Information about the State of Delaware

The first inhabitants of Delaware were the Lenni Lenape Indian people. They were joined in the early 1600s by Dutch and Swedish settlers and named the area for Lord de la Warr, the Governor of Virginia. Delaware, often called the "First State," became a state in 1776 and became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution in 1787.

Delaware is the second smallest state in regards to land mass and is the sixth smallest in the United States in population with about 860,000 people. It is centrally located near several other major cities, including Philadelphia and New York City to the north, and Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C., to the south. The state of New Jersey is just across the Delaware Bay and easily reached by several bridges. Regular train service is available from Wilmington to many destinations. Philadelphia International Airport is about 30 minutes north of Wilmington.

Delaware is host to a number of Fortune 500 companies, many of whom have their headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. It is also home to a wide variety of cultural and historic attractions and activities throughout the state all year long. Some examples include: Winterthur's collection of early American decorative art, museums of all varieties, scenic and historic train rides, the annual Punkin' Chunkin' festival in the fall, and home games of the minor league baseball team, the Wilmington Blue Rocks.

The weather is generally mild in Delaware, and the four seasons are distinct and pleasant. The average summer temperature is 85° Fahrenheit, and all weather is crisp with the foliage turning beautiful reds and oranges. The average winter temperature is 40° Fahrenheit. There are usually a few snowfalls each winter of several inches.

Delaware offers a wide variety of school choices for pre-school through post-graduate levels. The Christiana Health Care System, including Christiana and Wilmington Hospitals, provides excellent medical care to New Castle County in all specialties and is affiliated with Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

For more information on Delaware attractions, visit the Visit Delaware website.

For information about relocation to Delaware, visit the Delaware Relocation website.