Delaware Summary

The nation’s second-smallest state—only Rhode Island is smaller—Delaware is one of the most densely populated states, even though about half the state is farmland. It has benefited from its waterways, ports, and proximity to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC. Delaware’s corporate tax and incorporation laws, less stringent than in other states, have induced many companies to locate their headquarters here. Northern Delaware has also become an important center for finance, insurance, and real estate. Delaware shares the Delmarva Peninsula, between Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay, with eastern Maryland and Virginia.To the north is Pennsylvania, and to the northeast, across Delaware Bay and the Delaware River, is New Jersey.

The state is divided into two sections by the east-west Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.The small northern section is a somewhat hilly, industrialized, and heavily populated region dominated by the Wilmington metropolitan area. Most of Delaware lies south of the canal. This is the more rural and agricultural coastal plain, with many beach-oriented resorts; the capital city, Dover, is here as well. Most of this area is less than 60 feet above sea level, making Delaware the lowest state. One of the original 13 states, Delaware is named for Virginia’s first colonial governor, Sir Thomas West, Lord De La Warr. Lenni-Lenape Native Americans occupied the land when English navigator, Henry Hudson, sailing for the Dutch East India Company, discovered Delaware Bay in 1609. Sweden established the first permanent European settlement in 1638, at the site of today’s Wilmington.The region came under English rule after several wars in the 1600s between the Dutch, Swedes, and British. After the Revolutionary War, Delaware was the first state to ratify the US Constitution, earning it “The First State” nickname.