Hampton Roads is both a body of water, and the Norfolk-Virginia Beach metropolitan area in southeastern Virginia with just above 1.7 million inhabitants. It comprises the counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Mathews, and York, plus the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg. The US federal government also includes Currituck County, North Carolina in its definition of the metropolitan area.
Virginia law sharply distinguishes between cities and towns. Municipalities incorporated as "cities" are completely separate from counties; "towns" are located within counties. All of the locations listed below are in fact cities except for the town of Gloucester Courthouse.
Hampton Roads has an important role in the early history of the United States, from the first English settlements in the New World in the 17th century, to the battlegrounds of the American War of Independence, and the American Civil War. See From Plymouth to Hampton Roads and From St. Augustine to Hampton Roads for a historical approach to the region.
Hampton Roads is served by Norfolk International Airport (IATA: ORF) in Norfolk and Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (IATA: PHF) in Newport News.
Amtrak has stations in Williamsburg, Norfolk, and Newport News.
Greyhound stops in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Hampton, Suffolk, and Williamsburg. Megabus stops in Hampton.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division