Virginia

Overview

Virginia, officially, The Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and southern regions of the United States. Virginia was one of the Thirteen Colonies in the American Revolution. It was admitted to the Union on June 25, 1788 as the 10th state. Richmond is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States whereas Virginia Beach is the most populous city. Some of the largest cities in Virginia are Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville.

The mother of presidents and the mother of statesmen is a Virginia nickname because eight Presidents of the United States were born in Virginia. America’s first President George Washington was born in Virginia. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson were also from the state of Virginia.

Virginia’s neighbouring states include Maryland, Washington D.C., North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia. The Virginia climate is a humid subtropical one. However, the climate varies seasonally. The Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream have a strong effect on eastern and south-eastern coastal areas of the Commonwealth, making the climate there warmer and more steady. Moreover, climate change in Virginia is leading to higher temperatures year-round as well as more heavy rain and flooding events. 

Twenty-one Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Virginia. Tourism in Virginia supported an estimated 234,000 jobs in 2018, making tourism the state’s fifth-largest industry. Virginia’s educational system consistently ranks in the top five states in the U.S. Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress. 

As of that year, there are 169 colleges and universities in Virginia.

Some of the beautiful places, you should probably visit in Virginia are Shenandoah National Park, Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Richmond, Chesapeake Bay, Alexandria, Norfolk, Charlottesville, Monticello, Assateague Island, Jamestown, Roanoke, Luray, Hampton, Lexington, Fredericksburg, Natural Bridge etc.

Key Facts:

• In 2019, the real GDP of Virginia was 486 billion U.S. dollars.
• In 2020, the unemployment rate in Virginia was at 6.2 percent.
• In 2019, the per capita real GDP of Virginia stood at 56,938.
• In 2019, the average annual pay of employees in Virginia totalled to 60,178 U.S. dollars.