Map of Delaware and Flag | Outline, Counties, Cities and Road Map
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Occupying the northeastern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula in the eastern United States, with the Atlantic to its east and Maryland to its west, is the small state of Delaware.
The state of Delaware, which takes its name after the Delaware river, is the second smallest state in the United States with only three counties and a total area of just over nineteen hundred square miles.
What is Delaware known for?
Delaware is famous for two things: clean beaches and low taxes. The Delaware coastline measures just about 30 miles, but inlets and bays provide another 350 miles of shoreline.
All of Delaware’s counties have beaches that attract tourists, with summers being especially busy. The most famous of these beaches, Rehoboth Beach, is located in Sussex County. It is known to be the cleanest beach in all of Delaware.
As for taxes, Delaware certainly lives up to its motto of, “Liberty and Independence.” Delaware is one of only five states in the U.S. to have a zero percent sales tax. Delaware’s property taxes are also some of the lowest in the nation.
What is Delaware’s state food?
On July 30, 2009, “peach pie” was declared to be Delaware’s state food as a tribute to the state’s peach farming industry and agricultural heritage. Introduced in colonial times, peach farming grew rapidly in the nineteenth century, reaching its peak in 1875.
The story of how peach pie in particular ascended to the rank of state food is also an interesting one with the idea originally coming from school kids in Dover.
Why is Delaware called the Diamond State?
This name comes from none other than Thomas Jefferson, as in The Thomas Jefferson! Legend has it that this name came about because Jefferson described Delaware as a “jewel” among states due to its strategic location on the Eastern Seaboard.
Apart from the well-known title of ” the Diamond state,” Delaware is also known as “the Blue Hen State”, “Small Wonder”, and ” the First state.”
The Delaware state flag
The Delaware flag is light blue, with a brown diamond shape in the middle and the date 7, 1787 inscribed in white at the bottom.
Inside the diamond is Delaware’s coat of arms, a golden shield with green, white, and blue stripes supported by a farmer to the left and a soldier to the right.
Below the shield is the state motto “Liberty and Independence,” and above the shield a sailing ship.
The shield also features a sheaf of wheat and an ear of corn at the top, and an ox in the center. This flag was adopted more than a hundred years ago.
Meaning of the flag
The colors of the flag reflect the colors of the uniform of General George Washington. The sheaf of wheat symbolizes the agricultural vitality of the state, the corn symbolizes the agricultural basis of the state’s economy, and the ox represents the importance of animal husbandry to the state’s economy.
The ship is a tribute to the state’s coastal commerce and ship building industry. The blue stripe in the shield represents the Delaware river. The farmer and the soldier represent the importance of farmers in maintaining the state and the importance of soldiers in maintaining American liberty respectively.
Population of Delaware
Though Delaware is the sixth least populous state, it is also the sixth most densely populated. The most populated cities are the city of Wilmington and the capital city of Dover.
It is estimated that the population of Delaware is around 973,764 with whites making up 68.9 percent of the population followed by Blacks at 21.4 percent and Asian-Americans at 3.2 percent. Most of the population identifies as Christian.
Languages spoken in Delaware
More than ninety one percent of Delaware residents speak English as their primary language, however, Spanish, French, German, and Chinese are also prevalent to a noteworthy degree.
Interesting facts about Delaware
- Delaware is the second smallest state, with a land area of 1,948 sq. miles. (Rhode Island is the smallest.)
- Delaware has the fewest counties of any state.
- Delaware was the first of the thirteen original colonies to ratify the Constitution in 1787.
- Delaware is home to Dover International Speedway, also known as the “Monster Mile,” which hosts two NASCAR races each year.
- Delaware’s state bird is the Blue Hen.
- The State Tree is the American Holly.
- The Lady Bug is Delaware’s official state bug.
- “Our Delaware” is the official state song.
- The frying pan built in 1950 for use at the Delmarva Chicken Festival is 10 feet in diameter and holds 180 gallons of oil and 800 chicken quarters.
- Tradition holds the first time Betsy Ross’s famous flag was flown was at the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge.
- Thomas Garret, a Delaware resident, lost his entire fortune in his battle against slavery. He was sued by a Maryland slave owner and fined for aiding a black family in flight. Over his lifetime, Garrett reportedly helped more than 2,000 fugitive slaves move through Delaware, an important stop on the Underground Railroad.
Best Places to visit in Delaware
Rehoboth Beach- Rehoboth Beach is a beach town famous for being the cleanest beach in all of Delaware. Famous sites include: Funland, Jungle Jim’s, North Boardwalk, Rehoboth Beach Historical Society, Rehoboth Art League, and Cape Henlopen State Park.
Wilmington – Wilmington is the most populated city in Delaware with a rich culture and iconic landmarks. Famous sites include: Delaware Art Museum, famous for its collection of more than 12,000 objects; Rockford Park, a historic, dog-friendly, public park for a relaxing evening; The Hagley Museum and Library, a nonprofit educational institution; Nemours Estate, a 300-acre country estate with jardin à la française formal gardens and a French neoclassical mansion; and Brandywine Creek, a tributary of the Christina River.
Dover – Dover is the capital city of Delaware. It is known throughout the U.S. for the Dover International speedway, a venue for NASCAR racing. Important places to visit include: the aforementioned Dover International Speedway, the Air Mobility Command Museum, the First State Heritage Park, and the Delaware Agricultural Museum.
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