern Alabama, Popular music is Music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more Hip hop and Rhythm and blues acts like Missy Elliott, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Chris Brown, and Clipse hail from the commonwealth; as does singer-songwriter Jason Mraz and jam bands like the Pat McGee Band and Dave Matthews Band, who continue their strong charitable connection to Charlottesville, Virginia. Hip hop is a cultural movement which developed in New York City in the 1970s primarily among African Americans and Latinos. Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1 1971 is a five-time Grammy Award -winning American rapper, singer, Songwriter, and Timothy Z Mosley (born March 10, 1971) better known by his Stage name Timbaland, is an American Record producer, The Neptunes (or "Neptoons" is the name for the record production duo consisting of Clipse is a Virginia -based hip hop duo Formed in 1992 by brothers Malice (born Gene Thornton in 1972 in The Bronx New York Singer-songwriter is a term that refers to Performers who write, compose and sing their own material including Lyrics Jason Mraz ( IPA: /ˈdʒeɪsʌn mɜrˈæz/ born June 23, 1977) is a Singer-songwriter, born and raised in Mechanicsville Virginia Jam bands (or jambands) are musical groups whose albums and live performances relate to a fan culture which originated with the 1960s group Grateful Dead and continued The Pat McGee Band is a rock band from Richmond Virginia. Formed by frontman Pat McGee, who attended Longwood University in Farmville VA Dave Matthews Band (also known by the initials DMB) is a United States -based rock band originally formed in Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville is an Independent city located within the confines of Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States ^[106] Influential stage-rock group GWAR also began at Virginia Commonwealth University. GWAR is Virginia Commonwealth University, or VCU, is a large public American research University with its main campuses located in downtown Richmond, Major performance venues in the state include The Birchmere, Norva Theatre, Nissan Pavilion, the Patriot Center, and the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater. The Birchmere is a well-known intimate Concert hall in Alexandria Virginia, known for presenting performers in the bluegrass country, folk The NorVA is a performing theatre located in Norfolk Virginia, with a maximum occupancy of 1500 Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge or Nissan Pavilion in Bristow Virginia, is an outdoor live performance Amphitheatre with a 25000 fan capacity the The Patriot Center is a 10000 seat arena in Fairfax, Virginia. The Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater is a 20000 seat outdoor concert venue located in Virginia Beach Virginia

Festivals

The annual Celebrate Fairfax! festival attracts more than 70,000 visitors. The Celebrate Fairfax! festival is an annual community-wide celebration that is held during the second weekend after Memorial Day at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax

Many counties and localities host county fairs and festivals. A fair is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated Carnival or Funfair entertainment The Virginia State Fair is held at the Richmond International Raceway every September. The Virginia State Fair is held annually at the end of September at the former State Fairgrounds (now known as The Richmond International Raceway Complex located in eastern Henrico Richmond International Raceway (RIR is a 3/4-mile (12 km D-shaped asphalt race track located just outside Richmond Virginia in Henrico County. Fairfax County sponsors Celebrate Fairfax! the second weekend after Memorial Day. Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia, in the United States. The Celebrate Fairfax! festival is an annual community-wide celebration that is held during the second weekend after Memorial Day at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax ^[107] In Virginia Beach, the end of September brings the Neptune Festival, celebrating the city, the waterfront, and regional artists. Virginia Beach (pronounced /vɚˌdʒɪnjəˈbiːtʃ/ is an Independent city located in the South Hampton Roads area and one of the largest cities in The Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia was created by Virginia Beach Chamber of Commerce President and RK Chevrolet (also known as ^[108]

On the Eastern Shore island of Chincoteague the annual Pony Swim & Auction of feral Chincoteague ponies at the end of July is a unique local tradition expanded into a week-long carnival. The Eastern Shore of Virginia consists of two Counties ( Accomack and Northampton) on the Atlantic coast of the Commonwealth of Chincoteague is a town on Chincoteague Island in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. A feral organism is one that has escaped from Domestication and returned partly or wholly to its wild state The Chincoteague Pony is a hardy breed that ^[109] The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival is a six-day festival held annually in Winchester that includes parades and bluegrass concerts. The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, a six-day festival held annually in Winchester Virginia, is known for its many guest celebrities and events Winchester is an independent city located in the state of Virginia. From 2005 to 2007, Richmond was host of the National Folk Festival. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The National Folk Festival in the United States (known also as the National) was first presented in St The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival is held over four days in May in Reston. Reston is an internationally known Planned community whose goal was to revolutionize post-World War II concepts of land use and residential/corporate development in ^[110]

Two important film festivals, the Virginia Film Festival and the VCU French Film Festival, are held annually in Charlottesville and Richmond, respectively. A film festival is the presentation or showcasing of Films in one or more Movie theaters or screening venues The Virginia Film Festival is a program of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, held usually in late October/ early November History The VCU French Film Festival, an annual festival created by Drs Annual fan conventions in the commonwealth include Anime USA, the national anime convention held in Crystal City, Anime Mid-Atlantic held in various cities, Magfest music and gaming festival, and RavenCon science fiction convention in Richmond. A fan convention, or con, is an event in which fans of a particular TV show, Comic book, or Actor, or an entire style of entertainment Anime USA (AUSA is a Fandom convention for Anime, Manga and Japanese culture enthusiasts (anime in Japanese, Anime Mid-Atlantic is an Anime convention held in Virginia, USA, normally Fathers Day Weekend every June Originally known as the Mid-Atlantic Gaming Festival MAGFest ( M usic A nd G aming Fest ival is an annual convention held in Virginia RavenCon is a Science fiction convention held in Richmond Virginia, USA. Science fiction conventions are gatherings of the community of fans (called Science fiction fandom) of various forms of Speculative fiction including Science

Media

Office of the local Abingdon Virginian newspaper

The Hampton Roads area is the forty-second largest media market in the United States as ranked by Nielsen Media Research, and the Richmond-Petersburg area is sixtieth and Roanoke-Lynchburg is sixty-eighth. Abingdon is a Town in Washington County, Virginia, 189 miles (304 km southwest of Lynchburg. Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area, DMA or simply market is a region where the Population Nielsen Media Research ( NMR) is an American firm that measures media Audiences including Television, Radio See also Richmond Virginia Richmond-Petersburg (also known as the Greater Richmond Region) is a region located in a central part of the state For the metropolitan area see Roanoke Metropolitan Area. Roanoke is an Independent city located in the Roanoke Metropolitan Area in Lynchburg is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ^[111] There are twenty-one television stations in Virginia, representing each major U. This is a list of broadcast television stations serving cities in the U S. network, part of forty-two stations which serve Virginia viewers. ^[112] About 352 radio stations broadcast in Virginia. The following is a list of FCC -licensed Radio stations in the U The following is a list of FCC -licensed Radio stations in the U The nationally available Public Broadcasting Service, abbreviated as PBS, is headquartered in Arlington. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the The locally focused Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation, a non-profit corporation which owns public TV and radio stations, has offices around the state. Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation is a 501(c(3 non-profit corporation that is the group owner of PBS ethnic TV and radio stations in Virginia ^[113]

Major newspapers in the commonwealth include The Virginian-Pilot, based in Norfolk, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and The Roanoke Times. The Virginian-Pilot is a daily Newspaper based in Norfolk Virginia and serving southeastern Virginia, Virginia's Eastern Shore Norfolk is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States The Richmond Times-Dispatch ( RTD or TD for short is the primary daily Newspaper in Richmond Virginia The Roanoke Times is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke Virginia. The Times-Dispatch has a daily subscription of 186,441, slightly more than the Pilot at 183,024, fiftieth and fifty-second in the nation respectively, while the Roanoke Times has about 97,000 daily subscribers. ^[114][115] Several Washington, D.C. papers are based in Northern Virginia, such as The Washington Examiner and The Politico. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several The Washington Examiner is a Free daily newspaper published in Springfield Virginia, and distributed around Washington D This article is about the newspaper For the description of a person see Politico. The nation's widest circulated paper, USA Today, is headquartered in McLean. USA TODAY is a national American daily Newspaper published by the Gannett Company. McLean (pronounced "mick-CLANE") is an Unincorporated community located in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The Arlington based Freedom Forum is an organization dedicated to free press and journalistic free speech. The Freedom Forum, based in Arlington Virginia, USA is a Nonpartisan foundation dedicated to Free press, Free speech and ^[116] Besides traditional forms of media, Virginia is home to telecommunication companies such as Sprint Nextel and XO Communications. Sprint Nextel Corporation ( is a Telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. XO Communications (previously Nextlink Communications and Concentric Network Corporation) is a United States Telecommunications firm and one of the largest Competitive The Dulles Technology Corridor contains the "pathways that carry more than half of all traffic on the Internet. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington Dulles International Airport, the Dulles Technology Corridor, dubbed the " Netplex " in 1993 by "^[94]

Education

Langley High School in McLean is one of Virginia's ranked schools. Langley High School is a high school within the Fairfax County Public Schools system

Public K-12 schools in Virginia are generally operated by the counties and cities, and not by the state. The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and K–12 (pronounced "kay through twelve" "kay to twelve" or just "kay twelve" a designation for the sum of primary and Secondary education Virginia's educational system consistently ranks in the top ten states on the U.S. Department of Education's National Assessment of Educational Progress, with Virginia students outperforming the average in all subject areas and grade levels tested. The United States Department of Education (also referred to as ED, for Education Department is a Cabinet -level department of the United States The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP is the largest nationally representative assessment of what America’s students know and can do ^[117] The 2008 Quality Counts report ranked Virginia's K-12 education fifth best in the country. Education Week is a national newspaper covering K-12 education ^[118] All school divisions must adhere to educational standards set forth by the Virginia Department of Education, which maintains an assessment and accreditation regime known as the Standards of Learning to ensure accountability. Standards of Learning or (SOL is a program of the Commonwealth of Virginia. ^[119] As of 2004, Virginia has a 79. 3% graduation rate, which is the twelfth highest in the nation. ^[120]

There are a total of 1,863 local and regional schools in the commonwealth, including three charter schools, and an additional 104 alternative and special education centers in 134 school divisions. Charter schools are elementary or secondary schools in the United States that receive public money but This is a complete list of School divisions in the state of Virginia. ^[121] Besides the general public schools in Virginia, there are Governor's Schools and selective magnet schools. The Governor's Schools are a collection of regional magnet high schools and summer programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia intended for gifted students A magnet school is a School which offers specialized courses or curricula. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a public school which requires an application, is ranked as the best public high school in the nation. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology ( TJHSST TJ Jefferson) is a public secondary school located in Northern Virginia operated by Fairfax County ^[122] The Governor's Schools are a collection of more than forty regional selective magnet high schools and summer programs intended for gifted students. ^[123] The Virginia Council for Private Education oversees the regulation of private schools. For the film of this title see Private School (film. Private schools, or Independent schools are Schools not administered

The University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The University of Virginia (also called UVa, UVA, Mr Jefferson's University, or The University) is a highly selective public research

Individual Virginia public high schools are often well rated, with public Langley High School ranked thirty-seventh best public high school in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report, and H-B Woodlawn in Arlington twelfth according to The Washington Post Challenge Index. This is a list of high schools in the state of Virginia. Accomack County Arcadia High School, Oak Hall Langley High School is a high school within the Fairfax County Public Schools system Australia See also Education USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D The H-B Woodlawn Alternative Program, commonly referred to as H-B, is an alternative all-county public school located in Arlington County, Virginia, The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D ^[122][124] Northern Virginia schools also pay the test fees for students to take Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, and Alexandria and Arlington Counties lead the nation in college course tests. Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several The Advanced Placement Program is a program that offers college level courses at High schools across the United States and Canada. The International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma Programme (DP is an Educational programme examined in one of three languages ( English, French or Spanish Alexandria is an Independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ^[125]

Two of the U. S. top ten public universities are located in Virginia, according to the U.S. News and World Report annual college rankings. The following is a list of Colleges and universities in the U In Higher education, college and university rankings are listings of Universities and Liberal arts colleges in an order determined by any combination of The University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, is ranked #2, and the College of William and Mary, the second-oldest college in America, is ranked #6. The University of Virginia (also called UVa, UVA, Mr Jefferson's University, or The University) is a highly selective public research Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence The College of William and Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, also known as William & Mary or W&M) is a Public university ^[126] James Madison University has been the number one public master's level university in The South since 1993. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive ^[127] Virginia is also home to the Virginia Military Institute, the oldest state military college in the U. The Virginia Military Institute ( VMI) located in Lexington Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior A military academy or service academy (American English is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps of the Army the Navy Air Force S. and a top public liberal arts college. ^[128] Virginia Commonwealth University is the largest university in Virginia with over 30,000 students, followed closely by George Mason University. Virginia Commonwealth University, or VCU, is a large public American research University with its main campuses located in downtown Richmond, George Mason University (also referred to as GMU or Mason) is a large Public university in the United States. ^[129] Virginia Tech and Virginia State University are the land-grant universities of the state. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, better known as Virginia Tech, is a public land grant polytechnic University in For the previously named Virginia State University see Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Land-grant universities (also called land-grant colleges or land grant institutions) are institutions of higher education in the United States that have The state also operates twenty-three community colleges on forty campuses serving over 240,000 students. A community college is a type of Educational institution. The term has different meanings in different countries ^[130]

Health

Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond

Unlike their nation-leading education system, Virginia has a mixed health record. St Mary's Hospital is a private hospital in the west end of Richmond Virginia owned by Bon Secours. Virginia falls twenty-third highest among United States in both percentage of residents who exercise, seventy-eight percent, and in the rate of pre-mature deaths, 855. 6 per 100,000. ^[131][132] Though Virginia is ranked as the twenty-first overall healthiest state, it has the fifth highest immunization coverage in the nation according to the United Health Foundation's Health Rankings 2006. ^[133] As of 2002, Virginia had a 23. 7% obesity rate in adults, and thirty percent of Virginia's ten to seventeen year olds were overweight or obese, which is the twenty-fifth lowest percent in the country. ^[134] As of 2005, only 86. 4% of Virginians have health insurance. The term health insurance is generally used to describe a form of Insurance that pays for medical expenses ^[135]

There are eighty-six hospitals in Virginia listed with the United States Department of Health and Human Services. List of Hospitals in Virginia ( US state) sorted by hospital name The United States Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS) is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting ^[136] Notable examples include Inova Fairfax Hospital, the largest hospital in the Washington Metropolitan Area, and the Medical College of Virginia (MCV), the medical school of Virginia Commonwealth University, which is home to the nation's oldest organ transplant program. Inova Fairfax Hospital is the largest hospital in the Washington D The Washington DC Metropolitan Area, formally known as the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV MSA is a U The Medical College of Virginia (MCV is the name of Virginia Commonwealth University's medical campus located in downtown Richmond Virginia. Virginia Commonwealth University, or VCU, is a large public American research University with its main campuses located in downtown Richmond, The University of Virginia Medical Center, part of the University of Virginia Health System, which according to U.S.News & World Report has the eight ranked endocrinology specialty in the nation, and the best in the South. The University of Virginia Health System is a nationally renowned healthcare provider based in Charlottesville, Virginia and associated with the University of Virginia USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D Endocrinology (from Greek grc ἔνδον endon, "within" grc κρῑνω krīnō, "to separate" and grc -λογία ^[137] Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, part of the Hampton Roads based Sentara Health System, is also nationally ranked, and was the site of the first successful in-vitro fertilization birth. For the similarly named hospital in Simcoe Ontario see Norfolk General Hospital. Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. Sentara Healthcare, also known as Sentara Health System is a not-for-profit health care organization whose mission is to provide innovative services to treat illness and disease In vitro fertilisation ( IVF) is a process by which ^[138][139]

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Virginia

Virginia is home to many shortline railroads such as the Buckingham Branch Railroad. Transportation in the Commonwealth of Virginia is by land sea and air Short Line is also one of the four railroads in the popular Board game Monopoly, probably named after the Shore Fast Line, an Interurban streetcar Buckingham Branch Railroad is a Class III short-line Railroad operating over 200 miles (322 km of historic and strategic trackage in Central Virginia

As of 2007, the Virginia state government owns and operates 84. 6% of roads in the state, instead of the local city or county authority. ^[140] 57,884 miles (93,155 km) of the total 68,429 miles (110,126 km) are run by the Virginia Department of Transportation, making it the third largest state highway system in the United States. The Virginia Department of Transportation ( VDOT) is the government agency responsible for building maintaining and operating ^[141] Virginia's road system is ranked as the eighteenth best in the nation. ^[142] While the Washington Metropolitan Area has the second worst traffic in the nation, Virginia as a whole has the twenty-first lowest congestion. ^[143] With low disbursements for both roads and bridges, and a low road fatality rate, Virginia has a good system with a tight budget. ^[144] The average commute time is 22. 2 minutes. ^[145]

Virginia has five major airports: Washington Dulles International, Washington Reagan National, Richmond International, Norfolk International and Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. Washington Dulles International Airport is a public Airport located 25 miles (40 km) west of the Central business district of Washington D Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public Airport located three miles (5 km) south of the Central business district of Washington Richmond International Airport is a public Airport located in Sandston, Virginia, an Unincorporated community Norfolk International Airport is a public Airport located three miles (5 km) northeast of the Central business district of Norfolk, a city Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport is an airport located 9 mi (14 km northwest of downtown Newport News Virginia, and serves the entire Hampton Roads ^[146] Seventy-one airports serve the state's aviation needs. ^[147] Virginia has Amtrak passenger rail service along several corridors, and Virginia Railway Express maintains two commuter lines into Washington, D. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 The Virginia Railway Express (VRE is a commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia area with Washington DC. 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 Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, informally dubbed the Silver Line due to its color on maps is a planned extension of the Washington Metro Rapid transit ^[148] The Virginia Department of Transportation operates several free ferries throughout Virginia, the most notable being the Jamestown-Scotland ferry which crosses the James River in Surry County. Surry County is a county located in the South Hampton Roads region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United ^[149]

Law and government

Main article: Government of Virginia

The Virginia State Capitol building, designed by Thomas Jefferson and begun by Governor Patrick Henry in 1785, recently underwent massive renovations. The government of Virginia combines the three branches of authority in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Virginia State Capitol is the seat of state government in the Commonwealth of Virginia located in Richmond, the third State Capital of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence Patrick Henry ( May 29, 1736 June 6, 1799) was a prominent figure in the American Revolution, known and remembered for his "

In colonial Virginia, free men elected the lower house of the legislature, called the House of Burgesses, which together with the Governor's Council, made the "General Assembly. The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected lower house in the legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia in " Founded in 1619, the Virginia General Assembly is still in existence as the oldest legislature in the Western Hemisphere. The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies West ^[37] The modern government is ranked with an "A-", the highest grade in the nation, by the Pew Center on the States, an honor it shares with two others. The Pew Research Center is a Think tank based in Washington D ^[4]

Virginia functions under the 1971 Constitution of Virginia, the commonwealth's seventh constitution, which provides for fewer elected officials than the previous constitution, with a strong legislature and a unified judicial system. The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the document that defines and limits the powers of the state government and the basic rights of the citizens of the United States A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity Modeled on the federal structure, the government is divided in three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. Separation of powers, a term ascribed to French Enlightenment Political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, is a model for the Governance The legislative branch is the General Assembly, a bicameral body whose 140 members write the laws for the commonwealth. The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral It is stronger than the executive, as incumbent governors cannot run for re-election, and the General Assembly selects judges and justices. The following is a list of the Governors of the Commonwealth of Virginia. ^[150] The current governor is Tim Kaine. Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine (born February 26, 1958) is an American politician and the current Governor of Virginia. Other members of the executive branch include the Lieutenant Governor and the Attorney General. The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Attorney General of Virginia is an executive office in the Government of Virginia. The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Virginia Court of Appeals, the General District Courts and the Circuit Courts. The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in the US state of Virginia. The Court of Appeals of Virginia, established January 1, 1985, is an eleven-judge body that hears appeals from decisions of Virginia's Circuit courts and Circuit court is the name of court systems in several Common law jurisdictions ^[151]

The Code of Virginia is the statutory law, and consists of the codified legislation of the General Assembly. The Code of Virginia is the Statutory law of the US state of Virginia, and consists of the codified Legislation of the Virginia Statutory law or statute law is written Law (as opposed to oral or Customary law) set down by a Legislature or other governing The Virginia State Police are the largest law enforcement agency in Virginia, and the Virginia Capitol Police are the oldest police department in the United States. The Virginia Department of State Police, established in 1932, is the State police force for the Commonwealth of Virginia. This is a list of law enforcement agencies in the state of Virginia. The Virginia State Capitol Police is America 's oldest Police department ^[152] The Virginia National Guard consists of 7,500 soldiers in the Virginia Army National Guard and 1,200 airmen in the Virginia Air National Guard. The Virginia National Guard consists of the Virginia Army National Guard Virginia Air National Guard The Virginia National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components The Virginia Air National Guard consists of the 192d Fighter Wing and the 149th Fighter Squadron, based out of Langley Air Force Base, the 200th Weather Flight ^[153] In 2004, Virginia had the fifteenth lowest rate of violent crime per capita in the United States, but also had the fifth most race related hate crimes. ^[154] The "total crime risk" is twenty-nine percent under the national average. ^[145] Since the 1982 resumption of capital punishment in Virginia, ninety-eight people have been executed, second most in the nation. Capital punishment is legal in the US Commonwealth of Virginia. ^[155]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Virginia

Governor Tim Kaine with U. The politics of Virginia reflect a state that is beginning to experience a conflict between its increasingly liberal northern region and its traditionally conservative southern region Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine (born February 26, 1958) is an American politician and the current Governor of Virginia. S. Senator John Warner and former Senator and Governor George Allen, and current Representative Thelma Drake

Virginia's politics in the last century reflects a shift from a largely rural, politically Southern and conservative racially divided single-party state to a more urbanized, pluralistic political environment. John William Warner (born February 18 1927 is an American Politician, who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and has served as the George Felix Allen (born March 8 1952 is a former Republican United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former Thelma D Drake (born November 20 1949 in Elyria Ohio) is a member of the Republican party from the state of Virginia. Politics of the Southern United States (or Southern politics) refers to the political landscape of the Southern United States. Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party ^[156] African Americans were effectively disfranchised until after passage of civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s, which was one of the catalysts for their early 20th century Great Migration to northern cities. Disenfranchisement or disfranchisement is the revocation of the right of Suffrage (the right to vote to a person or group of people or rendering a person's vote ^[157] Enfranchisement and immigration of other groups, especially Hispanics, have placed growing importance on minority voting. ^[158] Politically moderate urban and growing suburban areas, including Northern Virginia, are the Democratic base. In Politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting Moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several ^[159] Rural Virginia moved to support the Republican Party in response to their "southern strategy. In American politics, the Southern strategy refers to a Republican method of carrying Southern states in the latter decades of the 20th century and first decade of "^[160] 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. Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as SWVA, is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Charlottesville is an Independent city located within the confines of Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States WELCOME TO WIKIPEDIA **** Please read before you edit or add info about the shootings The Black Belt is a region of the United States. Although the term originally describes the prairies and dark Soil of central Alabama and northeast ^[161][162]

2006 Senate election majority results by county, with the Republican Party (49. The Virginia Senate election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. 2% of the vote) in red and Democratic Party (49. 6%) in blue.

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. Democratic Party of Virginia is based in Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV is based in Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Robert F McDonnell (born June 15, 1954 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania) a Republican, is the ^[163] In the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, Fairfax County and other Northern Virginia counties voted for the Democrat for the first time in forty years. The United States presidential election of 2004 was held on Tuesday November 2, 2004, to elect the President of the United States. Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia, in the United States. Northern Virginia (colloquially referred to as "NOVA" or "NoVA" consists of several The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ^[164] In the 2007 state elections, the Democrats regained control of the State Senate, and narrowed the Republican majority in the House of Delegates to eight votes. Virginia's 2007 state elections were held on November 6 2007 Voters elected all 100 members of the Virginia House of Delegates to two-year terms ending in 2009 and all 40 Senate of Virginia is the Upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. Virginia House of Delegates is the Lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. ^[165] Virginia is classified as a "swing state" for future presidential elections. A swing state (also battleground state or purple state) in United States ^[3]

The election of Democrat Jim Webb as one of Virginia's two U. James Henry "Jim" Webb Jr (born February 9 1946 is the Junior Senator from Virginia. S. Senators in the 2006 Virginia Senate election may have demonstrated disaffection with incumbent administration's performance. The Virginia Senate election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. ^[166] John Warner, a Republican, has long held Virginia's other seat in the U.S. Senate, but he has announced his intention not to seek reelection in 2008. John William Warner (born February 18 1927 is an American Politician, who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and has served as the The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives ^[167] Both of Virginia's Senators are former Secretaries of the Navy. The United States Secretary of the Navy ( SECNAV) is the Civilian head of the Department of the Navy. Of state's eleven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, Republicans hold eight and Democrats hold three. This is a list of Members of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia in alphabetical order The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate.

Sports

See also: List of professional sports teams in Virginia

The Virginia Tech Hokies football team has the fourth longest bowl game streak in the country. The following is a List of professional sports teams in Virginia. The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a College football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, specifically in the Coastal

Virginia is by far the most populous U. S. state without a major professional sports league franchise. ^[168] The reasons for this include the lack of any dominant city or market within the state and the proximity of teams in Washington, D.C. which has franchises in all four major sports. Washington DC -area athletes and sports teams participate in all levels of sports competition ^[169] Virginia is home to many minor league clubs, especially in baseball and soccer, and the Washington Redskins have Redskins Park, their headquarters and training facility, in Ashburn, Virginia. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington D Ashburn Virginia is an unincorporated area located in Loudoun County, Virginia, 30 miles west of Washington D ^[170] Virginia has many professional caliber golf courses including the Greg Norman course at Lansdowne Resort and Upper Cascades, Kingsmill Resort, home of the Michelob ULTRA Open. A golf course consists of a series of holes each consisting of a Teeing ground, Fairway, rough and other hazards and a green with a pin and cup all designed for Career outline Norman was born in Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia to Merv and Toini Norman Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill is an annual Golf tournament, originating in 2003 for professional female golfers which takes place every May on the LPGA Tour.

The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles also have followings due to their proximity to the state, and both are broadcast in the state on MASN. The Washington Nationals is an American professional baseball team based in Washington D The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN is a team-owned regional sports network that televises every available game of the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles throughout ^[171] When the New York Mets ended their long affiliation with the Norfolk Tides in 2007, the Orioles adopted the minor league club. "Mets" redirects here For the medical term see Metastasis. The Norfolk Tides are a Minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. ^[172] Other regional teams include the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves, whose top farm team, the Richmond Braves, is located in the capital. The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati Ohio, USA The Richmond Braves were the AAA Minor league baseball affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League.

Virginia is home to two NASCAR tracks currently on the Sprint Cup schedule, Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation -owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway Virginia. Richmond International Raceway (RIR is a 3/4-mile (12 km D-shaped asphalt race track located just outside Richmond Virginia in Henrico County. Norfolk born Rex White won the NASCAR Grand National in 1962 and 1963. Rex White (born August 17 1929 in Spartanburg South Carolina) is a former NASCAR champion Current Virginia drivers in the series include brothers Jeff Burton and Ward Burton, Ricky Rudd, Denny Hamlin, and Elliot Sadler. Jeffrey Brian Burton (born June 29, 1967 in South Boston Virginia) also sometimes referred to as "JB" is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series John Edward Burton III (born October 25, 1961) is an American NASCAR auto racer, who has a total of five career Sprint Cup wins Ricky Rudd (born September 12, 1956) is a retired American NASCAR driver James Dennis Alan Hamlin Jr (born November 18, 1980 in Chesterfield Virginia) is an American race car driver. Elliott William Barnes Sadler (born April 30, 1975 in Emporia Virginia) is a race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ^[173] Former Cup tracks include South Boston Speedway, Langley Speedway, Southside Speedway, and Old Dominion Speedway. South Boston Speedway or "SoBo" is a short track located in South Boston Virginia, U For Langley Speedway closed racetrack in British Columbia Canada see Langley Speedway (British Columbia. History Southside Speedway which used to be known as Royall Speedway in the early 50'sfirst opened on July 11th 1959 with Modifieds as the feature division Old Dominion Speedway (ODS is a 3/8 mile (06 km NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and Drag racing track in Manassas Virginia (near Washington

Virginia does not allow state appropriated funds to be used for either operational or capital expenses for intercollegiate athletics. ^[174] Despite this, both the University of Virginia Cavaliers and Virginia Tech Hokies have been able to field competitive teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference and maintain modern facilities. The University of Virginia (also called UVa, UVA, Mr Jefferson's University, or The University) is a highly selective public research Origins and history The school colors adopted in 1888 are orange and navy blue Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, better known as Virginia Tech, is a public land grant polytechnic University in Virginia Tech sponsors 19 sports and competes at the NCAA Division I level The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. The Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry is followed statewide. The Virginia-Virginia Tech rivalry is a College rivalry, mostly in sports that exists between the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. Virginia has several other universities that compete in Division I of the NCAA, particularly in the Colonial Athletic Association. Division I (or D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations The Colonial Athletic Association, also known as the CAA, is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in East Three historically black schools compete in the Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and two others compete in Division I MEAC. Historically black colleges and universities ( HBCUs) are institutions of Higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention History The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, founded on the campus of Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in 1912 is the oldest African-American The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC is a Collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs in the Southeastern Several smaller schools compete in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the USA South Athletic Conference of NCAA Division III. History The Conference was founded in 1975 as the Virginia College Conference Member schools Conference Stadia The NCAA currently holds its Division III championships in football, men's basketball, volleyball and softball in Salem. Division III (or DIII) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the United States. The NCAA Division III National Football Championship began in 1973. Salem is an Independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County ^[175]

State symbols

Main article: List of Virginia state symbols

The Virginia welcome sign on State Route 32 employs the state bird, the cardinal, and the state tree and flower, the dogwood. This is a list of symbols of the United States Commonwealth of Virginia. State Route 32 is a primary State highway in the US state of Virginia, located in the eastern part of the state The Northern Cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis) is a North American Bird in the Cardinal family. The Dogwoods comprise a group of 30-50 species of mostly Deciduous Woody plants growing as Shrubs and Trees some species are herbaceous perennial

The state nickname is the oldest symbol, though it has never been made official by law. 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, and the present moniker, "Old Dominion" is a reference to that title. A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The English Restoration, or simply The Restoration began in 1660 when the English monarchy, Scottish monarchy and Irish monarchy were restored The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. ^[176] The other nickname, "Mother of Presidents," is also historic, as eight Virginians have served as President of the United States, including four of the first five: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence James Madison Jr (March 16 1751 – June 28 1836 was an American Politician, the fourth President of the United States (1809–1817 and one of the Founding James Monroe (April 28 1758 – July 4 1831 was the fifth President of the United States (1817–1825 This article is about the general and president For his great-great-grandson see William H John Tyler Jr (March 29 1790 January 18 1862 was the tenth President of the United States (1841-1845 and the first ever to obtain that office via succession Zachary Taylor (November 24 1784 &ndash July 9 1850 was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28 1856—February 3 1924 was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. Additionally, Virginian Sam Houston served as president of the Republic of Texas. Samuel Houston ( March 2, 1793 July 26, 1863) was a 19th century American statesman politician and soldier The Republic of Texas was a sovereign Nation in North America between the United States and Mexico that existed from 1836 to

Virginia is the only state to have the same plant for state flower and state tree. ^[177] The majority of the symbols were made official in the late 20th century, though the state motto and seal have been official since Virginia declared its independence. ^[178] Virginia currently has no state song, as the now state song emeritus, "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny", was retired in 1997. Introduction Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" is a song which was written by James A ^[179]

See also

• List of Virginia-related topics

References

External links

Government

• State Government website
• Virginia General Assembly
• Virginia's Judicial system
• Constitution of Virginia

Tourism and recreation

• Virginia Tourism Website
• Virginia State Parks
• Virginia Main Street Communities Travel
• WikiTravel guide

Culture and history

• Virginia Historical Society
• Virginia Historical Markers
• Virginia's First People

Maps and Demographics

• USGS geographic resources of Virginia
• Virginia State Climatology Office
• Virginia State Fact Sheet