* Geography: Coastal plain with many rivers and estuaries
* Economy: Based on tobacco plantations and trade
* Population: Wealthy planters, small farmers, enslaved African Americans
* Society: Hierarchical, with planters at the top
* Politics: Dominated by wealthy planters
Backcountry Region
* Geography: Inland region with rolling hills and forests
* Economy: Based on subsistence farming and hunting
* Population: Small farmers, Native Americans, enslaved African Americans
* Society: More egalitarian than the Tidewater region
* Politics: Less dominated by wealthy planters
Comparison
The Tidewater and backcountry regions of Virginia were very different in terms of geography, economy, population, society, and politics. The Tidewater region was dominated by wealthy planters who grew tobacco for export, while the backcountry region was home to small farmers who mostly lived off the land. The Tidewater region was also politically more centralized than the backcountry region.