Norfolk anchors the Hampton Roads region at the confluence of the Elizabeth River and Chesapeake Bay, serving as the urban core for a seven-city area that includes Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth. The city's economy centers on Naval Station Norfolk—the world's largest naval base—along with the Port of Virginia, shipbuilding operations, and Eastern Virginia Medical School. Neighborhoods range from the historic Ghent and Colonial Place districts to the redeveloped downtown waterfront and Ocean View along the bay, with major corridors extending along Hampton Boulevard through Old Dominion University and out Granby Street toward the airport. The military presence shapes much of daily life here, with a steady population of active-duty personnel, veterans, and defense contractors alongside the university community and port workers.