Virginia Information and Facts

Official Website: http://access.wa.gov/

Income

The population of Virginia in 2002 was 7,287,829. Its rank was 12th in the nation. (The District of Columbia is included for ranking purposes.)

Per Capita Personal Income

In 2002 Virginia had a per capita personal income of $32,793. This per capita personal income ranked 13th in the United States and was 106 percent of the national average, $30,906. The 2002 per capita personal income reflected an increase of 1.4 percent from 2001. The 2001-2002 national change was 1.2 percent. In 1992 the per capita personal income of Virginia was $21,811 and ranked 14th in the United States. The 1992-2002 average annual growth rate of per capita personal income was 4.2 percent. The average annual growth rate for the nation was 4.0 percent.

Total Personal Income

In 2002 Virginia had a total personal income of $238,990,859. This total personal income ranked 12th in the United States. In 1992 the total personal income of Virginia was $139,900,595 and ranked 11th in the United States. The 2002 total personal income reflected an increase of 2.8 percent from 2001. The 2001-2002 national change was 2.3 percent. The 1992-2002 average annual growth rate of total personal income was 5.5 percent. The average annual growth rate for the nation was 5.2 percent.

Components of Personal Income

Total personal income includes net earnings by place of residence; dividends, interest, and rent; and total personal current transfer receipts received by the residents of Virginia. In 2002 net earnings accounted for 72.6 percent of total personal income (compared with 71.9 in 1992); dividends, interest, and rent were 16.7 percent (compared with 18.1 in 1992); and personal current transfer receipts were 10.7 percent (compared with 9.9 in 1992). From 2001 to 2002 net earnings increased 2.6 percent; dividends, interest, and rent increased 1.0 percent; and personal current transfer receipts increased 7.3 percent. From 1992 to 2002 net earnings increased on average 5.6 percent each year; dividends, interest, and rent increased on average 4.6 percent; and personal current transfer receipts increased on average 6.3 percent.

Employment Earnings

Earnings of persons employed in Virginia increased from $182,614,738 in 2001 to $186,359,147 in 2002, an increase of 2.1 percent. The 2001-2002 national change was 1.5 percent. The average annual growth rate from the 1992 estimate of $105,619,172 to the 2002 estimate was 5.8 percent. The average annual growth rate for the nation was 5.3 percent.

Area - Virginia is the 35th largest state in the United States, covering 109,624 sq km (42,326 sq mi), including 2590 sq km (1000 sq mi) of inland water and 4475 sq km (1728 sq mi) of coastal waters over which the state has jurisdiction. It is roughly triangular in shape and has a maximum extent from east to west of 755 km (469 mi) and a maximum from north to south of 323 km (201 mi). Virginia is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the north and east by Maryland and the District of Columbia, on the west by West Virginia and Kentucky, and on the south by Tennessee and North Carolina.

Climate - Virginia has hot, mostly humid summers and mild wet winters. Average temperatures in the state generally decrease from southeast to northwest. Two areas are particularly distinct. The climate of the southeastern Coastal Plain, moderated by the Atlantic Ocean, has fewer hot and cold days, less snowfall, and a longer growing season than is typical in the rest of the state. Because of its altitude, the Cumberland Plateau region has fewer hot days, more cold days, and more snowfall than most parts of Virginia. Average January temperatures range from less than freezing in the west along the Kentucky line to more than 6° C (42° F) in southeastern Virginia. Average July temperatures range from more than 26° C (78° F) in the southeast to less than 20° C (68° F) in the western mountains. Extreme daytime temperatures in the upper 30°s C (lower 100°s F) sometimes occur on the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont and are often accompanied by high humidity. Total precipitation ranges from about 900 to 1000 mm (about 35 to 40 in) a year in the northern part of the Ridge and Valley province, the driest part of Virginia, to more than 1300 mm (50 in) in the southeast and in the extreme southwestern parts of the state. Snowfalls are moderate, except in the mountains.

State Flag

State Flower - Dogwood

State Capitol - Richmond
Virginia's present state constitution, the state's sixth, was adopted in 1970 and went into effect in 1971. Previous constitutions were adopted in 1776, 1830, 1851, 1869, and 1902. Proposed amendments to the constitution may be approved initially by a majority of the members of each house of the state legislature at two consecutive regular sessions. To be adopted they must then be approved by a majority of the electorate voting on them in a general election. Amendments may also be drawn up by constitutional conventions, called by a vote of two-thirds of the members of each house.

Famous People

Arthur Ashe tennis player, Richmond
Bill Bojangles Robinson dancer, Richmond
Booker T. Washington educator, Franklin Cty
Cyrus Hall McCormick inventor, Rockbridge Cty
Ella Fitzgerald jazz singer, Newport News
George Bingham painter, Augusta Cty
George C. Scott actor, Wise
George Washington first U.S. president, Westmoreland
Henry Clay statesman, Hanover Cty
James E. West inventor, Prince Edward Cty
James Jeb Stuart Confederate army officer, Patrick Cty
James Madison U.S. president, Port Conway
James Monroe U.S. president, Westmoreland
John Marshall jurist, Germantown
John Payne actor, Roanoke
John Tyler U.S. president, Charles City
Joseph Cotten actor, Petersburg
Meriwether Lewis explorer, Ambemarle Cty
Nat Turner leader of slave uprising, Southhampton Cty
Opechancanough Powhatan leader
Patrick Henry statesman, Hanover Cty
Pearl Bailey singer, Newport News
Richard Arlen actor, Charlottesville
Richard E. Byrd polar explorer, Winchester
Robert E. Lee Confederate general, Stratford
Roy Clark country music artist, Meaherrin
Russell Baker columnist, Loudoun Cty
Sam Houston political leader, Rockbridge Cty
Sam Snead golfer, Hot Springs
Shirley MacLaine actress, Richmond
Thomas Jefferson U.S. president, Shadwell
Thomas Sumter General, Hanover Cty
Tom Wolfe journalist, Richmond
Warren Beatty actor, Richmond
Willa Cather author, Winchester
William Clark explorer, Caroline Cty
William H. Harrison U.S. president, Charles City County
Woodrow Wilson U.S. president, Staunton
Zachary Taylor U.S. president, Orange Cty