Capital: Dover
Population: 783,600
Governor: Ruth Ann Minner (D, to January 2009)
Entered the Union: December 7, 1787
as the 1st state
Motto: Liberty and Independence
Nicknames: The Diamond State, the First state
Flower: Peach Blossom
Bird: Blue Hen Chicken
Song: "Our Delaware"
Sports Teams: none
(sport listing policy)
Origin of Name: From the Delaware River and Bay, which were named for Sir Thomas West, Lord De La Warr
Major Industries: Chemical Manufacturing, Fruits and Vegetables, Food Canning
Historical Sites: Holy Trinity Church, the oldest Protestant church in the U.S. still in use, in Wilmington
Points of Interest: The Delaware Museum of Natural History; New Castle, an almost unchanged 18th-century city center; the Delaware Seashore
Bordering States: Delaware borders Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Source: State of Delaware
Population, 2006 estimate: 853,476
Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006: 8.9%
Population, 2000: 783,600
Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2005: 6.6%
Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2005: 23.2%
Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2005: 13.3%
Female persons, percent, 2005: 51.2%
White persons, percent, 2005 (a): 74.9%
Black persons, percent, 2005 (a): 20.7%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2005 (a): 0.4%
Asian persons, percent, 2005 (a): 2.7%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2005 (a): 0.1%
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2005: 1.4%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2005 (b): 6.0%
White persons not Hispanic, percent, 2005: 69.6%
Living in same house in 1995 and 2000, pct 5 yrs old & over: 56.0%
Foreign born persons, percent, 2000: 5.7%
Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000: 9.5%
High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000: 82.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000: 25.0%
Persons with a disability, age 5+, 2000: 131,794
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000: 24.0
Housing units, 2005: 374,872
Homeownership rate, 2000: 72.3%
Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2000: 18.7%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000: $130,400
Households, 2000: 298,736
Persons per household, 2000: 2.54
Median household income, 2004: $49,545
Per capita money income, 1999: $23,305
Persons below poverty, percent, 2004: 9.6%
Source: U.S.Census Bureau
(a) Includes persons reporting only one race.
(b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories.
Total Gross Domestic Product by State: 56,731
Private industries: 52,017
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting: 450
Crop and animal production (Farms): 429
Forestry, fishing, and related activities: 21
Mining: 12
Oil and gas extraction: 3
Mining, except oil and gas: 9
Support activities for mining: NA
Utilities: 982
Construction: 2,241
Manufacturing: 4,371
Durable goods: 1,114
Wood product manufacturing: 20
Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing: 102
Primary metal manufacturing: 46
Fabricated metal product manufacturing: 120
Machinery manufacturing: 44
Computer and electronic product manufacturing: 329
Electrical equipment and appliance manufacturing: 105
Motor vehicle, body, trailer, and parts manufacturing: 91
Other transportation equipment manufacturing: 42
Furniture and related product manufacturing: 90
Miscellaneous manufacturing: 125
Nondurable goods: 3,257
Food product manufacturing: 468
Textile and textile product mills: 63
Apparel manufacturing: 9
Paper manufacturing: 307
Printing and related support activities: 39
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing: 347
Chemical manufacturing: 1,851
Plastics and rubber products manufacturing: 173
Wholesale trade: 1,968
Retail trade: 2,414
Transportation and warehousing, excluding Postal Service: 699
Air transportation: 12
Rail transportation: 90
Water transportation: 3
Truck transportation: 247
Transit and ground passenger transportation: 48
Pipeline transportation: 4
Other transportation and support activities: 177
Warehousing and storage: 117
Information: 1,039
Publishing including software: 150
Motion picture and sound recording industries: 12
Broadcasting and telecommunications: 649
Information and data processing services: 228
Finance and insurance: 18,914
Federal Reserve banks, credit intermediation and related services: 13,921
Securities, commodity contracts, investments: 588
Insurance carriers and related activities: 4,272
Funds, trusts, and other financial vehicles: 134
Real estate and rental and leasing: 6,591
Real estate: 4,463
Rental and leasing services and lessors of intangible assets: 2,128
Professional and technical services: 3,545
Legal services: 812
Computer systems design and related services: 501
Other professional, scientific and technical services: 2,232
Management of companies and enterprises: 2,437
Administrative and waste services: 988
Administrative and support services: 931
Waste management and remediation services: 58
Educational services: 270
Health care and social assistance: 2,918
Ambulatory health care services: 1,342
Hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities: 1,330
Social assistance: 246
Arts, entertainment, and recreation: 355
Performing arts, museums, and related activities: 91
Amusement, gambling, and recreation: 264
Accommodation and food services: 869
Accommodation: 158
Food services and drinking places: 710
Other services, except government: 953
Government: 4,713
Federal civilian: 464
Federal military: 531
State and local: 3,718
Longitude: 75° 2' W to 75° 47' W
Latitude: 38° 27' N to 39° 50' N
Length / Width: Tiny Delaware, the second smallest state, is only 100 miles long and 30 miles wide.
Geographic Center: The geographic center of Delaware is located in Kent County, 11 miles SW of Dover, the state capital.
Borders: Delaware is bordered in the north by Pennsylvania and in the south and west by Maryland. To the northeast of Delaware, across the Delaware River and Delaware Bay lies New Jersey. On the east, Delaware is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.
Total Area: Delaware covers 2,489 square miles. If it weren't for Rhode Island, Delaware would be the smallest of the 50 states.
Land Area: 1,955 square miles of Delaware are land areas.
Water Area: 535 square miles of Delaware are covered by water.
Highest Point: The highest point in Delaware is only 450 feet above sea level; in a mobile home park just west of Ebright Road. Ebright Road is in northern Delaware near the Pennsylvania border.
Lowest Point: The lowest point in Delaware is at the shore where Delaware meets the Atlantic Ocean; sea level.
Mean Elevation: The Mean Elevation of the state of Delaware is 60 feet above sea level.
Major Rivers: Delaware River, Mispillion River, Nanticoke River
Major Lakes: None
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
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