The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies mostly on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. Nine counties are normally included in the region. The Eastern Shore is part of the larger Delmarva Peninsula that Maryland shares with Delaware and Virginia. As of the 2010 census, its population was 449,226, with just under 8% of Marylanders living in the region – less populous than the city of Baltimore. It is politically more conservative than the rest of the state, generally returning more votes for Republicans than Democrats in statewide and national elections.