Welcome to Virginia
"The Old Dominion State" Yes, Virginia "is for lovers," but it's also for big business. The state has the highest concentration of technology workers in the U.S. and is home to 18 Fortune 500 companies. Of course, Virginia hasn't completely abandoned its Antebellum past. Agriculture remains its largest single industry, with tomatoes recently surpassing soy as the state's most profitable crop. It's also the fifth-largest producer of tobacco, a historically critical crop to the plantations of the Old South. While the state's history—both the good and the bad—played an integral role in the formation of the country, most modern Virginians prefer to look forward. Virginia's education system represents what the state is doing right: it consistently ranks in the top ten on the Department of Education's National Assessment of Educational Progress list. Virginia is also a surprisingly multicultural state, claiming the biggest Vietnamese population on the East Coast and a Hispanic population that's growing exponentially. African Americans account for more than 20 percent of residents, and the state is also home to eight Native American tribes. The new, modern Virginia is largely urban, pluralistic, and innovative, but that shouldn't stop anyone in the "Old Dominion" from sipping a mint julep on the front porch from time to time. State Name: Virginia State Nickname: "The Old Dominion State," "Mother of Presidents" State Motto: Sic semper tyrannis ("Thus always to tyrants")  Name for Residents: Virginian Abbreviation: VA Time Zone: Eastern, GMT/UTC -5 / -4 (Daylight Savings Time) Capital City: Richmond Date of Statehood: June 25, 1788 Statehood Rank: 10th State Area: 42,774 square miles (110,785 km²) Area Rank: 35 of 50 Number of Counties: 95 State Population: 7,769,089 (2008 estimate) Largest Cities:     Virginia Beach - 433,746 (2008)     Norfolk - 234,403 (2000)     Chesapeake - 225,255 (2008) Major Rivers:     James River - Length: 410 mi (660 km)     Roanoke River - Length: 410 mi (660 km)     Potomac River - Length: 383 mi (665 km) Highest Point: Mount Rogers, 5,729 ft (1,747 m) Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean (sea level) Bordering States and Countries:     Maryland (North)     West Virginia (Northwest)     Maryland (East)     North Carolina (South)     Tennessee (Southwest)     Kentucky (West) Record High Temperature:     110°F (43°C)     July 15, 1954 at Balcony Falls  Record Low Temperature:     -30°F (-34°C)     January 22, 1985 at Mountain Lake
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	Author: World Trade Press