Hampton Roads

This is a satellite view of the Hampton Roads region, a valuable maritime area in southeastern Virginia. Three rivers—the James, Nansemond, and Elizabeth—flow into the Hampton Roads channel at center. That protected channel empties into Chesapeake Bay, which opens onto the Atlantic Ocean. This convergence of waterways makes Hampton Roads one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Urban centers surrounding the channel are visible, including, clockwise from top: Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.