The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is 348 miles (560 km) long, extending to 444 miles (715 km) if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising 10,432 square miles (27,020 km2). The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million people (2000). It is the 12th longest river in the United States that remains entirely within a single state.