Facts of Delaware

Interesting Facts of Delaware

State	Delaware
State Capital	Dover
Largest City	Wilmington
Coordinates	39°N 75.5°W
Nickname(s)	The First State, The Small Wonder, Blue Hen State, The Diamond State
Postal Abbreviation	DE
Area	1,982 sq. mi (5,130 sq. km)
Highest Point	Ebright Azimuth, 447.85 ft (136.50468 m)
Neighboring States	Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey
Number of Counties	3
Population	967,171 (2,018)
Date of Entering the Union	December 7, 1787
State Anthem	Our Delaware
Governor	John Carney (Democratic Party)
Lieutenant Governor	Bethany Hall-Long (Democratic Party)
U.S. Senators	Tom Carper (Democratic Party), Chris Coons (Democratic Party)
U.S. House Delegation	3 Democrats
GDP (Millions of Dollars)	73,481
Demonym	Delawarean
Time Zones	UTC-05:00 (EST), Summer (DST) UTC-04:00 (EDT)

Where is Delaware?

Delaware (the first state that was admitted to the union) is located in the southern part of the USA (or in the South Atlantic United States). It shares its border with Pennsylvania to the north, Maryland to the west and south, New Jersey to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

What is the Geography of Delaware?

The state is spread across a total area of 1,982 sq. mi (5,130 sq. km). It is the second smallest state in the US (in terms of total area) after Rhode Island. Its length is 100 mi (161 km), and its width is 30 mi (48 km). 

The mean elevation of this state is 60 ft (18 m) above sea level. A mobile home park, located in northern Delaware’s west of Ebright Road, is the highest elevation point in the state at 447.85 ft (136.5 m) above sea level. The shore area meeting the Atlantic Ocean is the lowest elevation point of Delaware at 0 ft (0 m).

Some of the significant mountains in Delaware are Horseshoe Hill, Iron Hill, Chestnut Hill, Drummond Hill, Sandy Bray, Holly Island, Bohemia Manor, Cherry Island and Wilson Hill. The major rivers/creeks in this southern state are Appoquinimink River, Brandywine Creek, Blackbird Creek, Christina River, Choptank River, Broadkill River, Indian River, Hershey Run, Delaware River and Leipsic River.

Water area occupying 21.7% of the total area in Delaware has many significant lakes such as Silver Lake (in Dover, Kent County), Hoopes Reservoir (in Newcastle County), Trap Pond (in Sussex County), Newark Reservoir (in Newark, New Castle County), Bellevue State Park (in Wilmington, New Castle County), Lums Pond (in New Castle County), Millsboro Pond (in Millsboro, Sussex County), Lake Como (in Smyrna, Kent and New Castle counties), Killens Pond (in Felton, Kent County), Lake Gerar Park (in Sussex County), etc.

As Delaware has a small land area, the variation in landforms is limited. The low and flat coastal plain is the dominant landform in the state. The other two major landforms are the Piedmont Plateau and the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and a piedmont plateau occupies most of the northern part of this southern state. As you move southward and eastward, this plateau slopes down to the coastal plain near sea-level.

The Piedmont plateau (characterized by rolling hills) starts in New Jersey and stretches to Alabama in the south. Within this state, this landform is spread around 10 mi (16 km). The highest elevation point of the state is located in this region.

Most of the state is covered by the Atlantic Plain, which is spread across 2,200 mi (3,541 km). It starts from Cape Cod, runs along the eastern seaboard of the US, the Gulf of Mexico, and finally ends in the Mexican border. 

The Atlantic Plain is predominantly flat and is not very high. The highest elevation found in this region is around 80 ft (24 m) above sea level. There are 30,000 acres (47 sq mi or 121 sq km) of Delaware is swampland (located along the southern border).

What is the Climate of Delaware?

The climatic condition remains moderate in this state throughout the year. The average annual temperature revolves within 75.8 °F (24.3 °C) and 32.0 °F (0 °C). During summer, the average temperature revolves within 74.3 °F (23.5 °C). It remains sunny in 57% of the days throughout the year. The annual level of rainfall is around 45 inches (1,143 mm). The average temperature in the coastal belt remains 10 degrees cooler during summer and 10 degrees warmer during winter.

What is the Economy of Delaware?

Delaware has a vibrant economy with its Total Gross Domestic Product at US$73,481.3 million in 2018 (a significant rise from US$56.871.2 million in 2009). While the total personal income in this state was US$ 53,050.8 during Q3 2019, the median income was $33,887. Finance, insurance, and chemical manufacturing (including plastics, industrial chemicals, and pharmaceuticals), food processing industry, automobile, and real estate are the economic drivers of the state.

A pro-business economic model (includes favourable corporation laws as well as low tax incentives) has helped this state in attracting top companies. Millions of visitors throng this second smallest state, thanks to the abundance in heritage and other tourist spots such as Rehoboth Beach and Old Swedes Church.

In 2018, the value of exports and imports were US$4,713,638,776 and US$8,894,133,968 respectively, resulting in a balance of trade of -US$4,180,495,192. The major export items are Pharmaceuticals, Motor Vehicles and Parts, Plastics, Precision Instruments, Industrial Machinery, Oil and Mineral Fuels, etc. The major import items are Oil and Mineral Fuels, Pharmaceuticals, Organic Chemicals, Fruit and Nuts, Plastics, etc.

The rate of unemployment was 3.8% in November 2019 (a rise from 3.2% in July 2019 and a drastic fall from 8.8% in January 2010).

The largest employers in this state are the State of Delaware, E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., MBNA America, General Motors, Perdue, New Castle County, Syngenta, Wilmington Trust Company, First USA, University of Delaware, Mountaire Farms, ING Direct, Dover Air Force Base, etc.

The poverty rate rose from 9.3% in 2000 to 12.5% in 2018.

What is the Transportation System of Delaware?

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) governs and supervises the transportation system in this state. Some of the major roadways in the state are Interstate 95 (I-95), US Route 9 (US 9), US 13, US 40, US 113, US 202, US 301, Delaware Route 1 (DE 1), DE 9, DE 404, Delaware Bicycle Route 1, etc. 

There are around 1,450 bridges across Delaware. Rail and bus services are also available. The three main ferries are Cape 

May-Lewes Ferry, Woodland Ferry, and Forts Ferry Crossing. The main airports in the state are Wilmington Airport (in Wilmington), Summit Airport (in Middletown), Delaware Airpark (in Dover / Cheswold), Delaware Coastal Airport (in Georgetown), Chandelle Estates Airport (in Dover), Chorman Airport (in Farmington), Henderson Aviation Airport (in Felton), Laurel Airport (in Laurel), Smyrna Airport (in Smyrna), and Jenkins Airport (in Wyoming). Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) are located within New Castle County’s 100 mi (160 km) radius.

Why is Delaware called the “The First State”?

Delaware’s official nickname is “The First State”. On May 23, 2002, it became the official state name of Delaware. It was given this name because Delaware was the first state among the original 13 states that ratified the US Constitution (on Dec 7, 1787).

Other nicknames of Delaware are “Small Wonder”, “The Diamond State”, “The Blue Hen State”, “The Peach State”, “The Corporate Capital”, “New Sweden”, “Uncle Sam’s Pocket Handkerchief”, “The Chemical Capital”, and “Home of Tax-Free Shopping”.

What are the Popular Tourist Attractions in Delaware?

Winterthur Museum and Gardens, Rehobeth and Delaware Beaches, Hagley Museum and Library, Nemours Mansion and Gardens, Delaware Art Museum, John Dickinson Plantation, Air Mobility Command Museum, Brandywine Creek State Park, The Nanticoke Indian Museum, Grand Opera House

Facts About Delaware

1. The first planned steam railway system in the US started operating in New Castle in 1831.
2. The US warship named after Delaware was the most powerful battleship in the world of its time. It was put into service in 1910.
3. The legendary reggae singer and songwriter, Bob Marley used to work as a plant worker in Newark.
4. In 1923, the University of Delaware became the first American college to have a study abroad program when it sent students to France.
5. Delaware is home to the first log cabins in America, dating back to the 1600s. The concept was derived from Finnish colonizers who came to Delaware in the 17th century. One such cabin is preserved at the Delaware Agricultural Museum, Dover.
6. The official state bird, Blue Hen chicken, is well known for its combating skills. On certain occasions, Delaware is denoted as the Blue Hen State.
7. The automatic flour-mill technology was first invented by Oliver Evans of Newport in 1785 that modernized the industry.
8. Thomas Garret, the American abolitionist, spent his whole wealth in his fight against slavery. In his entire life, he assisted over 2,000 slaves to escape to free states through network of secret routes.
9. The biggest shoreline resort township of the state is Rehoboth Beach. It was built by Methodists who bought the area for a summer campsite and gathering place.
10. There were 12 observatories built during the Second World War to defend the shoreline communities of the state from Nazi U-Boat strikes.
11. New Sweden, established in 1638, is acknowledged as the oldest long-term settlement in Delaware.
12. Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, houses one of the best naturalistic gardens in the world.
13. Odessa is home to one of the best compilations of late 18th century and early 19th century structural designs in the mid-Atlantic area.
14. Barratt’s Chapel is called the Cradle of Methodism. It was constructed in 1780 and it is the oldest existing cathedral constructed by and for the Methodists in the US.
15. The DuPont Laboratories is the first to manufacture nylon at its Seaford facility. Due to this reason, the town is dubbed as the Nylon Capital of the World.
16. The ear of corn, bundle of wheat, and the ox on the state seal represent the agricultural operations of Delaware.
17. In some parts of Delaware, it’s illegal to serve alcohol in an establishment if there’s dancing going on simultaneously.
18. Abolitionist Thomas Garret is assumed to have inspired the character of a Quaker cultivator in the book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”
19. The Delaware Breakwater at Cape Henlopen State Park was the first structure of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
20. The township of Milton derived its name from John Milton, the renowned English bard.

Related Links:

• Popular Places to Visit in Delaware?

• What is Delaware Known for?
• Delaware Map
• Delaware Zip Code Map