{{Info/Localidade dos EUA
|nome                        = Wilmington
|imagem                      = 250px
|imagem_legenda              = Vista de Wilmington
|latG                        = 39
|latM                        = 44
|latS                        = 45
|latP                        = N
|lonG                        = 75
|lonM                        = 32
|lonS                        = 48
|lonP                        = W
|estado                      = Delaware
|condado                     = Condado de New Castle
|área                        = 44
|área_água                   = 28.2
|população                   = 72664
|data_pop                    = 2000
|altitude                    = 
|códigoFIPS                  = 
|tipo                        = cidade
|mapa_detalhado              =  
|data_fundação               = 1638
|incorporação                = 1731
|web                         = http://www.ci.wilmington.de.us
}}

'''Wimington''' é a maior cidade do Estado americano de Delaware,e segundo o census de 2000, conta com uma população de 72,876 mil habitantes.A cidade fica na confluência do rio Christina e Brandywine.

thumb|left|250px|Praça de Rodney no centro da cidade

{{Geobox City
<!-- *** Name section *** -->
| name                        = City of Wilmington
| native_name                 = 
| other_name                  = '''Fort Christina, New Sweden'''
| other_name1                 = 
| category                    = City
<!-- *** Image *** -->
| image                       = Wilmington Delaware skyline.jpg
| image_caption               = Downtown Wilmington and the Christina River in 2006
<!-- *** Symbols *** -->
| flag                        = WilmingtonDEflag.jpg
| flag_size                   = 
| symbol_type                 = Seal
| symbol                      =
| symbol_size                 = 
<!-- *** Etymology & nickname & motto *** -->
| etymology                   =
| nickname                    = Chemical Capital of the World
| nickname1                   = Corporate Capital of the World
| nickname2                   = Credit Card Capital of the World
| motto                       = A Place to Be Somebody
<!-- *** Country etc. *** -->
| country                     = United States
| state                       = Delaware
| region_type                 = County
| region                      = New Castle
| district                    = 
<!-- *** Municipal parts *** -->
| part_type                   =
| part_count                  =
| part                        =
| part1                       = 
<!-- *** Geographic information *** -->
| area_imperial               = 17.0
| area_land_imperial          = 10.9
| area_water_imperial         = 6.2
| area_water_percentage       = auto
| area_percentage_round       = 2
| area_round                  = 1
| area_urban_imperial         =
| area_metro_imperial         = 
| location                    =
| lat_d                       = 39       
| lat_m                       = 44
| lat_s                       = 45
| lat_NS                      = N
| long_d                      = 75       
| long_m                      = 32
| long_s                      = 48
| long_EW                     = W
| elevation_imperial          = 92
| elevation_round             = 1
<!-- *** Population *** -->
| population_as_of            = 2000
| population                  = 72664
| population_urban            =
| population_metro            =
| population_density_imperial = 6698.1
| population_density_round    = 1
| population_density_urban_imperial =
| population_density_metro_imperial = 
<!-- *** Government *** -->
| government                  = Council-Mayor
| established_type            = Founded
| established                 = March, 1638
| established1_type           = Incorporated
| established1                = 1731
| established2_type           = Borough Charter
| established2                = 1739
| established3_type           = City Charter
| established3                = March 7 1832
| governmant_type             = 
| leader                      = D)
| leader_type                 =   
| leader1_name                =
| leader1_type                = 
<!-- *** Various codes *** -->
| timezone                    = EST
| utc_offset                  = -5
| timezone_DST                = EDT
| utc_offset_DST              = -4
| postal_code_type            = ZIP Codes 
| postal_code                 = 19801-19810, 19850, 19880, 19884-19887, 19889-19899 
| area_code                   = 302
| area_code_type              =  
| code2_type                  =
| code2                       =
<!-- *** Free fields *** -->
| free_type                   =  
| free                        =
| free1_type                  =  
| free1                       = 
<!-- *** Map section *** -->
| map                         = Delaware Locator Map.PNG
| map_caption                 = Location of Wilmington in Delaware
| map_locator                 = Delaware
| map1                        = Map of USA DE.svg
| map1_caption                = Location of Delaware in the United States
<!-- *** Website *** -->
| website                     = [http://www.ci.wilmington.de.us/ www.ci.wilmington.de.us]
<!-- *** Footnotes *** -->
| footnotes                   =   
}}

'''Wilmington''' is the largest city in the state of Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, who was prime minister in the reign of George II of Great Britain.

According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 72,826.<ref name=popest2></ref>

== History ==
The area now known as Wilmington was first colonized by settlers from Dutch arrived and took over the colonies from the Swedes and Finns. Dr. Timen Stiddem (Timothy Stidham) was a prominent citizen and doctor in Wilmington. He is recorded in history as the first physician in Delaware (ref. J. Thomas Scharf, History of Delaware, p. 471).
In 1664 British colonization began, the area stabilized under British rule, with strong influences from the Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington.

The greatest growth in the city occurred during the Civil War.  Delaware, though officially a Union State, was divided in its support of both the Confederate and the Union soldiers; the northern part of the state was largely Union, while the southern part of the state leaned toward the Confederacy. The war created enormous demand for goods and materials. Older establishments expanded, and many new industries were attracted to the city. The city turned out products including ships, railroad cars, gunpowder, shoes, tents, uniforms, blankets and other war-related goods. By 1868, Wilmington was producing more iron ships than the rest of the country combined and it rated first in the production of gunpowder and second in carriages and leather. Due to the prosperity Wilmington enjoyed during the war, city merchants and manufacturers expanded Wilmington's residential boundaries westward in the form of large homes along tree-lined streets. This movement was spurred by the first horsecar line, which was initiated in 1864 along Delaware Avenue.

The late nineteenth century saw the development of the city's first comprehensive park system. William Bancroft, a successful Wilmington businessman, led the effort to establish open parkland in Wilmington and was heavily influenced by the work of Frederick Law Olmsted. Rockford Park and Brandywine Park owe their creation to his generous donation of land and efforts.

In 1860, there were 21,250 people living in the city; by 1920, that number had risen to 110,168.

Both World Wars stimulated the city's industries. Industries vital to the war effort - shipyards, steel foundries, machinery and chemical producers - operated on a 24-hour basis. Other industries produced such goods as automobiles, leather products and clothing.

The post war prosperity again pushed the residential development further out of the city. The 1950s saw a large increase in people living in the suburbs of North Wilmington and commuting into the city to work. This lifestyle was made possible by extensive upgrades to area roads and highways and through the construction of I-95, which cut a swath through several of Wilmington's most stable neighborhoods and contributed to significant population losses in Wilmington. Urban renewal projects in the 50s and 60s cleared entire blocks of housing in the Center City and East Side areas. The riots and civil unrest in the city following the 1968 assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. also contributed to urban emigration. On April 9, 1968, Governor Charles Terry, Jr. deployed the National Guard to the city at the request of Mayor John Babiarz. One week later, Mayor Babiarz requested the National Guard troops be withdrawn, but Governor Terry refused, and kept them in the city until his term ended in January 1969. Urban emigration largely abated, and the city has been able to maintain a population of 70,000 for the last few decades.

thumb|265px|[[Caesar Rodney|Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington in 2006]]
The city in the 1980s experienced tremendous job growth and office construction when many national banks and financial institutions relocated to the area after the Financial Center Development Act of 1981 substantially liberalized the laws governing banks operating within the state. In 1986, the state adopted legislation targeted at attracting international finance and insurance companies. Today many national and international banks, such as Chase, Barclays among others have operations in the city; typically their credit card operations. 

Beginning in the 1990s, the city launched a campaign to revitalize the former shipyard area known as the Wilmington Riverfront. The efforts were bolstered early by The Big Kahuna (a now defunct nightclub), Kahunaville (a restaurant, bar and arcade which has also since closed) and the Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball stadium. Development continues as the Wilmington Riverfront tries to establish its cultural, economical, and residential importance. Recent high-rise luxury apartment buildings along the Christina River have been cited as evidence of the Riverfront's continued revival. On June 7, 2006, the groundbreaking of Justison Landing signaled the beginning of Wilmington's largest residential project since Bancroft Park was built after World War II.

==Geography==
Wilmington is located at 39°44'55" North, 75°33'6" West (39.748563, -75.551581). According to the km² (17.0 mi²).  28.1 km² (10.9 mi²) of it is land and 16.0 km² (6.2 mi²) of it is water.  The total area is 36.25% water.

The city is located approximately  southwest of Wilmington Train Station is one of the last stops on Philadelphia's I-295 bypass route around Philadelphia, the other end being I-95.  These transportation links and geographic proximity give Wilmington some of the characteristics of a satellite city, but Wilmington's long history as the most important city in Delaware, its significant urban core, and its independent value as a business destination makes it more properly considered a small but independent city in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, or as locals prefer to call it, the Delaware Valley.

==Climate==
{{Average and record temperatures |
75 | 78 | 86 | 94 | 96 | 100 | 102 | 101 | 100 | 91 | 85 | 75 |
39.3 | 42.5 | 51.9 | 62.6 | 72.5 | 81.1 | 86 | 84.1 | 77.2 | 65.9 | 55 | 44.4 |
23.7 | 25.8 | 33.4 | 42.1 | 52.4 | 61.8 | 67.3 | 65.8 | 58.1 | 45.6 | 36.9 | 28.4 |
-14 | -6 | 2 | 18 | 30 | 41 | 48 | 43 | 36 | 24 | 14 | -7 |
3.43 | 2.81 | 3.97 | 3.39 | 4.15 | 3.59 | 4.28 | 3.51 | 4.01 | 3.08 | 3.19 | 3.4 |
source = USTravelWeather.com<ref>[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-delaware/wilmington-weather.asp Wilmington Weather]</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
thumb|250px|Aerial view of Wilmington
As of the White, 56.43% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.16% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races.  9.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest ancestries include: Irish (8.7%), Italian (5.7%), German (5.2%), English (4.4%), and Polish (3.6%).[http://www.city-data.com/city/Wilmington-Delaware.html]

There were 28,617 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.6% were married couples living together, 23.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,116, and the median income for a family was $40,241. Males had a median income of $34,360 versus $29,895 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,236.  21.3% of the population and 16.8% of families were below the poverty line.   30.4% of those under the age of 18 and 20.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Wilmington also has a very active and diverse ethnic population. Many pockets of the city are populated by different groups of people with various European heritages. This ethnic diversity contributes to several very popular ethnic festivals held every spring and summer in Wilmington. The most popular festival is the Italian festival. This event, which is run by St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, closes down six blocks in the west side of the city for traditional Italian music, food, and activities, along with typical carnival rides and games. Another festival that draws large crowds is the Greek Festival, which is organized by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. This festival is on a smaller scale than the Italian festival but features traditional Greek (Hellenic) food, drink, and music. Other offerings include a delightful crafts area.  Another notable annual church festival in Wilmington, the Polish festival, is organized by St. Hedwig's Catholic Church featuring Polish cuisine along with the typical variety of carnival rides and entertainment.

==Neighborhoods==
The city of Wilmington is subdivided into the following neighborhoods :

===North of the Brandywine River===
*Brandywine Hills
*Harlan
*Eastlawn
*Eastlake
*Ninth Ward
*Triangle<ref>[http://triangle.home.att.net/ The Triangle Neighborhood Association]</ref>
*Prices Run
*Riverside
*Brandywine Village<ref>[http://www.brandywinevillage.org/ Greater Brandywine Village]</ref>
*Gander Hill (Lower Brandywine Village)

===East of I-95===
*Midtown Brandywine
*Lawyer's Row
*Upper East Side (East Brandywine)
*Trinity Vicinity<ref>[http://www.trinityvicinity.org/ Trinity Vicinity Neighborhood Association]</ref>
*11th St. Bridge
*Center City (Downtown)
*West Center City
*Quaker Hill<ref>[http://www.quakerhillhistoric.org/ Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation's Website]</ref>
*The Valley
*Ships Tavern
*East Side
*Southbridge
*Riverfront<ref>[http://www.riverfrontwilm.com/ Riverfront Wilmington]</ref>

===West of I-95===
*Forty Acres
*The Highlands
*Trolley Square<ref>[http://www.visittrolleysquare.com/ Trolley Square]</ref>
*Delaware Avenue
*Happy Valley
*Wawaset Park
*Wawaset Heights
*Little Italy<ref>[http://www.discoverlittleitaly.com/ Little Italy]</ref>
*West Hill
*Cool Spring & Tilton Park
*Hilltop<ref>[http://www.ci.wilmington.de.us/neighborhood/Hilltop/wg_introduction.htm Hilltop Neighborhood Working Group]</ref>
*Woodlawn (The Flats)
*Westmoreland
*Greenhill
*Union Park Gardens
*Bayard Square
*Hedgeville
*Canby Park
*St. Elizabeth Area
*Browntown

==Crime==

Drugs and gangs gained a greater profile in the city throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as did many cities across the country. As a result of these trends, the city encountered an escalation of violent crimes (murder, assault, armed robbery), and put Wilmington among the nation's most dangerous cities for its size.

To counter this crime wave, Wilmington became the first city in the U.S. to have its entire downtown area under surveillance<ref>[http://www.ci.wilmington.de.us/pressreleases/pr021108.htm 11/08/02: Mayor Baker And Dowtown Visions Announce Competion Of Video Safety Partnership Program]</ref>: some $800,000 worth of video cameras (some bought with public money, some by downtown businesses) have the exteriors of all buildings in view, and the technicians who monitor them dispatch the city's police to the scene of any crime or suspicious activity they see, while it is still happening.  Recently, the city has expanded the surveillance program into some of the more crime-ridden neighborhoods.

Among the residential streets, the Wilmington Police Department started a program known as jump-outs, in which unmarked police vans would cruise crime-prone neighborhoods late at night, "jump-out" at corners where residents were loitering and detain them temporarily. Using loitering as probable cause, the police would then photograph, search, and fingerprint everyone present. This would improve the police's records in case fingerprints or eye-witnesses were available at future crimes, along with catching anyone with drugs or weapons on them. Controversy spread from the theory that such a practice may be a violation of civil rights.<ref>[http://www.federalobserver.com/print.php?aid=3784 Federal Observer Document]</ref>

'''Crime Rate per 100,000 people''':
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! 
! Wilmington
! National
|-
| Murder
| 16.2
| 6.9
|-
| Forcible Rape
| 36.52
| 32.2
|-
| Robbery
| 585.6
| 195.4
|-
| Aggravated Assault
| 780.4
| 340.1
|-
| Burglary
| 1105
| 814.5
|-
| Larceny Theft
| 2845.6
| 2734.7
|-
| Vehicle Theft
| 693.8
| 526.5
|}<ref>[http://www.areaconnect.com/crime/compare.htm Crime Rate Comparison]</ref>

== Public health issues ==
The city has one of the highest per capita rates of HIV infection in the United States, with disproportionate rates of infection among African-American males.<ref>[http://www.delawarehiv.org/docs/2006-2008_SCSN_CHTP.pdf SCSN CTP Final Draft 021606 jed]</ref><ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/resources/reports/2005report/pdf/2005SurveillanceReport.pdf Annual Report 2005 - Revised Edition June 2007.fm<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Efforts by local advocates to implement needle exchange programs to combat the spread of infection were obstructed for several years by downstate and suburban state legislators but a program was finally approved in June 2006.<ref>[http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/NEWS/606300366]</ref>

== Public safety ==
thumb|265px|WPD van at Rodney Square
The Wilmington Police Department (WPD) is led by Chief of Police Michael J. Szczerba and is authorized to deploy up to 289 officers in motor vehicles, on foot, and on bicycle in order to protect and serve the citizens of the city. It recently joined the ranks of 350 other departments nationwide in achieving operations accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

The Wilmington Fire Department (WFD) is led by Chief Willie Patrick Jr. and maintains six engine companies, two ladder companies, a marine fire fighting force, three ambulances, and one rescue squad.  In recent years, the department has promoted a ride along program which gives city residents an opportunity to evaluate possible career decisions.  In addition, department officials have enacted a program that requires firefighters to be involved with community associations on a regular basis.  Wilmington is the only municipality in Delaware with a career fire department.

== Economy ==
thumb|250px|right|Founding of Wilmington stamp.<small>(See [[New Sweden.)</small>]]
Much of Wilmington's economy is based on its status as the most populous and readily accessible city in Delaware, a state that made itself attractive to businesses with pro-business finance laws and a longstanding reputation for a fair and effective judicial system.

Wilmington has become a national financial center for the Governor Pierre S. du Pont, IV in 1981.  The Financial Center Development Act of 1981, among other things, eliminated the usury laws enacted by most states, thereby removing the cap on interest rates that banks may legally charge customers.  Many major credit card issuers, including Bank of America (formerly MBNA Corporation), Chase Card Services (part of JPMorgan Chase & Co., formerly Bank One/First USA), and Barclays (formerly Juniper Bank), are headquartered in Wilmington.  The Dutch banking giant ING Groep N.V. headquartered its U.S. internet banking unit, ING Direct, in Wilmington.  In 1988, the Delaware legislature enacted a law which required a would-be acquirer to capture 85 percent of a Delaware chartered corporation’s stock in a single transaction or wait three years before proceeding.  This law strengthened Delaware's position as a safe haven for corporate charters during an especially turbulent time filled with hostile takeovers.