Discover Virginia

• Virginia overview
• Virginia history
• Virginia economy
• Virginia politics

Virginia overview The Commonwealth of Virginia is a state in Virginia's long east-west axis means that the Southern United States. Named after Queen metropolitan northern Virginia lies as close Elizabeth I of England, who was known as the to New York City and New England as to its Virgin Queen, this commonwealth was one of own rural western panhandle. Conversely, Lee the thirteen colonies that revolted against County, at the tip of the panhandle, is British rule in the American Revolution. closer to eight other state capitals than it Virginia was the first part of the Americas is  to  Richmond,  Virginia's  own  capital. to be continuously inhabited by British colonists from its founding as a European Virginia has a number of National Park colony up to the American Revolution. It Service units, including one national park, included area explored by the 1584 expedition the Shenandoah National Park. For a list of of Sir Walter Raleigh along the coast of all areas managed by the National Park North America, and at one time it also Service within Virginia, see: List of areas included Bermuda (or Virgineola). The London in the National Park System of the United Virginia Company became incorporated as a States  in  Virginia. joint stock company by a proprietary charter drawn up on April 10, 1606. The charter Climate granted lands stretching from approximately the 34th parallel (North Carolina) north to The climate is considered mild compared to approximately the 45th parallel (New York) other areas of the United States. Most of the and from the Atlantic Ocean westward state east of the Blue Ridge, plus the (although the Third Charter of 1612 extended southern part of the Shenandoah Valley, has a its boundaries far enough across the Atlantic humid subtropical climate (Koppen climate to incorporate Bermuda, which the company had classification Cfa). In the mountainous areas been in possession of since 1609). The west of the Blue Ridge, the climate becomes capital is Richmond and the most populous humid  continental  (Koppen  Dfa). city  is  Virginia  Beach. However, substantial variations occur because Virginia is known as the "Mother of of the state's significant relief. Elevations Presidents", because it is the birthplace of in Virginia vary from sea level to Mount eight U.S. presidents (George Washington, Rogers at 5,729 ft (1,746 m) above sea level Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James with major gradations occurring at the edges Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, of the Atlantic Ocean, the end of the Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson), exceeded Piedmont, and the Blue Ridge and Allegheny by no other state. Most of the United States' chains of the Appalachian Mountains. The early presidents were from the state. usually moderating influence of the ocean Virginia has also been known as the "Mother from the east, powered by the Gulf Stream, is of States", because portions of the original interspersed with brief moments of danger due Colony subsequently became Kentucky, Indiana, to the potential for hurricanes near the Illinois, and West Virginia as well as some mouth of Chesapeake Bay. On the other hand, portions of Ohio. Additionally, most of what cold air masses arrive over the mountains, is now Wisconsin and Michigan was also especially in winter, leading to significant briefly claimed by Virginia during the snowfalls. However, in something of an Revolutionary  War. anomaly, much of the state south of Northern Virginia has not had over one foot of snow in Virginia is bordered by West Virginia, a single storm since the Blizzard of 1996. Maryland, and the District of Columbia The interaction of these elements with the (across the Potomac River) to the north; by state's topography create micro-climates in Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean to the the Shenandoah Valley, the mountainous east; by North Carolina and Tennessee to the southwest, and the coastal plains that are south; and by Kentucky and West Virginia to slightly but noticeably distinct from each the  west. other.[2] An additional element in recent years is the expansion of the southern The Chesapeake Bay divides the commonwealth, suburbs of Washington into Northern Virginia, with Virginia's Eastern Shore, a part of the creating an urban heat island due to the Delmarva Peninsula, completely separate (an increased energy output of the city. However, exclave) from the rest of the Commonwealth. aside from the urban stations, no global Geographically, Virginia is divided into the warming effects have been noted by Virginia following  six  regions: weather  stations  by  2001. Ridge and Valley—between the Severe weather is occasionally a concern in Appalachian Plateau and Allegheny Plateau to Virginia. As mentioned above, hurricanes make the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the the coastal area of Virginia somewhat east. Sometimes referred to as Valley and vulnerable, although it is rare for a major Ridge. hurricane to threaten the Virginia coast as hurricanes this far north tend to become Shenandoah Valley—located within the somewhat weakened. More often, Virginia is Ridge and Valley Region; it is referred to struck with the remnants of systems which hit geographically—and culturally— further south bringing torrential rain to the as  its  own  region. state. Thunderstorms are an occasional concern with the state averaging anywhere Blue Ridge Mountains—between the Ridge from 30-50 days of thunderstorm activity and Valley Region to the west and the annually, with the highest area of occurrence Piedmont  region  to  the  east. going towards the west. Conversely, eastern Virginia has a lower rate of tornadoes, and Foothills—area now recognized directly the state averages around 2 tornadoes per between the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge year. The last tornado that Virginia Mountains. Pertaining to the counties of experienced  was  around  November  2006. Madison, Green, Albemarle, and Nelson. Denotes a region just west of the Carters Faults  and  quakes Mountain range and north of the James river subject  to  its  own  unique  microclimate. Virginia has not had a history of major seismic activity: earthquakes here are rarely Piedmont—between the Blue Ridge above 4.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. Mountains to the west and the Tidewater There is no volcanic activity in the state, region  to  the  east. and it is located centrally on the North American Plate—where the Earth's crust Tidewater—between the fall line to the is thicker than at the edges—which west and the Atlantic coast to the east; it leads to fewer strong earthquakes. The includes  the  Eastern  Shore. largest, at 6.0 magnitude, came in 1897 in Blacksburg. 1 A B C 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100