West Virginia State...
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West Virginia Almanac: Facts and Figures
Quick Facts and Figures on the State
West Virginia Almanac furnishes facts and figures on the state, its geography, climate and weather, elevation, land area, bordering states, electoral votes, number of senators and representatives to the US Congress, and other statistical data. Use this almanac of West Virginia for information on local issues, politics, events, celebrations, people and business pertaining to the state of West Virginia that can be found online.
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West Virginia is one of the South Atlantic states of the US.
West Virginia was part of Virginia until the American Civil War, when its inhabitants, loyal to the Union, formed a separate state after Virginia became part of the Confederacy. The economy of West Virginia was principally agricultural until the late 19th century, when mining and manufacturing began to grow in importance. In the early 1990s the state was a major producer of bituminous coal, primary metals, and chemicals.
West Virginia Almanac
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| Official Name |
West Virginia |
| Capital |
Charleston |
| Nick Name |
Mountain State |
| Motto |
Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers always free) |
| Location & Region |
38.35055 N, 081.63043 W |
Appalachia |
| Constitution Ratified |
1872 |
| Statehood |
June 20, 1863 |
35th state |
| Population |
1,808,344 |
78.08 sq mi. |
37th |
Largest City
(by population) |
Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, Wheeling, Morgantown |
| Bordering States |
North: Ohio and Pennsylvania North East: Maryland (Potomac River forms part of the Northeastern boundary)
East and South: Virginia (Tug Fork and Big Sandy rivers form almost all of the Southwestern boundary)
West: Kentucky and Ohio (Ohio River forms the West and Northwestern boundaries)
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| Number of Counties |
55 Counties in West Virginia |
Largest County
(by population) |
Kanawha County |
200,073 |
903 sq mi. |
| Electoral Votes |
5 |
| US Congress |
2 Senators; 3 Representatives |
| Time Zone |
Eastern Standard Time |
West Virginia Climate and Weather
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| West Virginia has four distinct seasons. Its mountainous terrain means that there can be marked differences in the weather at any one time -- the mountains tend to be cooler than the rest of the state (and downright cold in winter). Summer is hot and rainy in most of the state, with highs in the upper 80s F/30 C (80 F/26 C in the mountains).
Opportunities for hiking, camping and white-water rafting begin in the spring and last until autumn. Spring temperatures range 43-76 F/5-24 C, with lots of runoff from the 60+ in/152+ cm of snow in the mountains. Summer thundershowers help keep river levels up.
The ski season usually runs November-February. Winter temperatures range 19 to 40 F/-7 to -4 C in the mountains, with occasional drops to 0 F/-18 C. Most attractions are open year-round. Except for those travelers interested in winter sports, we recommend visiting West Virginia in the spring for white-water rafting and in summer and fall for touring.
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| Highest Temperature |
112 degrees
July 10, 1936 -Martinsburg |
| Lowest Temperature |
-37 degrees
December 17, 1917 - Lewisburg |
| Avg Temp: High - Low |
85.6 degrees |
23.9 degrees |
West Virginia Highest, Lowest, and Mean Elevations (Feet)
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| Mean Elevation |
1,500 |
| Highest Point |
Spruce Knob |
4,861 |
| Lowest Point |
Potomac River |
240 |
West Virginia Land Area (Square Miles)
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| Geographic Center |
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| Total Area |
24,229.76 |
41st |
| Land Area |
24,077.73 |
99.38% |
| Water Area |
152.03 |
0.62% |
| Forested Land Area |
78.5% |
Dimensions
(Length - Width) |
240 miles |
130 miles |
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Source: (US Census, April 1, 2000)
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