Delaware Fun Facts
Information About Delaware, Delaware Geography, and Delaware Schools

The abbreviation for Delaware is DE. The capital of Delaware is Dover and the largest city is Wilmington. Residents of Delaware are called Delawareans. Delaware is rated the 45th in population and received its statehood December 7,1787.

The name " Delaware" originates from the Delaware River and Bay, named in honor of Sir Thomas West (Lord De La Warr), governor of the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1610.

Delaware is bordered by Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Bodies of water that surround Delaware are the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay.

The unofficial nickname of Delaware is the " First State." Delaware's song is "Our Delaware," and the state bird is the Blue Hen Chicken. The state flower is the Peach Blossom because the orchids in Delaware yield to over 800,000 peach trees. The American Holly is Delaware's state tree.

There were 110,549 K12 students in the Delaware public schools in 1996. Out of those students 8,831 were first grade students. There were also 6,642 K12 public school teachers in the Delaware public schools system. There were a total of 183 Delaware public schools in 1996. (Source: IES National Center for Education Statistics)