Introduction to Geography of Delaware
Delaware, one of the eastern states of the United States. It is the second smallest state, only Rhode Island being smaller. Delaware is bounded inland by Pennsylvania and Maryland, and seaward by the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. Delaware has an area of 2,489 square miles (6,447 km 2 ). The state is separated from New Jersey by the Delaware River and Delaware Bay. Most of Delaware is on a peninsula—the Delmarva Peninsula, between Delaware and Chesapeake bays—which it shares with portions of Maryland and Virginia.
Delaware's state bird is the Blue hen chickenDelaware in briefGeneral informationStatehood: Dec. 7, 1787, the first state.State abbreviations: Del. (traditional); DE (postal).State capital: Dover, the capital of Delaware since 1777. New Castle had been the capital since 1704.State motto: Liberty and Independence.Popular name: The First State.State song: "Our Delaware." Words by George B. Hynson; music by William M. S. Brown.Symbols of DelawareState bird: Blue hen chicken.State flower: Peach blossom.State tree: American holly.State flag and seal: The state flag of Delaware first appeared in its present form in 1913. It bears a shield with a sheaf of wheat, an ear of corn, and an ox, all of which symbolize agriculture. Above the shield is a sailing ship. A soldier and a farmer support the shield. "December 7, 1787" is the date Delaware became the first state. The state seal was adopted in 1777 and has the same design as the flag.Land and climateArea: 2,026 mi2 (5,246 km2), including 71 mi2 (184 km2) of inland water but excluding 371 mi2 (960 km2) of coastal water.Coastline: 28 mi (45 km).Elevation: Highest--448 ft. (137 m) above sea level on Ebright Road in New Castle County. Lowest--sea level along the coast.Record high temperature: 110 °F (43 °C) at Millsboro on July 21, 1930.Record low temperature: –17 °F (–27 °C) at Millsboro on Jan. 17, 1893.Average July temperature: 76 °F (24 °C).Average January temperature: 35 °F (2 °C).Average yearly precipitation: 45 in (114 cm).PeoplePopulation: 783,600.Rank among the states: 45th.Density: 387 persons per mi2 (149 per km2), U.S. average 78 per mi2 (30 per km2).Distribution: 80 percent urban, 20 percent rural.Largest cities in Delaware: Wilmington (72,664); Dover (32,135); Newark (28,547); Pike Creek (19,751); Bear (17,593); Brookside (14,806).EconomyChief productsAgriculture: broilers, corn, milk, soybeans.Manufacturing: chemicals, food products, paper products, transportation equipment.Mining: magnesium, sand and gravel.GovernmentState governmentGovernor: 4-year term.State senators: 21; 4-year terms.State representatives: 41; 2-year terms.Counties: 3.Federal governmentUnited States senators: 2.United States representatives: 1.Electoral votes: 3.Sources of informationFor information about tourism, write to: Delaware Tourism Office, 99 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. The Web site at http://www.visitdelaware.net also provides information.For information on the economy, write to: Delaware Economic Development Office, 99 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. The state's official Web site at http://www.delaware.gov also provides a gateway to much information on Delaware's economy, government, and history.Physical Geography
Delaware is a state on the east coast of the United States.LandDelaware lies within two major geographic regions of the United States. The state's northern tip is part of the Piedmont Plateau, an upland area within the vast Appalachian region. The rest of the state is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, which occupies most of the nation's eastern seaboard.
The coastal plain is a generally flat, sandy area, with scattered marshes along the coast. The Piedmont is gently rolling with some hills and steep ridges around the fall line, where the upland drops off to the coastal plain. Elevations increase from sea level on the coast to the state's highest point, 442 feet (135 m) above sea level, in the Piedmont.
Delaware's state tree is the American HollyInteresting facts about DelawareChristmas seals were first introduced to the United States in Wilmington. Emily P. Bissell, a Delaware author, designed the seals, and organizers of a local tuberculosis fund drive put them on sale at the Wilmington Post Office in December 1907. The idea for Christmas seals came from a similar fund-raising campaign first used in Denmark.The first beauty contest in the United States was held at Rehoboth Beach in 1880. Contestants competed for the title of "Miss United States." The famous inventor Thomas Edison was one of the three judges. The contest became the forerunner of today's Miss America pageant.Delaware's border with Maryland runs through two towns that were named by combining the names of the two states. One of the towns is named Marydel, and the name of the other town is Delmar.Delaware's northern boundary with Pennsylvania is formed by the arc of a perfect circle. Delaware is the only state to have such a boundary. The circle is centered at the dome of the Court House in the town of New Castle.Log cabins were first introduced to North America about 1638 by Swedes and Finns who settled near the mouth of the Delaware River. Log construction was already an established practice in Scandinavia and in other parts of Europe.WaterMost of the state is drained by relatively short rivers, which flow eastward into Delaware Bay. Tidal estuaries are often found where these rivers discharge into the bay. Among the eastwardly flowing rivers are the Leipsic, Smyrna, St. Jones, and Mispillon rivers. The Nanticoke is the largest of Delaware's rivers that flow westward, across the peninsula into Chesapeake Bay. The Christina River and its tributaries are the chief rivers in northern Delaware. Below the junction with Brandywine Creek, at Wilmington, the Christina River has a deep channel that provides an outlet to the Delaware River and, ultimately, to the Atlantic. Rehoboth and Indian River bays in southern Delaware are shallow lagoons behind a narrow coastal bar. Delaware has numerous freshwater ponds and small lakes.
ClimateDelaware's climate is usually mild, with high humidity in summer. The average temperature for January at Wilmington is 32° F. (0° C.); for July, 76° F. (24°C.). In the south temperatures are a few degrees higher in winter but only slightly higher in summer. Yearly precipitation at Wilmington averages 40 inches (1,020 mm); in the south, a little less. Snowfall, chiefly in January through March, is moderate.
VegetationForests are Delaware's primary native vegetation. Today, only about a third of the state is forested. Hardwood deciduous forests predominate in the north, while mixed hardwoods and southern pines occupy the southern portion of the state. Oaks, hickories, and poplars are the chief trees in the north. The principal southern pines are shortleaf and Virginia pine. Bald cypress is found in the wetter southern areas. American holly, dogwood, and magnolia are common in much of southern Delaware. Saltwater marsh vegetation occurs in scattered places along the coast.
Delaware's state flower is the peach blossom.Economy
The Delaware quarter features Caesar Rodney, an early American statesman.Delaware is primarily an industrial state, with agriculture, commerce, and services adding diversity to the economy. No other state relies as much on financial services as Delaware. The state's most important economic activities include service industries, led by the finance, insurance, and real estate sector. The manufacture of chemicals, notably by the giant E. I. du Pont de Nemours company, is the state's outstanding industry. Tourism, especially at seaside resorts such as Rehoboth Beach, is also a major source of jobs and income.
There is a state law which permits businesses to incorporate in Delaware even if they only have a mailing address in the state. As it is easy and economical for companies to incorporate in Delaware, many of the largest companies in the United States do so in spite of almost their entire business being done outside Delaware.
ManufacturingA little more than a fifth of the state's labor force is employed in manufacturing. Commodities made in Delaware have an annual value added by manufacture of about $7 1/2 billion. Industries making chemicals and related items, such as industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paints, dyes, and synthetic fibers, provide the largest share of manufacturing jobs and they are also the main manufactured products in terms of value added by manufacture. Other major industries produce transportation equipment, processed foods, and rubber and plastic goods. Also significant are petroleum refining and the making of machinery, paper products, metal goods, and clothing.
Manufacturing is concentrated in the Wilmington area. Also located here are the headquarters of Du Pont and its large industrial research and development center, which is one of the biggest in the world.
Among manufacturing activities, food processing ranks second in Delaware, where poultry processing is a prominent food processing activity. There are several poultry processing plants and large canneries in Sussex County. Gelatin, pudding, and other processed desserts are made at a large plant in Dover. Baked goods, fish products, and soft drinks are some of the other processed foods in Delaware.
Third in line in terms of value added by manufacture is the manufacturing of paper products. These factories are located, again, in the Wilmington area.
The economy of Delaware also depends on automobile production. A major source of employment here are two automobile manufacturing plants, in Newark and Wilmington. Other products manufactured in Delaware are medical equipment, plastic products, printed materials, and scientific instruments.
AgricultureFarmland makes up about two-fifths (about 40 per cent) of the state's land area. Although fairly small in size, averaging 197 acres (80 hectares), farms in Delaware are extremely efficient and productive. There are nearly 2,300 farms in Delaware.
A large percentage of farm income (around 80 per cent) comes from the raising of poultry (particularly broiler chickens) and from dairying. For the production of broilers, most of which come from Sussex County, Delaware is an important state. Poultry is raised throughout much of the coastal plain; dairying is concentrated in the northern part of the state. The largest amount of milk in Delaware is produced on farms in Kent and Sussex counties. Southern Delaware farms raise a majority of the state's hogs.
Crops, mainly grains, provide most of the rest of Delaware's farm income(about 20 per cent). The leading crops, by value of production, are soybeans, corn, and potatoes. The primary producer of corn and soybeans is Sussex County. Chief vegetable crops in Delaware are lima beans, peas, and potatoes. Also produced are mushrooms, a valuable specialty crop. Truck farming is significant in much of southern Delaware. Fruits and vegetables, including apples, watermelons, peaches, sweet corn, and beans, are grown for nearby urban markets. Other crops grown are barley, hay, and wheat.
Another vital source of agricultural income is greenhouse and nursery products. They include flowers, ornamental shrubs, and young plants.
Mining, Forestry, and FishingDelaware ranks last among the states in income from mining. Except for sand and gravel, used in construction, and magnesium, the state lacks mineral resources. There is a plant near Lewes that processes seawater to obtain magnesium.
Some natural resources of Delaware are fertile soil and mineral deposits. The soils are generally fertile but more or less sandy. Patches of gravel and coarse, red sand and silt cover some of the rocky hills of the Piedmont in northern Delaware. There is a mixture of clay and loam soils that covers the region just south of the Piedmont. The state has deposits of clays and stone as well. Brandywine blue granite (or blue rock), a building material once commonly used for decorative purposes is also found here.
Forestry and fishing were important early activities in Delaware; however, today they form only a small part of the economy. Hardwoods, used for furniture and veneer, are the chief trees harvested. Commercial fishing yields mainly crabs, clams, eels, lobsters, oysters, perch, sea bass, shad, snails, weakfish, bluefish, and menhaden.
The state’s utilities companies provide electric, gas, and water service. Approximately, 60 per cent of Delaware's electric power is generated through coal-burning plants. About 20 per cent is supplied by plants that burn natural gas and petroleum-burning plants provide close to 15 per cent.
Service industries account for the largest part of Delaware's gross domestic product. It provides employment for over 85 per cent of the state's workers. Wilmington area is the main base of the state’s service industries. No other industry in Delaware contributes as much to the GDP as finance, insurance, and real estate. It accounts for about 50 per cent of the state’s entire gross state product. Banking has grown rapidly in Delaware since 1980. In 1981, the Delaware’ government created several incentives for banks operating in the state which consequently led to many large banks moving some of their operations to Delaware. The processing of credit card accounts is the main concern of these operations. An important national financial center is the Wilmington area, which is also the base for many large insurance companies and investment firms. A demand has been created for new office space and homes due to the growth of banks and other businesses in northern Delaware, which benefited the state's real estate companies.
In terms of the GDP, the second position is occupied by community, business, and personal services among Delaware's service industries. It consists of varied economic activities such as private health care, law firms, and car rental agencies. Wilmington is Delaware’s leading health care center.
Trade, restaurants, and hotels rank third in Delaware among service industries. Distributors of automobiles, chemicals, food products, and machinery have a leading role in the state's wholesale trade. Retail businesses like automobile dealerships, department stores, and grocery stores provide employment for many of the state’s workers. There are many hotels and restaurants in the Wilmington area. The southern Delaware coastline is dotted with resort hotels.
The fourth-ranking sector is government, which includes the operation of hospitals, public schools, and military bases. One of the dominant employers in Delaware is the public school system. Dover Air Force Base is operated by the federal government. Dover and Wilmington are the chief locations for state government offices.
Next in line is the transportation and communication system. Delaware’s manufactured and imported goods are transported by railway and trucking companies to major East Coast markets. Most of the communication sector’s income is provided by telecommunications and publishing companies.
TransportationDelaware has excellent road transportation, with virtually all parts of the state being served by paved roads. The state’s modern highway system began in 1911; it was the year when Thomas Coleman du Pont built a paved highway between Wilmington and the Maryland border. There are around 6,000 miles (9,650 kilometers) of roads and highways in Delaware. The Delaware Turnpike John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, part of the Interstate highway system, crosses northern Delaware and connects it with northeastern Maryland. The turnpike is part of a chief continuous highway between Boston and Washington, D.C. State Route 1 that was completed in 2003, is a toll highway, which provides a direct link between Dover and Interstate 95 in northern Delaware. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry spans across Delaware Bay and connects southern Delaware with New Jersey.
The New Castle and Frenchtown Railway, which was Delaware’s first railway, was completed in 1831. There are two main railway lines in the state that provide freight service. The only Delaware cities served by passenger trains are Newark and Wilmington.
The first transportation system in the Delaware region was formed by the Delaware River and its tributaries. The Delaware Memorial Bridges, twin structures spanning the Delaware River near New Castle, link the state with New Jersey. Several freight railways and an Amtrak passenger route serve the state. The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, part of the Intracoastal Waterway, carries freight traffic between Chesapeake and Delaware bays. The canal is a boon for ships traveling between Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who can save about 285 miles (460 kilometers) by using it. Lewes and Rehoboth Bay are connected by the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal. Wilmington is a major Atlantic port, serving oceangoing vessels. The chief airport is New Castle County Airport, near Wilmington; Dover, Georgetown, and Rehoboth Beach also have busy airports.
Nearly 25 weekly newspapers are published in Delaware. Currently, its daily newspapers are Dover's “Delaware State News” and “The News Journal” of Wilmington. The first successful newspaper published in the Delaware region was the “Delaware Gazette”. It was begun by Jacob A. Killen in Wilmington in 1785. WDEL, the state’s first radio station, began broadcasting in Wilmington in 1922 and the first TV station began its operations in the same city in 1949. The residents of the state receive most of their local TV programming from Philadelphia or Baltimore. Communities statewide are served by cable TV systems and Internet providers.
Places to visit in DelawareFort Delaware, a pentagon-shaped fort on Pea Patch Island, was used as a prison during the Civil War. It can be reached by boat from Delaware City.Great Cypress Swamp, in Trap Pond State Park, near Laurel, has the northernmost natural grove of baldcypresses to be found in the United States.Hagley Museum and Library, on Brandywine Creek near Wilmington, features the original powder mills of Eleuthere Irenee du Pont and his residence. The site also has indoor and outdoor exhibits that show development of American industry.Houses of worship rank among Delaware's most interesting places to visit. Barratt's Chapel, near Frederica, has been called the Cradle of Methodism in America. The Methodist leaders Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke met in this chapel on Nov. 14, 1784. Their meeting led to the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America. Immanuel Church, an Episcopal church in New Castle, was completed about 1710. In its churchyard are the graves of many people famous in Delaware's early days. Other famous Delaware church buildings, with their completion dates, include Christ Church in Dover (Episcopal, 1734), Christ Episcopal Church on Chipman Pond near Laurel (1771), Old Drawyer's Presbyterian Church near Odessa (1770's), Old Swedes Church in Wilmington (now Episcopal, built as a Swedish Lutheran church in 1698), and Welsh Tract Baptist Church near Newark (1746).John Dickinson Mansion, near Dover, was the boyhood home of the famous American patriot. The house was built in 1740.Lewes, on Delaware's southern coast, is the state's oldest settlement. This historic seaport is the site of many picturesque buildings and homes. Also in Lewes, the Zwaanendael Museum is modeled after a wing of the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands. Exhibits include historic documents, Indian relics, and mementos of seafaring days in southern Delaware.New Castle has many historic buildings. The Amstel House, home of the New Castle Historical Society, features exhibits of colonial arts and handicrafts. It was built about 1730. The Court House, which was built in 1732, served as Delaware's colonial capitol and first state house. The George Read II House and Garden, completed in 1804, is an elegant example of the Georgian style of architecture.State House, in Dover, was Delaware's state capitol until 1933. It was built in 1792 and features a restored courtroom and legislative chambers.Winterthur Museum, near Wilmington, is the former home of Henry Francis du Pont, an American antiques collector and horticulturist. The museums collection includes American decorative arts made or used from 1640 to 1860. The garden, spread over nearly 1,000 acres (400 hectares), has ponds, woods, meadowlands, and both native and nonnative plants.State parks. Delaware has 14 state parks and many wildlife areas. For information on Delaware's state parks, write to Delaware State Parks, 89 Kings Highway, P.O. Box 1401, Dover, DE 19901. For information on boating and fishing areas, write to the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, 89 Kings Highway, P.O. Box 1401, Dover, DE 19901.The People
In 2000 Delaware had a population of 783,600, an increase since 1990 of 117, 432, or 17.6 per cent. Only five states—Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming—have a smaller population. Delaware had 400.8 persons to the square mile (154.8 per km 2), more than 5 times the national average.
Whites made up about 75 per cent of the state's population and blacks, about 19 per cent.
Annual events in DelawareJanuary-AprilDelaware Kite Festival at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes (Good Friday); Worker's Heritage Fest at Hagley Museum near Wilmington (April).May-AugustOld Dover Days (first weekend in May); Wilmington Garden Day in Wilmington (first Saturday in May); Winterthur Point to Point Horse Race (first Sunday in May); NASCAR race in Dover (June); Greek Festival and Italian Festival, Wilmington (June); Rockwood's Victorian Ice Cream Festival, Wilmington (July); Delaware State Fair in Harrington (July).September-DecemberBethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival (September); Nanticoke Indian Pow-Wow near Oak Orchard (second week in September); Brandywine Arts Festival in Wilmington (second Saturday in September); NASCAR race in Dover (September); World Championship Punkin Chunkin in Millsboro (November); Christmas and Candlelight tours at museums in the Brandywine Valley (December).Education
Delaware's local school districts are controlled directly by the state superintendent of public instruction. The superintendent is appointed by the state board of education; the state board is appointed by the governor.
A school fund for free public education was created in 1796, but money was not appropriated until 1817 and was used only to provide education for the poor. A school attendance law affecting all children was enacted in 1907. The present law requires attendance from age 6 to 16. In 1921 Delaware adopted the policy of paying for public education entirely by state taxes.
The University of Delaware at Newark is a land-grant institution. It was established in 1743 as an academy by the Presbyterian Church, and became a college in 1833; it was first named Newark College, then Delaware College. Women's College was created and affiliated with Delaware College in 1913. In 1921 the two colleges were united to form the present university.
Delaware State University at Dover was established in 1891 and opened in 1892; the present name was adopted in 1993.
Universities and colleges in DelawareThis table lists the universities and colleges in Delaware that grant bachelor's or advanced degrees and are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.NameMailing addressDelaware, University of NewarkDelaware State University DoverGoldey-Beacom College WilmingtonWesley College DoverWilmington College New CastleGovernment
Delaware's State Capitol is in Dover, the capital since 1777.Delaware is governed under a constitution adopted in 1897. Either the state legislature or a constitutional convention may propose an “amendment” (change) to the Constitution. Legislative amendments need the approval of two-thirds of the members of both legislature houses. Delaware is the only state in which such amendments do not need the voters’ approval. A constitutional convention needs to be approved by two-thirds of both houses of two successive legislatures. Then it must attain the approval of a majority of the people who vote on it.
The General Assembly (legislature), which meets annually, has a Senate of 21 members elected for four years and a House of Representatives of 41 members elected for two years. The legislative sessions begin regularly on the second Tuesday in January each year and may not extend beyond June 30. Special sessions may be called for by the governor or the presiding officers of both houses. These have no time limit. In 1897 the state was moving toward an industrial economy. Under the Constitution, there was an attempt to protect farmers by giving them greater representation than city areas in the legislature. In 1964, the legislative districts of Delaware were changed to give better representation to the state's city areas. Nevertheless, in 1967 a federal court ruled that the change did not give enough representation to city areas. The legislative districts were redrawn in 1968. Federal censuses led to further changes in the districts by the state in later years.
Elected officials in the executive branch include the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, insurance commissioner, and auditor. All serve four-year terms. The governor may be reelected only once in succession. The governor appoints many leading state officials, including the secretary of state, members of an executive department cabinet, judges, members of the State Board of Education, and the secretary of education.
The Supreme Court, which is the highest court, has a chief justice and four justices, appointed by the governor for 12 years. The state's court of general jurisdiction is the Superior Court and it meets in all three counties of the state. The state's corporation laws have been developed primarily by the contribution of Delaware's Court of Chancery. Other courts in the state are family courts and common pleas courts in each county and justice-of-the-peace courts. Justices of the peace serve term of four years and may be reappointed to six-year terms. The state has three counties— Kent, New Castle, and Sussex. New Castle is governed by a council of 13 members which is headed by an elected president. There is also an elected county executive. In Sussex County, there is a five-member council with one councilman serving as president. Kent County is governed by an elected levy court (county commission), which has 7 members. All members of the county governing bodies serve terms of four years. Other county officials who are elected in Delaware include a comptroller, sheriff, and recorder of deeds. In no other state are counties divided in to ‘hundreds’ but in Delaware. A hundred does not have its own government, but it serves ass a basis for property and zoning location. There is a state law that permits Delaware municipalities of 1,000 or more people to have home rule (self-government) to the extent that they are permitted to amend their own charters. Most cities and towns in Delaware have either a mayor-council or a council-manager form of government. Delaware sends two senators and one representative to the United States Congress.
Around half of Delaware’s general revenue is provided by taxation and most of the remainder comes from the federal government. Main sources of revenue produced within the state include a personal income tax, fees for corporation licenses, abandoned property, lottery games, and taxes on business income. There is no general sales tax in Delaware.
The state's governorship during most of the early and mid 20th century was held by the Republicans. Both, the Republican and Democratic parties, have played an important role in presidential elections. Republican and Democratic presidential candidates have won Delaware's electoral votes approximately the same number of times since 1852.