Delaware

**Delaware** () is a state in the United States. It is sometimes called the _First State_ because it was the first colony to accept the new constitution in 1787. Its capital is Dover and its biggest city is Wilmington. It is the 2nd smallest state in the United States. Delaware is divided into three counties.

The Dutch first settled Delaware. The Swedish then took over in the mid-1600s.

## Geography

Delaware is  long and ranges from  to  across, totaling , making it the 2nd-smallest state in the United States after Rhode Island. Delaware is bounded to the north by Pennsylvania; to the east by the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean; and to the west and south by Maryland.

### Topography

Delaware is on a flat plain, with the lowest mean elevation of any state in the nation. Its highest elevation, located at Ebright Azimuth, near Concord High School, is less than  above sea level.

### Environment

The transitional climate of Delaware supports a wide variety of vegetation. In the northern third of the state are found Northeastern coastal forests and mixed Oak forests typical of the northeastern United States. In the southern two-thirds of the state are found Middle Atlantic coastal forests. Trap Pond State Park, along with areas in other parts of Sussex County, for example, support the northernmost stands of bald cypress trees in North America.

### Environmental management

Delaware provides government subsidy support for the clean-up of property "lightly contaminated" by hazardous waste. The money for this cleanup comes from a tax on wholesale petroleum sales.

## Sister cities and states

Delaware's sister state in Japan is Miyagi Prefecture.

## Related pages

- Colleges and universities in Delaware
- List of counties in Delaware
- List of numbered routes in Delaware
- List of rivers of Delaware

## Infobox (u.s. state)

- **name**: Delaware
- **image flag**: Flag of Delaware.svg
- **flag link**: Flag of Delaware
- **image seal**: Seal of Delaware.svg
- **image map**: Delaware in United States (zoom).svg
- **motto**: Liberty and Independence
- **population demonym**: Delawarean
- **officiallang**: Template:Official languages of U.S. states and territories, None
- **nickname**: The First State; The Small Wonder; Blue Hen State; The Diamond State
- **former**: Delaware Colony, New Netherland, New Sweden
- **seat**: Dover, Delaware, Dover
- **largestcity**: Wilmington, Delaware, Wilmington
- **largestmetro**: Delaware Valley
- **legislature**: Delaware General Assembly, General Assembly
- **upperhouse**: Delaware Senate, Senate
- **lowerhouse**: Delaware House of Representatives, House of Representatives
- **judiciary**: Delaware Supreme Court
- **senators**: Chris Coons (D)
Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)
- **representative**: Sarah McBride (D)
- **postal code**: DE
- **tradabbreviation**: Del.
- **area rank**: 49th
- **area total sq mi**: 2489
- **area water percent**: 21.7
- **population rank**: 45th
- **population as of**: July 1, 2021
- **2010pop**: 1,003,384
- **2010density**: 190
- **2010densityus**: 491
- **medianhouseholdincome**: $
- **incomerank**: List of U.S. states and territories by income#States and territories ranked by median household income, 16th
- **admittanceorder**: 1st
- **admittancedate**: December 7, 1787
- **timezone1**: Eastern Time Zone, EST
- **utc offset1**: −05:00
- **timezone1 dst**: Eastern Daylight Time, EDT
- **utc offset1 dst**: −04:00
- **longitude**: 75° 3′ W to 75° 47′ W
- **latitude**: 38° 27′ N to 39° 50′ N
- **width km**: 48
- **width mi**: 30
- **length km**: 154
- **length mi**: 96
- **elevation max point**: Near theEbright Azimuth
- **elevation max m**: 136.50468
- **elevation max ft**: 447.85
- **elevation m**: 20
- **elevation ft**: 60
- **elevation min point**: Atlantic Ocean
- **elevation min m**: 0
- **elevation min ft**: 0
- **iso code**: US-DE
- **website**: https://delaware.gov


## Infobox (u.s. state symbols)

- **flag**: Flag of Delaware.svg
- **seal**: Seal of Delaware.svg
- **name**: Delaware
- **bird**: Delaware Blue Hen
- **butterfly**: Eastern tiger swallowtail
- **fish**: Weakfish
- **flower**: Peach, Peach blossom
- **insect**: Coccinella septempunctata, 7-spotted ladybug
- **tree**: American holly
- **wildlife animal**: Grey fox
- **beverage**: Milk
- **colors**: Flag of Delaware, Colonial blue, buff
- **food**: Strawberry, Custard pie, peach custard pie
- **fossil**: Belemnite
- **mineral**: Sillimanite
- **slogan**: _Endless Discoveries_—Formerly: _It's Good Being First_
- **counties**: 3
- **anthem**: Our Delaware
- **soil**: Greenwich (soil), Greenwich
- **route marker**: Elongated circle 1.svg
- **quarter**: 1999 DE Proof.png
- **quarterreleasedate**: 1999