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Old Dominion
Virginia (), officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; and Virginia Beach is the most populous city. Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision. The wealthiest is Loudoun County. The Commonwealth's population is over eight million.
The area's history begins with several indigenous groups, including the Powhatan. In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony. Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony's early politics and plantation economy. Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War, during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia's northwestern counties seceded to form the state of West Virginia. Although the Commonwealth was under conservative single-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction, both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia.
The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest legislature in the Western Hemisphere. The state government has been repeatedly ranked most effective by the Pew Center on the States. It is unique in how it treats cities and counties equally, manages local roads, and prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms. Virginia's economy has many sectors: agriculture in the Shenandoah Valley; federal agencies in Northern Virginia, including the headquarters of the Department of Defense and CIA; and military facilities in Hampton Roads, the site of the region's main seaport. Virginia's public schools and many colleges and universities have contributed to growing media and technology sectors. As a result, computer chips have become the state's leading export.
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- Meteor likely rattled windows in Virginia
On Tuesday evening, residents in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Suffolk, Va., dialed 911 to report what...more
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Big car companies are hoping that the camaraderie forged by extreme competitions applies not only to...more
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A storm born from the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida is moving out to sea after raking the East Coas...more
- Chesapeake raises production outlook
Chesapeake Energy Corp. on Tuesday slightly raised oil and gas production forecasts for 2009 and 201...more
- Fall foliage in Virginia, from $140 a night
Go leaf peeping in the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains with these packages that inclu...more
On Tuesday evening, residents in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Suffolk, Va., dialed 911 to report what...more
- Automakers muscling into extreme sports
Big car companies are hoping that the camaraderie forged by extreme competitions applies not only to...more
- East Coast hit hard before Ida moves out
A storm born from the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida is moving out to sea after raking the East Coas...more
- Chesapeake raises production outlook
Chesapeake Energy Corp. on Tuesday slightly raised oil and gas production forecasts for 2009 and 201...more
- Fall foliage in Virginia, from $140 a night
Go leaf peeping in the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains with these packages that inclu...more
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