All About West Virginia
West Virginia is a constituent state of the United States of America. Admitted to the Union as the 35th state in 1863, it is a relatively small state, with an area of 24,232 square miles (62,761 square kilometres). It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north, Maryland and Virginia to the east, Kentucky to the southwest, and Ohio to the northwest. The state capital is Charleston.
West Virginia justifies in every way its nickname, the Mountain State. With an average altitude of 1,500 feet (457 metres) above sea level, it is the highest of any U.S. state east of the Mississippi River. It is a region tied economically and socially to the mountain spines that span its length and breadth and to the rivers that enclose it on many sides. The settlers of northwestern Virginia who, in 1861, defied the state's secession convention, choosing instead to remain within the Union and to form a new state, acted much in the tradition suggested by the motto of West Virginia, ''Montani semper liberi'' (Mountaineers always freemen).
In comparison with the national standards and averages of the United States, West Virginia is poor in personal incomes and in overall economic development. For decades the rich coal beds underlying most of its 55 counties made West Virginia a leading producer of bituminous coal in North America. The gnarled terrain locked West Virginians into their small communities in the narrow valleys and posed both literal and symbolic obstacles to people from the outside world. From 1940 to 1970 and again in the 1980s large numbers of the state's population left West Virginia for places offering greater employment opportunities. The 1970s, however, marked a turning point in out-migration and the beginning of a stabilizing trend. During the 1980s population loss from the coalfields and heavy manufacturing was partially offset by an influx of urban professionals and retirees in the eastern panhandle. West Virginians have become determined to develop a more modern social and economic climate in their state.
All of West Virginia is a part of the Appalachian Mountain system. It is commonly subdivided, however, into two major physiographic regions: the geologically older Allegheny Plateau and the newer Appalachian, or Great Valley, region. These are separated by the Allegheny Front, dividing the waters that flow to the Atlantic Ocean from those flowing to the Gulf of Mexico. The Allegheny Plateau covers the western two-thirds of the state and coincides with the Ohio River drainage basin. It is a region severely dissected by streams into a maze of hills and valleys, and, in places, the original plateau surface shows as the uniform top levels of the remaining ranges. The northeastern portion of the Allegheny Plateau near the Pennsylvania border, with the highest mountains of the state, is sometimes referred to as the Allegheny Mountains.
In the 1980s, numerous jobs in the coal industry were lost, and the cyclical nature of mining created pockets of poverty in the state. Employment declined also in the manufacturing and chemical-processing industries. These job losses resulted in an out-migration among the young, with the oldest age groups tending to remain fixed. With this movement, the state began placing a greater emphasis on a more diverse economy, with a large service sector. The Governor's Office of Community and Industrial Development, established by the West Virginia Economic Development Act of 1985, has initiated successful action in three areas: strengthening the state's industrial base, directing marketing efforts to those concerns that will enjoy a comparative advantage by operating in the state, and creating an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and fosters the growth of small business.
A thriving tourist and recreation industry has developed around West Virginia's cultural heritage and its various historical and natural resources. Harpers Ferry, for decades almost a ghost town, is a national historical site. Ski slopes attract winter visitors. Plunging streams and river sites feature white-water activities and aquatic festivals. There are 33 state parks, including Pipestem State Park, in which an amphitheatre, a country store, and a craft centre are typical of installations to promote the state's heritage and to encourage the tourist industry. The resort at White Sulphur Springs is famous throughout the world.
The larger cities and the state's perimeters are well served by transportation facilities. The rugged terrain of West Virginia limited early transportation and contributed to isolation and slow economic growth. It is still a formidable obstacle, but remarkable progress has been made. Interstate highways that cross the state have improved internal travel and economic development. The Appalachian Highway Corridor roads have been instrumental in completing the network of other federal and state roads. The major river systems of the western plateau provide 450 miles (725 kilometres) of navigable waterway. Huntington, located at the confluence of the Ohio and Guyandotte rivers, is the state's largest port. Airline deregulation has led to an overall reduction in scheduled air carrier service. Major airlines serve Charleston and Huntington, and commuter lines have helped fill the void. Three rail companies with a strong east–west orientation provide haulage over the 3,500 miles of line.
