Middle Atlantic

Mid-Atlantic Region

Composition	Delaware Washington, D.C. Maryland New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia West Virginia
Metropolitan areas	Baltimore–Washington Buffalo-Niagara Falls Albany-Schenectady-Troy Philadelphia–Wilmington Norfolk–Virginia Beach New York–Newark Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton Pittsburgh Richmond-Petersburg Rochester Syracuse Scranton–Wilkes-Barre Charleston Harrisburg-York-Lebanon
Largest city	New York City
Area
• Total	191,308.5 sq mi (495,487 km²)
Population (2008 est.)
• Total	57,303,316
• Density	300/sq mi (120/km²)
GDP
• Total	$2.962 trillion (2007)

The Mid-Atlantic, also called Middle Atlantic states or the Mid-Atlantic states, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South Atlantic States. Its exact definition differs upon source, but the region often includes New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia. When discussing climate, Connecticut (especially southern Connecticut) is often included with the Mid-Atlantic region. The Mid-Atlantic has played an important role in the development of American culture, commerce, trade, and industry.

It has been called "the typically American" region by Frederick Jackson Turner. Religious pluralism and ethnic diversity have been important elements of Mid-Atlantic society from its settlement by Dutch, Swedes, English Catholics, and Quakers through to the period of English rule, and beyond to the current day. After the American Revolution, the Mid-Atlantic region hosted each of the historic capitals of the United States, including the current federal capital, Washington, D.C.

In the early part of the 19th century, New York and Pennsylvania overtook Virginia as the most populous states and the New England states as the country's most important trading and industrial centers. Large numbers of German, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Polish, and other immigrants transformed the region, especially coastal cities such as New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., but also interior cities such as Pittsburgh, Albany, and Buffalo.