About Delaware
Delaware is the second smallest state in the country, but few states have had an outsized influence on American history, law, and commerce. It was the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787, unanimously, in just five days, setting the new nation in motion and earning a nickname it carries to this day.
Despite its size, Delaware is home to more than 1.9 million registered businesses, including the majority of Fortune 500 companies and most of the major U.S. banks. These businesses exist in Delaware on paper, drawn by a legal system and court of chancery that is the gold standard for corporate governance, even if their actual operations are thousands of miles away. Franchise fees from these incorporations fund a significant share of the state's budget.
On the ground, Delaware is a study in contrasts: the dense, corporate corridors of Wilmington in the north; the agricultural quiet of Dover and central Kent County; and the sunny resort beaches of Sussex County's "Slower Lower" south. Each region has its own economy, culture, and identity, remarkably distinct for a state you can cross in under two hours.
Geography, Three Counties, Four Faces
Delaware has just three counties, the fewest of any state , yet each feels like a different world.
Economy
Delaware's economy is built on legal and financial infrastructure rather than natural resources, making it one of the most unusual and resilient state economies in the nation.
