Delaware sits on the eastern edge of the United States between the large cities of the Northeast and the farms, wetlands, bays, and beaches of the Delmarva Peninsula. It is the second-smallest U.S. state by area, yet it has played an unusually large role in American history, corporate law, banking, and finance.
Dover is Delaware’s capital, while Wilmington is its largest city and main financial center. Most of the state is low and flat, with the Atlantic Coastal Plain covering central and southern Delaware and a small stretch of hillier Piedmont terrain in the north.
Delaware is best known as “The First State” because it became the first of the original 13 states to ratify the U.S. Constitution, doing so on December 7, 1787. Today, the state is also known for its business-law system, banking and financial services, poultry farming, Atlantic beaches, and steadily growing population.
Quick Facts About Delaware
| Fact | Delaware |
| Official name | State of Delaware |
| Postal abbreviation | DE |
| Capital | Dover |
| Largest city | Wilmington |
| Region | Mid-Atlantic |
| Nickname | The First State |
| Motto | Liberty and Independence |
| U.S. Constitution ratified | December 7, 1787 |
| Statehood order | 1st |
| Land area | About 1,949 square miles |
| Population | 1,059,952 — July 1, 2025 estimate |
| Counties | 3 |
| Counties by name | New Castle, Kent, and Sussex |
| Highest point | Ebright Azimuth |
| Highest elevation | About 448 feet above sea level |
| Lowest elevation | Sea level |
| State bird | Blue Hen chicken |
| State flower | Peach blossom |
| State tree | American holly |
| State colors | Colonial blue and buff |
| State song | “Our Delaware” |
| Time zone | Eastern Time |
| Major bodies of water | Delaware River, Delaware Bay, Atlantic Ocean |
The U.S. Census Bureau lists Delaware’s 2020 land area at 1,948.55 square miles. The state is about 96 miles from north to south and ranges from roughly 9 to 35 miles wide.
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