About Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia

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Nicknames: Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents

Motto: Sic semper tyrannis(Latin; translation: Thus always to tyrants)

Capital: Richmond

Admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788 (10th State)

Population: 8,001,024 (2010 Census)
Ranks 12th in the Nation 
    Largest city: Virginia Beach
    Largest metro area: Northern Virginia

      Governor: Terry McAuliffe
      Lt. Gov: Ralph Northam

      U.S. Senators: Mark Warner & Tim Kaine
      Members of Congress:

        • Rob Wittman (1st District)
        • Scott Rigell (2nd District),
        • Robert Scott (3rd District),
        • Randy Forbes (4th District),
        • Robert Hurt (5th District),
        • Bob Goodlatte (6th District),
        • Dave Brat (7th District),
        • Don Beyer (8th District),
        • Morgan Griffith (9th District),
        • Barbara Comstock (10th District),
        • Gerry Connolly (11th District).

       

      The Commonwealth of Virginia, nicknamed "The Old Dominion," is located midway between New York and Florida, and is considered the gateway to the South. With over 7 million residents, Virginia is the 12th largest state in the United States. The Commonwealth is bordered by Washington, D.C., and Maryland to the north; the Atlantic Ocean to the east; North Carolina and Tennessee to the south; and West Virginia and Kentucky to the west.

      Western Virginia is mountainous, covered by the Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountains with the great Shenandoah Valley falling between the ranges. The central piedmont region, with its rolling hills, flattens out into the sandy coastal plain toward the Atlantic Ocean.

      Early European settlers landed in Jamestown in 1607 and established the first permanent colony of the New World. Eventually, the Colony of Virginia wealthiest and most populous British colony in North America. Virginia was one of the original 13 colonies that won independence from Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. Four of the first five presidents -- Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe -- originated from Virginia, leading some to refer to the Commonwealth as the "Mother of Presidents" (eight presidents so far have been born in Virginia).

      With a heritage rooted in English, African, Scots-Irish, German, Hispanic and Native-American cultures, our Commonwealth is home to diverse people and places.

      From Norfolk to Norton, Great Falls to Greensville and all of the wonderful points in between, the Commonwealth of Virginia is a mix of urban, rural, and suburban landscapes filled with pristine beaches, mile-high mountains, fun water parks, zoos, high-quality wineries, busy shopping malls, notable historic homes, and fast-moving highways.

       

      Here are some quick links for reference: