Delaware, “The First State,” is a place full of history. Located between Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, Delaware is tiny in size and population but large on natural beauty, geographical convenience to major cities in the BosWash corridor, and has plenty to offer its residents and visitors alike.
As does every state, Delaware offers the state-trivia buff many fun “info nuggets.” So, let’s look at five interesting facts about Delaware.
1: Delaware’s Twelve-Mile Circle is the Only True-Arc-Shaped Geo-Political Boundary in the Country
Have you ever looked on a map and noticed something interesting about Delaware’s northern border? It forms part of a circle. In fact, the border – known as “Twelve-Mile Circle” – forms part of the only true-arc geo-political boundary in the nation. Twelve-Mile Circle also is part of the Mason-Dixon line. If you follow the arc and make it a complete circle, the center of the circle would be the cupola of New Castle’s courthouse in 1750.
2: Delaware’s Population is Less Than 1 Million
Believe it or not, a state which sits amid some of the largest cities in the entire country has less than a million people! For many, this fact is a wonderful thing, because Delaware provides a quiet, small, quaint place to live within only a couple hours of cities like Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Baltimore.
Delaware is estimated to have had a little more than 870,000 residents in 2008. This figure represents an increase since 2000, when the Census counted 783,000 residents. In 1990, Delaware’s population stood at 666,000.
3: Delaware Has Just Three Counties
While some states boasts dozens of counties, Delaware has just three counties: New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties.
In fact, Delaware holds the record for the state with the fewest counties in the entire nation. New Castle is the northernmost county, home to cities like Wilmington and Newark. Kent County is in the center of Delaware and is where you will find Dover. At the southern end of the state is Sussex County, with Georgetown its county seat.
By the way, New Castle is the state’s largest county by population, with more than 500,000 residents; Interstate-95 runs through New Castle, and Wilmington is the largest city in the state as measured by population.
4: Delaware Has No Sales Tax
While residents and those living nearby Delaware know, some outside of the region may not: Delaware has no sales tax! Many people living outside Delaware will make the trek into Delaware to shop in the state because of the lack of a sales tax.
It is great to go to a sales counter and know exactly what you will be paying (because virtually everything winds up being priced as marked). While a few-cents’ savings on the dollar may not seem like much, when you make large purchases, having no sales tax saves a bundle and makes an hour-long drive from Baltimore or Philadelphia well worth the effort.
5: There Are Two Primary Climates in Delaware
For being such a small state geographically, it may surprise you to learn that Delaware actually straddles two climate regions: humid sub-tropical and continental.
The southern regions, primarily Kent and Sussex counties, sit on the Delmarva Peninsula. The Delmarva Peninsula juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and forms virtually all of Delaware as well as the eastern portions of Maryland and Virginia. The Delmarva Peninsula is known for its hot and humid summers and milder winters. The area around New Castle County also experiences hot and humid summers but tends to have colder, snowier winters. The New Castle County area also boasts plants that are more similar to those found in the Northeastern U.S. as well as a shorter growing season than in Kent and Sussex Counties.
Resources:
Personal and first-hand experience
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&_name=&_state=04000US10&_county=&_cityTown=&_zip=&_sse=on&_lang=en&pctxt;=fph
http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/the-twelve-mile-circle/
