DEDelaware Map

Delaware on the US map

Delaware sits in the Northeast region of the United States — specifically the mid atlantic subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #49 of 50, Delaware is one of the smallest US states by total area. The map above highlights Delaware in gold and color-codes the 49 other states by region.

Whether you're a student studying US geography, a traveler planning a road trip, a teacher building a lesson plan, or simply curious, the goal of this page is to give you a complete picture of where Delaware is and what surrounds it. Click any other state on the map above to navigate to its dedicated page.

Capital and largest city

The capital of Delaware is Dover. The largest city by population, however, is Wilmington — not Dover. This pattern (capital ≠ largest city) holds for about 33 of the 50 US states, including most of the famous mismatches like California (Sacramento, not LA), Florida (Tallahassee, not Miami), and New York (Albany, not NYC).

The historical reason for these mismatches dates to the late 18th and 19th centuries. When state founders chose capitals, they often deliberately picked smaller, more centrally located towns to avoid concentrating political and commercial power in the same place. They worried that a capital in a major port or commercial city would be too vulnerable to mob influence (a real concern at the time) and would skew political decisions toward commercial interests.

Borders and neighbors

Delaware shares land borders with 3 other US states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Each link goes to that state's dedicated page where you can see its own map, history, and facts.

Geographic features at a glance

• Total area rank: #49 of 50
• Population: 1 to 5 million
• Coastline: atlantic
• Mountain ranges: no major mountain ranges
• Time zone: Eastern
• Region: Northeast — mid atlantic subregion

Major highways and transportation

Delaware is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). Major airports serve Wilmington and Dover, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of Delaware to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.

Delaware notable firsts

• First state to ratify the US Constitution (December 7, 1787)
• One of the 13 original colonies

Delaware vs similar states

How does Delaware compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?

State	Capital	Pop	Area rank	Admitted
Delaware	Dover	1 to 5 million	#49	1787
Connecticut	Hartford	1 to 5 million	#48	1788
Maine	Augusta	1 to 5 million	#39	1820
Maryland	Annapolis	5 to 10 million	#42	1788

Bordering states (3)

Delaware shares borders with 3 other US states, listed alphabetically below. Each link goes to the dedicated state page.

Similar states to Delaware

If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share Delaware's region (Northeast) and similar size category:

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