what timezone is virginia in?
UTC-5 North American Eastern Time Zone
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 Virginia ( / vərˈdʒɪnjə / vər @-@ JIN @-@ yə , UK / vərˈdʒɪniə / vər @-@ JIN @-@ ee @-@ ə ) , officially the Commonwealth of Virginia , is a state located in the Mid @-@ Atlantic and / or Southern regions of the United States . Virginia is nicknamed the " Old Dominion " due to its status as the first colonial possession established in mainland British America , and " Mother of Presidents " because eight U.S. presidents were born there , more than any other state . The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay , which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna . The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond ; Virginia Beach is the most populous city , and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision . The Commonwealth 's estimated population as of 2014 is over 8 @.@ 3 million . 

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 Additionally , 0 @.@ 5 % of Virginians are American Indian or Alaska Native , and 0 @.@ 1 % are Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander . Virginia has extended state recognition to eight Native American tribes resident in the state , though some lack federal recognition status . Most Native American groups are located in the Tidewater region . 

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 Virginia is an employment @-@ at @-@ will state ; its economy has diverse sources of income , including local and federal government , military , farming and business . Virginia has 4 @.@ 1 million civilian workers , and one @-@ third of the jobs are in the service sector . The unemployment rate in Virginia is among the lowest in the nation , at 4 @.@ 8 % , as of December 2014 . The second fastest job growth town in the nation is Leesburg , as of 2011 . The Gross Domestic Product of Virginia was $ 452 billion in 2013 . According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis , Virginia had the most counties in the top 100 wealthiest in the United States based upon median income in 2007 . Northern Virginia is the highest @-@ income region in Virginia , having six of the twenty highest @-@ income counties in the United States , including the three highest as of 2011 . According to CNN Money Magazine the highest @-@ income town in the nation is Great Falls , as of 2011 . According to a 2013 study by Phoenix Marketing International , Virginia had the seventh @-@ largest number of millionaires per capita in the United States , with a ratio of 6 @.@ 64 % . 

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 The state 's most populous ethnic group , Non @-@ Hispanic White , has declined from 76 % in 1990 to 62 @.@ 7 % in 2015 . In 2011 , non @-@ Hispanic Whites were involved in 50 @.@ 9 % of all the births . People of English heritage settled throughout the Commonwealth during the colonial period , and others of British and Irish heritage have since immigrated . Those who self @-@ identify as having " American ethnicity " are predominantly of English descent , but have ancestry that has been in North America for so long that they choose to identify simply as American . Of the English immigrants to Virginia in the 17th century , 75 % came as indentured servants . The western mountains have many settlements that were founded by Scots @-@ Irish immigrants before the American Revolution . There are also sizable numbers of people of German descent in the northwestern mountains and Shenandoah Valley , and German ancestry was the most popular response on the 2010 American Community Survey , with 11 @.@ 7 % . 2 @.@ 9 % of Virginians also describe themselves as biracial . 

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 Virginia is the most populous U.S. state without a major professional sports league franchise . The reasons for this include the lack of any dominant city or market within the state , the proximity of teams in Washington , D.C. and North Carolina , and a reluctance to publicly finance stadiums . However , in recent years , the city of Virginia Beach has proposed a new arena designed to lure a major league franchise . Norfolk is host to two minor league teams : The AAA Norfolk Tides and the ECHL 's Norfolk Admirals . The San Francisco Giants ' AA team , the Richmond Flying Squirrels , began play at The Diamond in 2010 , replacing the AAA Richmond Braves , who relocated after 2008 . Additionally , the Washington Nationals , Boston Red Sox , Seattle Mariners , Chicago White Sox , and Atlanta Braves also have Single @-@ A and Rookie @-@ level farm teams in Virginia . 
