Pocahontas had a relationship with a Portuguese settlement.
Virginia -LRB- -LSB- vɚˈdʒɪnjə -RSB- , -LSB- vɚˈdʒɪni.ə -RSB- , officially the Commonwealth of Virginia -RRB- is a state located on the Atlantic Coast of the United States .. state. U.S. state. Atlantic Coast of the United States. Atlantic Coast of the United States. Commonwealth. Commonwealth ( U.S. state ). The state is part of both the Southern United States , as well as the Mid-Atlantic .. state. U.S. state. Southern. Southern United States. Mid-Atlantic. Mid-Atlantic 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 .. state. U.S. state. British America. British America. eight U.S. presidents. List of Presidents of the United States by home state#Places of birth. 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 .. Commonwealth. Commonwealth ( U.S. state ). Blue Ridge Mountains. Blue Ridge Mountains. Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Bay. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond ; Virginia Beach is the most populous city , and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision .. Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach, Virginia. Richmond. Richmond, Virginia. Fairfax County. Fairfax County, Virginia. Commonwealth. Commonwealth ( U.S. state ). The Commonwealth 's estimated population is over 8.3 million .. Commonwealth. Commonwealth ( U.S. state ). The area 's history begins with several indigenous groups , including the Powhatan .. several indigenous groups. Native American tribes in Virginia. Powhatan. Powhatan. In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony .. London Company. London Company. Colony of Virginia. Colony of Virginia. New World. New World. English. Kingdom of England. Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony 's early politics and plantation economy .. Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War , during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia 's northwestern counties seceded to form the state of West Virginia .. Richmond. Richmond, Virginia. state. U.S. state. 13 Colonies. Thirteen Colonies. American Revolution. American Revolution. Confederacy. Confederate States of America. American Civil War. American Civil War. seceded. Wheeling Convention. West Virginia. West Virginia. Although the Commonwealth was under one-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction , both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia .. Commonwealth. Commonwealth ( U.S. state ). one-party rule. Solid South. Reconstruction. Reconstruction era of the United States. The Virginia General Assembly is the oldest continuous law-making body in the New World .. General Assembly. Virginia General Assembly. New World. New World. Virginia General Assembly. Virginia General Assembly. The state government was ranked most effective by the Pew Center on the States in both 2005 and 2008 .. state. U.S. state. Pew Center on the States. Pew Research Center. It is unique in how it treats cities and counties equally , manages local roads , and prohibits its governors from serving consecutive terms .. Virginia 's economy has many sectors  : agriculture in the Shenandoah Valley ; federal agencies in Northern Virginia , including the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency -LRB- CIA -RRB- ; and military facilities in Hampton Roads , the site of the region 's main seaport .. Shenandoah Valley. Shenandoah Valley. Northern Virginia. Northern Virginia. U.S. Department of Defense. United States Department of Defense. Hampton Roads. Hampton Roads. Virginia 's economy changed from primarily agricultural to industrial during the 1960s and 1970s , and in 2002 computer chips became the state 's leading export by monetary value .. state. U.S. state. computer chips. integrated circuit