Claim: Tidewater region is in two southern states.

Virginia -LRB- -LSB- vɚˈdʒɪnjə -RSB- , -LSB- vɚˈdʒɪni.ə -RSB- , officially the Commonwealth of Virginia -RRB- is a state located on the Atlantic Coast of the United States . The state is part of both the Southern United States , as well as the Mid-Atlantic . Virginia is nicknamed the `` Old Dominion '' due to its status as the first colonial possession established in mainland British America , and `` Mother of Presidents '' because eight U.S. presidents were born there , more than any other state . The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay , which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna . The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond ; Virginia Beach is the most populous city , and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision . The Commonwealth 's estimated population is over 8.3 million .   The area 's history begins with several indigenous groups , including the Powhatan . In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony . Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony 's early politics and plantation economy . Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War , during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia 's northwestern counties seceded to form the state of West Virginia . Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction , both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia .   The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World . The state government was ranked most effective by the Pew Center on the States in both 2005 and 2008 . It is unique in how it treats cities and counties equally , manages local roads , and prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms . Virginia 's economy has many sectors : agriculture in the Shenandoah Valley ; federal agencies in Northern Virginia , including the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency -LRB- CIA -RRB- ; and military facilities in Hampton Roads , the site of the region 's main seaport . Virginia 's economy changed from primarily agricultural to industrial during the 1960s and 1970s , and in 2002 computer chips became the state 's leading export by monetary value .