The Random Pick

Virginia: State Flag, Bird and Facts

Virginia's state bird is the northern cardinal, and the American dogwood is its state flower.

Capital
Richmond
Nickname
Old Dominion; Mother of Presidents and the Mother of Statesmen
State bird
Northern cardinal
State flower
American dogwood
State tree
Flowering dogwood
Admitted
June 25, 1788
Population
8,631,393 (2020 census)
Mottos and slogans
Virginia is for lovers; Sic semper tyrannis
Region
South
Area
110,862 km² (42,804 sq mi)
Highest point
Mount Rogers (5,711 ft)

About Virginia

In 1607 the London Company set up the Colony of Virginia, the earliest English colony in the New World to last, which led to the nickname Old Dominion. Richmond is the capital, but Virginia Beach has the most people, and over a third of residents live in Northern Virginia. The land climbs from the Atlantic Plain through the Piedmont to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west.

The Shenandoah Valley holds the most productive farm counties, while tech firms and federal agencies drive Northern Virginia. Naval Station Norfolk, in Hampton Roads, is the largest naval base in the world. The flag shows the state seal on blue: a standing figure of Virtue who has defeated a fallen king, the symbol of tyranny. The Latin motto below means Thus always to tyrants.

Did you know?

  • Mount Rogers is the highest point in Virginia, at 5,711 feet.
  • Virginia is for lovers is listed as one of Virginia's mottoes.
  • Virginia has long been called the Mother of Presidents.

Questions about Virginia

What does the Virginia flag say?

It reads Sic semper tyrannis, Latin for Thus always to tyrants, below the state seal on a blue field.

When did Virginia become a state?

Virginia ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788.

Other South states

Sources

Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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