The
Chesapeake Bay ( ) is an
estuary lying inland from the
Atlantic Ocean, and surrounded by the
North American mainland to the West, and the
Delmarva Peninsula to the east. It is the largest such body in the contiguous
US. The northern bay is within
Maryland, the southern portion within
Virginia, and is a very important feature for the ecology and economy of those two states, as well as others. More than 150 major rivers and streams flow into the bay's
drainage basin, which covers parts of six states (
New York,
Pennsylvania,
Delaware,
Maryland,
Virginia and
West Virginia) plus all of the
District of Columbia.