According to babyinger, West Virginia is a state located in the Appalachian region of the United States. It is bordered by Maryland to the northeast, Pennsylvania to the north, Ohio to the northwest, Kentucky and Virginia to the west, and Tennessee to the southwest. The state is divided into 55 counties and has a total area of 24,231 square miles. Its capital city is Charleston.
West Virginia’s topography is largely defined by its mountainous terrain. The Appalachian Mountains traverse the entire state from east to west with elevations ranging from 500 feet in the valleys up to 4,863 feet at Spruce Knob which is West Virginia’s highest peak. Other notable mountains include Back Allegheny Mountain, Cheat Mountain, and Dolly Sods Wilderness Area.
The state also features many rivers and streams including the Monongahela River which runs through West Virginia’s northern panhandle; New River which flows through southwestern West Virginia; Potomac River which forms part of West Virginia’s border with Maryland; and Big Sandy River which forms part of West Virginia’s border with Kentucky.
West Virginia also has numerous lakes including Summersville Lake in Nicholas County; Burnsville Lake in Braxton County; Sutton Lake in Braxton County; Stonewall Jackson Lake in Lewis County; Tygart Lake in Taylor County; and Bluestone Lake in Summers County. Additionally, there are several large reservoirs such as Beech Fork Reservoir near Huntington; Burnsville Reservoir near Burnsville; Ridenhower Reservoir near Mabscott; and Bluestone Reservoir near Hinton.
Finally, West Virginia contains many forests including Monongahela National Forest located in eastern West Virginia along with parts of Pocahontas State Forest located near Marlinton as well as parts of George Washington National Forest located near White Sulphur Springs.
Administrative Regions in West Virginia
According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, West Virginia is divided into 55 counties, each of which is governed by a board of county commissioners. The state also has three cities with their own government: Charleston, Huntington, and Wheeling.
The state is represented in the United States Congress by two senators and three representatives. In the State Legislature, West Virginia is divided into 17 districts that are represented by 34 senators and 67 delegates.
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals is the highest court in the state and consists of a Chief Justice and four associate justices who are elected to 12-year terms by the citizens of West Virginia. The Supreme Court of Appeals hears appeals from all lower courts as well as those brought directly to it.
West Virginia also has an executive branch consisting of a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, auditor, and commissioner of agriculture. All executive branch officers are elected to four-year terms with the exception of the attorney general who serves a six-year term.
West Virginia also has an independent judiciary system consisting of circuit courts that have jurisdiction over civil cases involving more than $5,000; magistrate courts that have jurisdiction over civil cases involving less than $5,000; family courts that handle matters such as divorce or juvenile delinquency; and municipal courts that handle certain misdemeanors and violations within their local area.
Finally, West Virginia’s local government consists mainly of county governments with some townships in certain areas as well as municipal governments for cities with more than 5,000 residents or consolidated city-county governments for cities with more than 10,000 residents. Local governments provide services such as road maintenance and public safety while county governments provide additional services such as health departments or public libraries.
Demographics of West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian region of the United States with a population of about 1.8 million people. The state is predominantly rural with nearly half of its population living in small towns or rural areas. The largest city and capital of West Virginia is Charleston, with a population of just over 50,000 people.
The racial makeup of West Virginia is 93.6% white, 3.7% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.1% from two or more races. The Hispanic or Latino population makes up 2% of the total population in West Virginia while non-Hispanic whites make up 89%.
The median age in West Virginia is 42 years old with 18% of the population under 18 years old and 16% over 65 years old. The gender makeup is nearly equal with 49 percent male and 51 percent female residents in the state.
The most common ancestry groups are German (25%), English (15%), Irish (15%), United States (10%), Italian (4%) and Scotch-Irish (3%). About 25 percent of the population identify as Protestant while about 23 percent are Catholic and 8 percent are Mormon; other religious affiliations make up less than one percent each including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and others combined together making up less than one percent as well.
West Virginia has experienced a steady decline in its overall population since 2010 due to outmigration from rural areas to larger cities outside the state as well as an aging population that has resulted in fewer births than deaths each year since 2012; however, some recent growth has been seen in certain urban areas such as Huntington which has seen an influx of younger residents due to an increase in job opportunities within the city’s tech sector.
Transportation in West Virginia
West Virginia’s transportation system consists of highways, airports, public transportation, and rail lines. The primary mode of transportation for most West Virginians is by car. The state has a network of over 10,000 miles of highways and roads that run through the state and connect major cities such as Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, Morgantown and Wheeling.
West Virginia also has a number of airports located throughout the state including Yeager Airport in Charleston which is the largest airport in the region. This airport offers daily flights to major cities such as Washington DC, New York City and Philadelphia as well as other destinations around the country.
Public transportation in West Virginia is limited due to its rural nature; however, there are some services available including bus lines operated by Greyhound and Amtrak which offer intercity service between some of the larger cities in West Virginia.
The state also has several freight rail lines operated by CSX Transportation that run through West Virginia with connections to other states for shipping goods and materials. In addition to freight rail lines there are also passenger rail services provided by Amtrak with routes running from Washington DC to Chicago via Pittsburgh; this route stops at several locations in West Virginia including Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry and White Sulphur Springs.
Overall, West Virginia’s transportation system provides residents with a variety of options for getting around the state or traveling outside its borders; however it is important to note that due to its rural nature public transportation can be limited in some areas making it more difficult for those who rely on it for their daily travel needs.