Dover (pop. 39,403; met. area pop. 181,851) is the capital of Delaware and the commercial center of a large rural area. Dover lies in central Delaware on the St. Jones River. Major employers in Dover include the state government and Dover Air Force Base. Agricultural products of the area include poultry, soybeans, corn, and potatoes. Delaware State University is in the city. Dover Air Force Base is near the city. Dover was founded in 1717 and became the capital of Delaware in 1777. It was incorporated as a town in 1829 and as a city in 1929. It has a council-manager government. Dover is the seat of Kent County.
