Norfolk, USA

Norfolk lies at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Virginia.

It is a major port city and home to the world’s largest naval base, Naval Station Norfolk, as well as one of NATO’s Strategic Command headquarters. Maersk Line, the shipping company with the largest number of vessels sailing under the US flag, also has its headquarters in Norfolk.

The naval base, the defense industry, and activities linked to the port and shipping are the city’s main sources of employment.

A key port

Before Europeans settled in Virginia, the bay was home to Indigenous peoples who called the area K'che-sepi-ack. In 1607, British settlers established the colony of Jamestown further inside the bay.

As the colony grew through the 1600s, Norfolk was founded in 1705. By then, it had become an important export port for tobacco and other goods from Virginia.

Fire and disease

During the American Revolution, when 13 British colonies broke away from Great Britain, large parts of Norfolk were destroyed. British warships shelled the city, and to prevent the British from gaining a foothold, residents burned many of the buildings that remained standing.

After the British were driven out, Norfolk was rebuilt - only to be devastated again by a major fire in 1804.

In June 1855, a ship brought yellow fever to the city. The virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, causes severe liver disease. When the outbreak subsided as weather cooled in the autumn, 1,500 people had died, and one third of the population had fled in panic.

During the American Civil War, Union ships blockaded the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, and on March 8 - 9, 1862, a major naval battle took place just outside Norfolk - known as the Battle of Hampton Roads.

This was the first time ironclad warships were used in combat. Although the blockade held, the battle demonstrated the superiority of steel-built ships over traditional wooden sailing vessels.

Growth and expansion

In the early 1900s, Norfolk began to grow. The city was connected to the railway network in 1907, and in 1917, as the First World War approached, the naval base was established.

In the 1950s, the road system was expanded with tunnels and bridges, and several smaller towns were incorporated into Norfolk.

Racial tensions

In 1958, Norfolk became the center of a painful conflict. Four years earlier, the US Supreme Court had ruled that racially segregated schools were unconstitutional. Virginia resisted the decision, and when a district court ordered schools to open to black students, Governor Almond instead closed the schools.

After ten days, he was forced to back down, and in February 1959 the first black children entered previously all-white schools.

Today, around 40 percent of Norfolk’s 240,000 residents are of European descent, about 40 percent of African descent, and roughly 10 percent are of Latin American origin.

Flooding

Parts of Norfolk are built on former sandbanks and mudflats. This makes the city vulnerable to flooding, caused by land subsidence, flooding of the Elizabeth River, which divides the city in two, storm surges, and rising sea levels.

The climate is humid subtropical, with an average annual rainfall of 1,249 mm. Most of the rain falls in summer, often as heavy thunderstorms. This stretch of coastline is also exposed to hurricanes.

Temperatures are typically above 20°C from April to October, and around 30°C from June to August. Winter is short but cool, with temperatures around 10-12°C from December to January. Freezing temperatures and snow are not uncommon.

Normal maximum temperature in February: 11.9 °C
Normal rainfall in February: 87 mm