Delaware is a small state of the United States that located in the Mid-Atlantic region. Delaware borders Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east and Maryland to its south and west. Do you want to know more about Delaware interesting facts? This article will tell you 10 interesting facts about Delaware.
1. Delaware is the Second Smallest State of the United States
With an area of only 1,982 sq mi (5,130 km2), Delaware is the smallest state after Rhode Island. It’s the sixth smallest in total population and sixth most densely populated state in the United States. If we look at the density of Delaware, we can find that the northern part of Delaware (particularly Wilmington) is significantly denser than the southern part.
2. Delaware is the State with the Lowest Number of Counties
With only three counties, Delaware is the state with the least counties in the United States. The three counties of Delaware are: New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County. Kent County, and Sussex County are the southern counties that are predominantly agricultural while New Castle County is more urbanized. New Castle County also has a larger population than the total population of Kent County, and Sussex County.
3. Delaware Became the First State to Ratify the Constitution of the United States
Delaware has been known as The First State. The reason behind that name is that Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States on December 7, 1787. Delaware was one of the 13 colonies participating in the American Revolution. It was initially colonized by Dutch traders at Zwaanendael, near the present town of Lewes in 1631.
4. Delaware is a De Facto Onshore Corporate Haven
With its Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware is a de facto onshore corporate haven. The Delaware General Corporation Law (Title 8, Chapter 1 of the Delaware Code) is the statute governing corporate law in the U.S. state of Delaware adopted in 1899. By virtue of its corporate laws, the state is the domicile of over 50% of all NYSE-listed business and 60% of the Fortune 500.
5. Peach blossom is the State Flower of Delaware
Since 1995, Peach blossom has been the state flower of Delaware. The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree that grows up to 7 m (23 ft) tall and wide. But they are usually 3–4 m (10–13 ft) tall and wide when pruned properly. The flowers are pink with 2.5–3 cm diameter and five petals. They are produced before the leaves in early spring.
6. American Holly is the State Tree of Delaware
The state tree of Delaware is American holly (Ilex opaca) that was adopted on May 1, 1939. American holly is one of the most important forest trees of Delaware. It’s a species of holly native to the eastern and south-central United States. American holly can grow up to 30 m (98 ft) tall while it’s 10–20 m (33–66 ft) tall in average.
7. Strawberry is the State Fruit of Delaware
The state fruit of Delaware is Strawberry. It was designated on May 13, 2010. Strawberry was adopted as the state fruit of Delaware because it’s an important product of Delaware’s agricultural industry. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a hybrid species of genus Fragaria that is widely known worldwide for their fruit. It was initially grown in Brittany, France, during the late 18th century.
8. Horseshoe Crab is the State Marine Animal of Delaware
The state marine animal of Delaware is the Horseshoe crab. Delaware Bay is the home of the large Horseshoe crab population. Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) is a compound that can be extracted from the blood cells of Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus). LAL is widely used to detect bacterial poisons and quantification of bacterial endotoxins.
9. Dover is among the Capital City with the Lowest Population
Dover is the capital city of Delaware. It’s among the capital city with the lowest population in the United States. Dover is also one of the oldest capital cities as it has been the capital city of Delaware since 1777 (when the capital was moved from New Castle to Dover). Dover is currently the second most populous city in Delaware after Wilmington.
10. Milk is the State Beverage of Delaware
The state beverage of Delaware is milk. Milk was designated as the state beverage on June 3, 1983. Milk is indeed the most popular state beverage with 22 states making milk their state beverage. Milk is indeed an important agricultural product of Delaware. We can also find broilers, soybeans and corn as the other chief agricultural products of Delaware.
We have talked about 10 interesting Delaware facts. There are a number of other facts that we haven’t talked about in this article for sure. If you know more facts about Delaware, it’s a good idea to share with us here.