Volcano City Virginia. Virginia - US state: history, description and attractions. Interesting things in the state: attractions, places, events

A little reference information in Virginia:

Official name: Commonwealth of Virginia

Largest city: Virginia Beach

State nicknames: Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents.

State motto: This is how it will always be with tyrants

Postcode Virginia: V.A.

State formation date: 1788 (10th in order)

Square: 110.8 thousand sq. km. (35th place in the country.)

Population: more than 7.2 million people (12th place in the country).

From time immemorial, the state was inhabited by numerous Indian tribes, including the Cherokee, Chickahominy, Meherrin, Monk, Pamunki and others. In 1587, the British began to actively develop the territory. The new territory was named virgin, in honor of Elizabeth I, who never married. On June 25, 1788, Virginia officially became a US state.

The eastern lands of the state are quite abundant in wetlands. The western lands are located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Most large rivers states are - Potomac River, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Roanoke. The climate in the state is temperate, fairly humid, with hot summers and mild winters. In the east of the state is the coast Atlantic Ocean, in the south the state borders with North Carolina and Tennessee; Virginia borders Maryland in the northeast, West Virginia in the northwest, and Kentucky in the west.

From attractions, tourist areas and most interesting places states stand out: Arlington National Cemetery, National Park Shenandoah, Skyline Drive, John Washington Homestead, Wolf Trap Farm,

It is located in the eastern part of the United States and is the tenth largest in the state. This is a rather picturesque part of America - there are the Appalachian Mountains, numerous rivers, and tall trees. And in general, I must say, there is something to see here.

general information

The state capital is the city of Richmond. Its population is only 200 thousand people. But the largest city is Virginia Beach, with about half a million residents. By the way, this is a resort town where thousands of tourists come every year to enjoy the waves and bright sun. There are a huge number of hotels and beaches, so there is a place to relax. Interestingly, in the eastern part of the state the area is very swampy. This is not observed on the western side, since it is in that direction that the Appalachian Mountains are located - they stretch for two thousand kilometers! By the way, the state of Virginia is in 12th place in terms of population density (out of all 51). In total, more than eight million people live there. An interesting fact is that quite a lot of Germans live in this state - more than 12%. About 20% are African-American, about 11% are British, 10% are Irish and only 11.5% are Americans. Moreover, the percentage of residents is less than one! Although, if you look at history, you can find out that initially people lived in the state

It is always interesting to learn various facts about a particular place. For example, the state of Virginia was nicknamed “the mother of presidents,” and all because eight US presidents were born here. Among them, by the way, is the world famous Another fun fact about the Pentagon (it is known to be located in Virginia) - it has too many toilets, twice as many as needed. And all because the building was built in 1940 - then the toilets for dark-skinned and light-skinned people had to be separate. And more recently, in the summer of 2011, the state of Virginia suffered an earthquake. This is the first time such a strong cataclysm has occurred on And in general, it must be said that earthquakes are rare here. However, on that August day, people watched as the walls of their houses began to shake. Fortunately, there were no casualties. And one more interesting fact: Virginia is a state whose flag features a half-naked girl.

Not without oddities

Each country or city has its own laws, its own peculiarities, which may not be clear to visitors. Sometimes something even seems ridiculous, strange and completely unusual. Virginia is no exception. Quite strange laws apply on its territory. For example, quite recently they abolished the provision, the essence of which was that on Sundays they did not sell salad, but you could easily buy beer or wine. By the way, it is strictly forbidden to work on this day of the week. Radar detectors are also prohibited in the state, and when overtaking cars you must sound a signal. One of the most ridiculous laws is that it is forbidden to tickle girls and push your wife out of bed. Spitting at sea gulls or on the sidewalk is also prohibited (quite an interesting combination). A man can be imprisoned for two months if he slaps a girl on the back. And finally, one more ridiculous situation - a woman has the right to drive a car in main street only when her husband walks in front of the car, regulating its movement with a red flag. As you can see, the state of Virginia (USA) does not lag behind other cities where rather strange regulations apply - for example, in India a person who weighs less than 110 kg cannot lose weight.

Places for rest

Virginia is a place where you can truly have a nice vacation. Moreover, there is something for everyone. For example, Virginia Beach (a city included in the Guinness Book of Records as a resort with the longest beach in the world) is a place for lovers active rest. Sea, sun, parties, clubs, shopping centers - it’s all there. Or you can go to Norfolk - a port city. And those who like a quiet pastime will love the Hamptons. In general, a vacation in Virginia is intended for those people who want to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy tranquility.

Main attraction

As mentioned earlier, there is a lot to see in these places. There really are a lot of interesting sights here, but the most important is the great gloomy swamp (Virginia, USA). This is a wetland located in the southeastern part of the state on the plain. It is safe to say that this small corner is one of the last in all of America that has not been touched by man. This is which covers almost 500 km of dense forests and water. The Great Dismal Swamp (Virginia, USA) has a completely unique ecosystem. Limitless rich flora and fauna, diverse nature, mysterious atmosphere - all this attracts the attention of tourists and local residents. By the way, the Great Swamp is included in the list of the most unique places in the USA. Scientists have a version that it was formed due to the last shift of the continental plume. But this is just one opinion, since there are a huge number of them.

Virginia(English) Virginia, in the Russian historical tradition there is also an option Virginia) is a state in the eastern United States, one of the so-called South Atlantic states, part of the southern region of the United States. 10th state within the state. Population - 7.2 million people (12th place in the USA; data 2000). Capital: Richmond, largest city: Virginia Beach, others big cities- Alexandria, Lynchburg, Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, Hampton, Chesapeake.

Complete official name state - Commonwealth of Virginia(Commonwealth of Virginia).

State nicknames:

Mother of Presidents

Old Dominion(Old Dominion)

Geography

The area of ​​Virginia is 110.86 thousand km² (35th place in the USA). In the east, the state is washed by the Atlantic Ocean; in the south it borders with the states of North Carolina and Tennessee; in the northeast - with the state of Maryland, in the northwest - with the state of West Virginia, in the west - with Kentucky. The Delmarva Peninsula in eastern Virginia is separated from the main state by the Chesapeake Bay.

The eastern part of the state is heavily swamped. The western part is located on the threshold of the Appalachian Mountains, the system of which includes the Cumberland Plateau and the Blue Ridge. The state's most significant rivers are the Potomac, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Roanoke. More than 60% of the state is covered by forests. The climate is temperate, humid, with hot summers and mild winters.

Story

Traditionally, the territory of present-day Virginia was inhabited by the Indian tribes of the Cherokee, Chickahominy, Meherrin, Monkhan, Pamunki, etc. They belonged to the three big ethnic groups, the largest of which was Algonquian, the other two were Iroquois and Sioux.

At the end of the 16th century (1587), when England began to colonize North America, the province was named Virginia (“Virgin”) in honor of Queen Elizabeth I, who never married. IN early XVII century, the London Virginia Company was created here, financing Jamestown (the original capital of the province) and other English settlements.

In 1780, during the Revolutionary War, the capital was moved to Richmond. On June 25, 1788, Virginia became the tenth and largest of the original thirteen US states. After the war, Virginia was for a long time the main political center of the country: the authors of the Constitution, as well as eight presidents and other prominent politicians, came from here.

Industrial development, which began in the 1840s, was frozen by the Civil War, but gained momentum again in the 20th century. In April 1861, Virginia officially joined the Confederacy. In 1863, the western part (now the state of West Virginia) separated from it. During the war, Virginia became the main arena of battles - the battles of Bull Run, Petersburg, Fredericksburg, etc. took place here. On April 9, 1865, in the village of Appomattox, General Robert E. Lee signed the act of surrender.

During post-war Reconstruction, Virginia was officially readmitted to the United States in 1870.

In 1967, for the first time since 1891, legislature a black citizen was elected in the state, and in 1969, for the first time since the end of civil war The state was led by a Republican governor. In 1989, for the first time in US history, an African-American, Lawrence Wilder, was elected to the post of governor of a state.

Economy

The most important types of minerals are coal, stone, sand, which are mined mainly in the Appalachian region; There are small reserves of oil and gas. The public sector is a leading source of income for Virginians, with many Virginians working in federal institutions in Washington or associated with armed forces. The state is home to large military and naval bases.

The tobacco, chemical, rubber, food and engineering industries play a major role in the state's economy. Woodworking and furniture production, as well as tourism and the service sector, are developed.

The state's main crops are tobacco, corn, soybeans, and apples. More than half the cost of commercial products Agriculture accounts for livestock farming, primarily cattle breeding cattle and sheep. Poultry farming (Rockingham County is one of the main US centers for turkey production), fishing and seafood production (herring, crabs, oysters) is developed.

There is a powerful transport infrastructure, including a network of highways and railways. Hampton Roads is one of the country's main ports. The state has airports serving the city of Washington (Dulles Airport and National Airport).

Education

There are more than fifty universities and colleges in the state.