Viriginia is located in the south-central portion of the United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), North Carolina and Tennessee (S), Kentucky and West Virginia (W), and Maryland and the District of Columbia (N and NE).
Area, 40,817 sq mi (105,716 sq km).
Pop. (2000) 7,078,515, a 14.4% increase since the 1990 census.
Capital, Richmond.
Largest city, Virginia Beach.
Motto,Sic Semper Tyrannis [Thus Always to Tyrants].
State bird, cardinal.
State flower, dogwood. 
State tree, dogwood. Virginia's shores, mountains, mineral springs, natural wonders, and numerous historic sites draw millions of visitors annually. Crowning the hilltops and river bluffs from the Chesapeake region west to the Blue Ridge and adding to the grace and elegance of the Virginia landscape are the classic Greek revival homes and public buildings with their stately porticoes. Major tourist attractions include Shenandoah National Park ; Colonial Williamsburg; and Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial. Other historic points of interest include Appomattox Court House National Historical Park; Manassas and Richmond national battlefield parks; Booker T. Washington and George Washington Birthplace national monuments; Colonial National Historical Park and Jamestown National Historic Site, both on Jamestown Island; and several national cemeteries and battlefields
Prince William County is growing, and is expected to grow even more in the coming years. The estimated population is 348,588, according to U.S. Census statistics. The county population has grown by 24.8 percent since 2000. The military plays a vital role in the area. As two of the largest employers in the area, Quantico Marine Corps base and Fort Belvoir have a considerable impact on the area's economy. A total of about 15,000 military personnel and civilian employees work at the Quantico Maine Corps base. Another 15,000 are anticipated in the next five years as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure process. Quantico is home to the Marine Combat Development Center, The Marine Corps University, the FBI Academy and FBI Laboratory. The presidential helicopter squadron, HMX-1, is based at Quantico. The Drug Enforcement Administration also has its training academy aboard the base. The newest attraction is the National Museum of the Marine Corps, located just outside the main gate which opened in November 2006.
 Fort Belvoir, an Army installation in the Mount Vernon area of eastern Fairffax County, is a strategic support center for more than 100 tenant organizations with administrative offices and employs more that 25,000 soldiers. Ft. Belvior houses the Defense Logistics Agency Headquarters, the Criminal Investigation Division Headquartes and the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security command. Northern Virginia has become the home of one of the largest concentrations of computer communications firms in the U.S. Tens of thousands of Virginians work in government, especially in the District of Columbia or in nearby “Beltway” suburbs like Reston and Langley.
*Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Copyright (c) 2003. |