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Geography of West Virginia -The Ultimate Free Guide 2021

Learn facts and Geography of West Virginia including Major Geographical Features, Natural resources, Region, area, Capital, Border countries, rivers in West Virginia

  • West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.
  • It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the northeast, Maryland to the east and northeast, Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, and Ohio to the northwest.
  • West Virginia is the 41st-largest state by area and ranks 40th in population, with a population of 1,793,716 residents
  • The capital and largest city is Charleston.
  • West Virginia became a state after the Wheeling Conventions of 1861, at the start of the American Civil War. Delegates from northwestern Virginia’s Unionist counties decided to break away from Virginia, which also included secessionist counties in the new state.
  • West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle extends adjacent to Pennsylvania and Ohio to form a tristate area, with Wheeling and Weirton just across the border from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Huntington in the southwest is close to Ohio and Kentucky, while Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry in the Eastern Panhandle region are considered part of the Washington metropolitan area, between Maryland and Virginia.
  • It is the only state entirely within the area served by the Appalachian Regional Commission; the area is commonly defined as “Appalachia”.

Geography of West Virginia

Geography of West Virginia
Fig:ontheworldmap.com

Country:

United States

Area:

62,755 km2

Capital:

Charleston

Population:

1,793,716

Borders:

It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the northeast, Maryland to the east and northeast, Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, and Ohio to the northwest.

Total Size:

24,230 sq mi

Geographical Coordinates:

Longitude: 77° 40’W to 82° 40’W
Latitude: 37° 10’N to 40° 40’N

World Region or Continent:

North America

General Terrain:

  • The Environment of West Virginia encompasses terrain and ecosystems ranging from plateaus to mountains. Most of West Virginia lies within the Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests ecoregion, while the higher elevations along the eastern border and in the panhandle lie within the Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests.

Geographical Low Point:

  • The lowest point in West Virginia is the Potomac River at 240 feet above sea level.

Geographical High Point:

  • The highest point in West Virginia is Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet above sea level. Click here for more about Spruce Knob.

Climate:

  • The climate of West Virginia is generally a humid subtropical climate with warm to hot, humid summers and chilly winters, increasing in severity with elevation.
  • The hardiness zones range from zone 5b in the central Appalachian mountains to zone 7a in the warmest parts of the lowest elevations.
  • Average January temperatures range from around 26 °F (−4 °C) near the Cheat River to 41 °F (5 °C) along sections of the border with Kentucky.
  • July averages range from 67 °F (19 °C) along the North Branch Potomac River to 76 °F (24 °C) in the western part of the state.
  • It is cooler in the mountains than in the lower sections of the state
  • Annual precipitation ranges from less than 32 inches (810 mm) in the lower eastern section to more than 56 inches (1,400 mm) in higher parts of the Allegheny Front.

Major cities:

Major Cities in West Virginia
Charleston
Huntington
Morgantown
Parkersburg
Wheeling
Weirton
Fairmont
Martinsburg
Beckley
Clarksburg

Major Land forms:

24,087 square miles of West Virginia are land areas.

Major Rivers and Lakes:

Major Rivers:

  • Ohio River,
  • Guyandotte River,
  • Greenbrier River

Major Lakes:

  • Tygart Lake,
  • Bluestone Lake

Natural Resources:

  • Natural gas,
  • Natural-gas liquids,
  • Stone,
  • Petroleum,
  • Cement,
  • Lime, and
  • Sand and gravel.

Major Geographical Features:

Biomes & Ecosystems:

  • Most of West Virginia lies within the Appalachian mixed mesophotic forests ecoregion, while the higher elevations along the eastern border and in the panhandle lie within the Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests. West Virginia is situated in the Appalachian Mountains of the Upper South region of the 48 contiguous states.

Oceans:

Atlantic Ocean

Islands:

Islands of West Virginia
Babbs Island
Blaine Island
Blennerhassett Island
Boggs Island
Broadback Island
Brooks Island
Browns Island
Buckley Island
Buffington Island
Bushes Island
Captina Island
Cluster Islands
Coney Island
Coon Bone Island
Crab Island
Eightmile Island
Eureka Island
First Brother Island
Fish Creek Island
Gallipolis Island

Mountain Ranges:

Mountains in West Virginia
Spruce Mountain
Cheat Mountain
Back Allegheny Mountain
Mount Porte Crayon
Red Spruce Knob
North Fork Mountain
Allegheny Mountain
Shavers Mountain
Shenandoah Mountain
Backbone Mountain

Counties of West Virginia:

Counties of West Virginia
Kanawha County
Berkeley County
Monongalia County
Cabell County
Wood County
Raleigh County
Harrison County
Mercer County
Putnam County
Jefferson County
Marion County
Fayette County
Ohio County
Wayne County
Greenbrier County
Preston County
Logan County
Marshall County
Hancock County
Randolph County
Jackson County
Mineral County
Mason County
Nicholas County
Upshur County
Mingo County
Hampshire County
Brooke County
Boone County
Wyoming County
Lincoln County
McDowell County
Morgan County
Taylor County
Barbour County
Lewis County
Wetzel County
Braxton County
Roane County
Hardy County
Monroe County
Summers County
Grant County
Ritchie County
Tyler County
Clay County
Doddridge County
Pocahontas County
Webster County
Gilmer County
Pleasants County
Calhoun County
Pendleton County
Tucker County
Wirt County

See Also:

Geography of United States

Web References:

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