West Virginia at a Glance

Wild and Wonderful

The Appalachian Mountains make West Virginia wild, wonderful and the recreation capital of the U.S. East.

West Virginia is referred to as the outdoor recreation capital of the eastern United States. It offers everything from skiing down a black-diamond mountain to whitewater rafting on the New and Gauley rivers. Come see why West Virginia is “Wild and Wonderful.”

Find out more about West Virginia at DiscoverAmerica.com.

Capital: Charleston

Population: More than 1.8 million people live in West Virginia.

Geography: Part of the Appalachian region of the eastern United States, West Virginia shares a border with Ohio and Pennsylvania to the north, Maryland to the northeast, Virginia to the east and south, and Kentucky to the south and southwest.

Higher Education: Founded in 1840, Bethany College is the oldest institution of higher education in West Virginia. Located in Bethany, this private liberal arts college offers bachelor’s degrees in 25 areas of study, with a curriculum that focuses on the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. Founded in 1867, West Virginia University is the state’s premier public option. With its flagship campus in Morgantown, this university offers 191 bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degree programs through its 14 colleges and schools. It is best known for its forensic science program.

Major Industries: Services, mining, manufacturing and agriculture all contribute to the Mountain State’s economy. West Virginia’s primary service sectors include tourism, health care, law and wholesale. In terms of mining, the state’s major outputs are coal, natural gas, petroleum and crushed stone. West Virginia is one of the largest producers of coal in the United States. Major manufacturing products include chemicals, pharmaceuticals, steel, aluminum and lumber. West Virginia’s agriculture industry relies more on livestock than crops, with major products including poultry, cattle and eggs.

Famous West Virginians: The first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, Pearl S. Buck; African-American scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.; comedic actors Steve Harvey and Don Knotts; Nobel Prize–winning mathematician John F. Nash; and country singer Brad Paisley were all born in the Mountain State.

Pop Culture: October Sky, the 1999 biographical movie about a coal miner’s son turned NASA engineer, was set in West Virginia. The film starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. Another biographical movie set in West Virginia is the 2006 drama We Are Marshall. Starring Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox, the film recounted the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 37 football players and five coaches from Marshall University’s football team, along with the athletic director, team trainers and school boosters.

Culinary Specialties: Clay County is home to the Golden Delicious, an apple variety known for its mellow flavor and pale yellow skin. West Virginians eat these beauties right off the tree, bake them in a pie, or slow-cook them with cider to concentrate the flavor into a Mountain State specialty: apple butter.

International Connection: Charleston is sister cities with Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.

Fun Facts:

• The New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville is the longest steel-arch bridge in the United States. It spans 553 meters across the New River Canyon.

• West Virginia’s New River is actually one of the oldest rivers in the world. Unlike most rivers, it flows south to north because it was formed before the mountains.

• West Virginia is the only state in the union to acquire its sovereignty by proclamation of the U.S. president.

Adventure Idea: For those without a fear of heights, visit TimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park in New River Gorge. Designed by Swiss mountain guides, this aerial obstacle course presents all sorts of unique challenges. You can walk, climb, swing and zip your way through the forest canopy!