The South is the biggest Census region, so we take it in two parts. First, the South Atlantic: the states along the coast from Delaware down to Florida.
Key idea
The South Atlantic division has eight states, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, plus the District of Columbia.
Why it works
Why is West Virginia in a division named for the Atlantic when it has no coast? The Census Bureau groups states that are close together and share history. West Virginia was part of Virginia until 1863, so it stays in the same division as its old partner.
- Delaware is the small state on the coast east of Maryland.
- Maryland wraps around Chesapeake Bay; Washington, D.C., sits on its southwest edge.
- Virginia is below Maryland, and West Virginia is the mountain state to its west.
- North Carolina is long and wide; South Carolina is the triangle below it.
- Georgia is next, and Florida is the long peninsula at the bottom.
Worked example: Coast or no coast
Which South Atlantic state has no ocean coast?
- Go down the coast: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida all touch the Atlantic.
- West Virginia sits behind Virginia, in the mountains.
Answer: West Virginia.
Common mistake
Students forget that Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia count as the South in the Census Bureau's regions. The Census groups them with the South Atlantic. Another mix-up: North and South Carolina. North Carolina is the bigger, wider one; South Carolina is the smaller triangle below it.