Virginia

Virginia is officially the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is located in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeastern and Atlantic regions of the United States. It lies between the Atlantic Coast, the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Coast. The Blue Ridge Mountains and Chesapeake Bay are the main habitats for the Commonwealth’s flora & fauna. They also shape the geography and climate. Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth. Virginia Beach is the most populous city and Fairfax County the most populous political subdivision. The Commonwealth’s population was 8.65 million in 2020, with 36% living in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan region.

The history of the area begins with several indigenous groups, such as the Powhatan. The London Company established the Colony of Virginia in 1607 as the first permanent English colony of the New World. The Old Dominion is Virginia’s state name. The colony’s growing plantation economy was fuelled by slave labor and land acquired from displaced tribes. However, it also fueled internal and external conflicts. Virginia was one the original Thirteen Colonies of the American Revolution. Battles in Virginia secured the United States independence. Virginia was divided during the American Civil War when Richmond, the state government, joined the Confederacy. However, many of Virginia’s northern counties wanted to remain with Union. This led to the formation of West Virginia in 1863. Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following the Reconstruction era, both major political parties are competitive in modern Virginia.