#0excludeGlossary
Delaware (/ˈdɛləwɛər/ ⓘ DEL-ə-wair) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey to its northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state's name derives from the adjacent Delaware Bay, which in turn was named after Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and the Colony of Virginia's first colonial-era governor.
Delaware | |
|---|---|
| Nicknames: The First State; The Small Wonder; Blue Hen State; The Diamond State | |
| Motto: | |
| Anthem: "Our Delaware" | |
.svg) Location of Delaware within the United States | |
 Interactive map of Delaware | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Province of Pennsylvania (Lower Counties on the Delaware) |
| Admitted to the Union | December 7, 1787 (1st) |
| Capital | Dover |
| Largest city | Wilmington |
| Largest county or equivalent | New Castle |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Philadelphia |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Matt Meyer (D) |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Kyle Evans Gay (D) |
| Legislature | General Assembly |
| • Upper house | Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives |
| Judiciary | Delaware Supreme Court |
| U.S. senators | Chris Coons (D) Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) |
| U.S. House delegation | Sarah McBride (D) (list) |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,490 sq mi (6,450 km2) |
| • Rank | 49th |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 96 mi (154 km) |
| • Width | 30 mi (48 km) |
| Elevation | 66 ft (20 m) |
| Highest elevation (Near the Ebright Azimuth) | 447.8500 ft (136.50468 m) |
| Lowest elevation (Atlantic Ocean) | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2025) | |
• Total |  1,059,952 |
| • Rank | 45th |
| • Density | 490/sq mi (190/km2) |
| • Rank | 6th |
| • Median household income | $81,400 (2023) |
| • Income rank | 15th |
| Demonym | Delawarean |
| Language | |
| • Official language | None |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | DE |
| ISO 3166 code | US-DE |
| Traditional abbreviation | Del. |
| Latitude | 38° 27′ N to 39° 50′ N |
| Longitude | 75° 3′ W to 75° 47′ W |
| Website | delaware |
| List of state symbols | |
|---|---|
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| Slogan | Endless Discoveries— Formerly: It's Good Being First |
| Living insignia | |
| Bird | Delaware Blue Hen |
| Butterfly | Eastern tiger swallowtail |
| Fish | Weakfish |
| Flower | Peach blossom |
| Insect | 7-spotted ladybug |
| Tree | American holly |
| Wildlife animal | Grey fox |
| Inanimate insignia | |
| Beverage | Milk |
| Color(s) | Colonial blue, buff |
| Food | Strawberry, peach custard pie |
| Fossil | Belemnite |
| Mineral | Sillimanite |
| Soil | Greenwich |
| State route marker | |
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| State quarter | |
 Released in 1999 | |
| Lists of United States state symbols | |
Delaware occupies the northeastern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula, and some islands and territory within the Delaware River. It is the second-smallest and sixth-least populous state, but also the sixth-most densely populated. Delaware's most populous city is Wilmington, and the state's capital is Dover, the second-most populous city in Delaware. The state is divided into three counties, the fewest number of counties of any of the 50 U.S. states; from north to south, the three counties are: New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County. The southern two counties, Kent and Sussex, have historically been predominantly agrarian economies. New Castle is more urbanized and is considered part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Delaware is considered part of the Southern United States by the U.S. Census Bureau, but the state's geography, culture, and history are a hybrid of the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, and Southern regions of the country.
Before the Delaware coastline was explored and developed by Europeans in the 17th century, the state was inhabited by several Native American tribes, including the Lenape in the north and Nanticoke in the south. The state was first colonized by Dutch traders at Zwaanendael, near present-day Lewes, Delaware, in 1631. Delaware was one of the Thirteen Colonies that participated in the American Revolution against Great Britain, which established the United States as an independent nation. On December 7, 1787, Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, earning it the nickname "The First State".
Since the turn of the 20th century, Delaware has become an onshore corporate haven whose corporate laws are deemed appealing to corporations; over half of all New York Stock Exchange-listed corporations and over three-fifths of the Fortune 500 are legally incorporated in Delaware. Over 90% of all U.S. based companies that went public in 2021 incorporated themselves in Delaware.
Finnish
Etymology
From English Delaware.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈdelɑwɑre/, [ˈde̞lɑ̝ˌwɑ̝re̞]
- Rhymes: -ɑre
- Syllabification(key): de‧la‧wa‧re
- Hyphenation(key): de‧la‧wa‧re
Noun
delaware
- Delaware (member of Delaware native American people)
Usage notes
- Sometimes inflected in other cases than nominative singular as if this were a type 5 (risti) noun, particularly in plural (delawarien instead of delawarejen).