Virginia Borders: States, Map & Complete Guide

Maryland and Virginia are separated primarily by the Potomac River along Virginia's northern edge. This historic river creates one of the most important state boundaries in American history.

The Virginia-Maryland border follows the Potomac River for about 200 miles from West Virginia in the west to Chesapeake Bay in the east. The boundary sits at the low-water mark on the Virginia side of the river, meaning Maryland owns the Potomac River itself—a result of colonial-era charters. Virginia counties along this border include Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, Stafford, King George, Westmoreland, and Northumberland. Washington, D.C. sits on the Maryland side between Maryland and Virginia. Northern Virginia suburbs including Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax are just across the river from the nation's capital.

West Virginia borders Virginia on two sides—the northwest and west. This unusual arrangement exists because West Virginia separated from Virginia during the Civil War in 1863, wrapping around the western portion of the original state.

The Virginia-West Virginia border extends for about 380 miles through mountainous Appalachian terrain. The border follows ridgelines, river valleys, and surveyed lines established when West Virginia became a separate state. The Potomac River forms part of the border in the far north. Virginia counties along this border include Frederick, Shenandoah, Page, Rockingham, Highland, Bath, Alleghany, Craig, Giles, Bland, Tazewell, Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise. The border crosses the Allegheny and Appalachian mountain ranges. Blacksburg and Roanoke are Virginia cities within 50 miles of this border.

Kentucky borders Virginia in the far southwestern corner. This is Virginia's shortest state border, passing through remote Appalachian Mountain country.

The Virginia-Kentucky border runs for about 120 miles through rugged terrain. The border follows ridgelines and surveyed lines through the Cumberland Mountains. Only a few Virginia counties touch this border: Lee, Scott, Wise, and Dickenson. This region is part of the Central Appalachian coalfield and has historically been important for coal mining. The Cumberland Gap, where Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee meet, was a crucial passageway for westward expansion in early American history.

Tennessee borders Virginia along part of the southern edge in the southwestern region. This border runs through the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia's western extension.

The Virginia-Tennessee border extends for about 200 miles from Kentucky in the west to North Carolina in the east. The border follows surveyed lines and ridgelines through mountainous terrain. Virginia counties along this border include Scott, Washington, Russell, Smyth, Grayson, and Bristol (an independent city). Bristol is famously split by the state line, with Bristol, Virginia on one side and Bristol, Tennessee on the other. The two cities share the same main street (State Street) with the state line running down its center.

North Carolina forms most of Virginia's southern border. The boundary runs roughly east-west across the bottom of the state from Tennessee to the Atlantic coast.

The Virginia-North Carolina border extends for about 320 miles from Tennessee in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east. The border follows a surveyed line established in the 1700s, with some adjustments made over the years. Virginia counties along this border include many across the southern tier including Patrick, Henry, Pittsylvania, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Greensville, Southampton, and others. The border crosses from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west through the Piedmont region to the coastal plain in the east. The Great Dismal Swamp straddles the border in the coastal region.

The Atlantic Ocean forms Virginia's eastern boundary along the coast. Virginia's Atlantic coastline includes both the ocean-facing Eastern Shore and the Hampton Roads region where Chesapeake Bay meets the sea.

Virginia's Atlantic coastline stretches about 112 miles of general shoreline. The coast includes the Eastern Shore peninsula (Virginia's portion of the Delmarva Peninsula), Virginia Beach and the resort coast, and the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Virginia counties and cities with Atlantic coastline include Accomack and Northampton on the Eastern Shore, and Virginia Beach on the mainland coast. Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Hampton form the Hampton Roads metropolitan area at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Virginia Beach is Virginia's largest city by population.

Chesapeake Bay is a massive estuary that divides Virginia into two parts: the mainland (Western Shore) and the Eastern Shore peninsula. The bay is the largest estuary in the United States and has shaped Virginia's geography, economy, and culture since colonial times. The bay extends about 200 miles from its mouth at Hampton Roads north into Maryland. Virginia controls the southern portion of the bay and its mouth where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel connects Virginia's Eastern Shore to the mainland, spanning 23 miles across the mouth of the bay—one of the longest bridge-tunnel complexes in the world. Major Virginia rivers including the James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac flow into Chesapeake Bay. The bay has been crucial for shipping, fishing, and naval operations throughout American history. Norfolk Naval Station, the world's largest naval base, sits on the bay.