Human Resources
The natural resources of a state assume a comparatively minor role unless there are human resources to develop and to utilize them. The present population of Virginia is approximately 3,900,000 people. This figure represents a gain of approximately 17% in the last decade. Virginia now ranks sixteenth in population among the fifty states of the United States. Of this total population, approximately 40% in 1960 lived in incorporated localities having a population of 25,000 or more, an increase of approximately 4% over 1950; approximately 78% are white and 22% are non-white. Of the non-white population, approximately 21% are Negroes and the remainder consists primarily of Indians, Chinese and Japanese. Most of the survivors of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Indians now live on reservations in King William County and the Chickahominy Indians in New Kent and Charles City Counties. Of the white population in Virginia, only 1.03% is foreign-born.
Density of population refers to the average number of people per square mile in a state. Density is found by dividing the total population of a state by the total land area of the state. The density of population in 1960 was 96. The counties of Fairfax (southwest of, and adjacent to, Arlington County) and of Henrico (adjacent to Richmond) more than doubled their population from 1950 to 1960.
From 1880 to 1930, while the population was increasing rapidly in most states of the United States, it was increasing very slowly in Virginia—only a 5% increase. During this period, there was a large migration from Virginia to other regions of the United States, primarily to seek better employment opportunities. Of this emigration, 65% consisted of non-whites. This emigration practically ceased during the 1930's. During the Great Depression, agricultural workers who had made up the large proportion of the previous emigration realized the futility of migrating to urban areas beyond the state, already overcrowded with unemployed people. Although manufacturing activities in the nation declined during this period, in Virginia such activities increased, causing the number of employees in manufacturing to increase in Virginia. At the same time, governmental activities within Virginia and in areas adjacent to Virginia greatly expanded, thus affording more opportunities for additional employment in Virginia than in many other states of the Union during this time.
In the 1940's Virginia had a percentage rate of population growth of 23.9%, the highest percentage rate since the first census of 1790. This growth was partly a result of a high birth rate, a low death rate and the greatest net immigration of people in Virginia's history since the colonial period. Approximately 216,900 persons became residents of Virginia during this decade. At the same time, there was a high rate of development of employment opportunities in Virginia as manufacturing, mining, tourist trade, wholesale and retail trades and service industries expanded rapidly. The chief factor, however, in the immigration increase was the widespread increase of federal government employment, civilian and military.
The total population of the state increased by 18% during the decade 1950-1960. However, during the same decade, Virginia changed in population rank from the fifteenth place among the forty-eight states to the sixteenth place among the fifty states. The ten most populated cities in Virginia are Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, Portsmouth, Roanoke, Alexandria, Hampton, Lynchburg, Danville and Petersburg. During the past decade, the population of three cities has been materially increased through annexation. In 1952, Hampton, Phoebus and Elizabeth City County consolidated into the first class city of Hampton. In the same year, Warwick County became a city also. In 1955, Norfolk became the largest city in population in the state when it annexed the Tanners Creek Magisterial District of Norfolk County. In 1958, the cities of Warwick and Newport News were officially consolidated into the one large city of Newport News which now ranks third in population.
SUMMARY
Since Virginia borders the Atlantic Ocean and is located almost halfway between the northern and southern boundaries of the United States, it has a very favorable geographical location. An abundance of mountain and plain areas, rivers and lakes, a moderate climate and the presence of varying altitudes from sea level to 5,719 feet furnishes Virginia with five distinct topographical regions and much scenic beauty. Several unique geographical features found in Virginia such as Burning Spring, Natural Bridge, Natural Tunnel, Crabtree Falls, Natural Chimneys, several caverns and the nine state parks, in addition to the well-known Shenandoah National Park, help to make Virginia a most desirable tourist area. A variety of natural resources such as soil, forests, fish, waterpower, coal, miscellaneous minerals and metals promote numerous occupations within the boundaries of Virginia. Ranking thirty-sixth in area and sixteenth in population among the states of the United States, Virginia has an attractive environmental location with a large diversity of skills among its inhabitants. Thus, Virginia is well-endowed geographically and has many potential resources for future progress.