Hampton Roads Also known as Tidewater, Virginia |
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Hampton Roads | |
Coordinates: 36°58′00″N 76°22′00″W / 36.966666666667°N 76.366666666667°W | |
Country | United States |
State(s) | - Virginia - North Carolina |
Largest city | Virginia Beach |
Other cities | - Norfolk - Chesapeake - Newport News - Hampton - Portsmouth - Suffolk - Poquoson - Williamsburg |
Area | |
• Total | 526.8 sq mi (1,364 km2) |
Highest elevation | 144 ft (34 m) |
Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 1,724,876 |
• Rank | 37th in the U.S. |
• Density | 3,264/sq mi (1,260/km2) |
Coordinates: 36°58′N 76°22′W / 36.967°N 76.367°W
Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in Virginia and the surrounding metropolitan region in Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, United States. Comprising the Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC metropolitan area and an extended Combined Statistical Area that includes the Elizabeth City, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area and Kill Devil Hills, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, Hampton Roads is known for its large military presence, ice-free harbor, shipyards, coal piers, and miles of waterfront property and beaches, all of which contribute to the diversity and stability of the region's economy.
The body of water known as Hampton Roads is one of the world's largest natural harbors (more accurately a roadstead or "roads"). It incorporates the mouths of the Elizabeth River, Nansemond River, and James River with several smaller rivers and empties into the Chesapeake Bay near its mouth leading to the Atlantic Ocean.
The land area (also known as "Tidewater") includes a collection of cities, counties and towns on the Virginia Peninsula and in South Hampton Roads. Some of the outlying areas further from the harbor may or may not be included as part of "Hampton Roads", depending upon the organization or usage. For example, as defined for federal economic purposes, the Hampton Roads metropolitan statistical area (MSA) includes two counties in northeastern North Carolina and two counties in Virginia's Middle Peninsula. The Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC MSA has a population of over 1.7 million, making it the 37th-largest metropolitan area in the United States and the largest on the Eastern Seaboard between New York and Miami. The Combined Statistical Area includes four additional counties in North Carolina, pushing the regional population to over 1.8 million residents, the 32nd largest CSA in the country.