West Virginia is one of the 50 states of the United States of North America. The state is located in the Southern region of the US and has 1,855,364 inhabitants (2011). The capital is Charleston and the standard abbreviation is WV.
West Virginia, also called West Virginia in Dutch, borders the state of Pennsylvania to the north, Maryland to the east, Virginia to the south and Ohio and Kentucky to the west.
The state is partly located in the Appalachians. The highest peak in the state is Spruce Knob with a height of 1,482 meters.
In the state are the Alleghenies, which reach their highest point here with Spruce Knob. From the Alleghenies, the undulating Cumberland Plateau stretches west
Rivers
The main river is the Ohio, which forms the border with the state of the same name. Only the rivers in northeastern West Virginia flow through the Potomac into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Cheat, Tygart, and West Fork flow north through the Monongahela, but the Monongahela bends out of state into the Ohio.
The Kanawha, Guyandot, and Big Sandy Rivers also flow into the Ohio.
Climate and vacation
West Virginia has a humid subtropical climate. The temperature differences fluctuate roughly.
The average January temperature is 0 °C, the average July temperature 24 °C, but the maximum and minimum temperatures are +41 °C and –33 °C respectively.
Tourist attractions in West Viginia include the Monongahela National Forest Prehistoric Monument and the Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, in the panhandle near the Ohio border.
Other popular attractions include Blackwater Falls State Park and Hawks Nest State Park.
Protected areas in West Viginia include the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Bluestone National Scenic River, the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
The Gauley River National Recreation Area, the George Washington National Forest, the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
West Virginia Cities
In addition to the capital, Charleston, there are a number of cities in West Virginia: Huntington, Parkersburg, Morgantown, Wheeling, Weirton, Fairmont.
Beckley, Martinsburg, Clarksburg, South Charleston, Teays Valley, St Albans, Vienna, Bluefield.
West Virginia counties
West Virginia is divided into 55 counties.
West Virginia
The western state of Virginia borders the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. The capital of the southern state is Charleston.
New River Gorge NR
In the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia is the New River Gorge, a major and sought-after climbing area. This incredible place is covered with endless and mysterious forests, which are especially charming in autumn, when the local maples, beeches and oaks play with all the colors. The wild New River and its even wilder tributary the Gauley River flow through the area, with massive rapids that thousands of enthusiastic rafters and kayakers attempt to cross each year.
Along the course of the river, cliffs stretch up to The New River Bridge, which is the second largest arch bridge in the world. The span of its arc is 518 meters. The cliffs attracting climbers from all over the world are broken down as follows. On the right side in the direction of the New River are The Beauty Mountain areas, The Cirque overhanging ceilings, the long Endless Wall, and beyond the bridge the Bridge Area, Junkyard and Bubba City. On the left are the South Nuttall Wall, Kaymoor and Sunshine Buttress areas. Aside from The New River Gorge are the popular rocks lining the shores of Summersville Lake and several other smaller areas. The height of the cliffs ranges from 20 to 50 meters. The greater part of the walls is then covered by trees and rhododendron bushes.
You can get to the area on US 19, where the New River Bridge is located near the town of Fayeteville, where the visitor center is also located. In it you will learn interesting things about the history of local coal mining and the construction of the bridge. The New River Gorge was designated a national river in 1978 and is part of the National Park Service. The area includes more than 70,000 hectares of land with wildlife, untouched landscapes and a raging river. The New River is one of the oldest rivers on the continent, which is why it managed to create deep canyons with steep rock cliffs. The area offers many recreational opportunities.
Wheeling National Heritage Area
During the American Civil War, the city of Wheeling became the state capital of West Virginia for a time. It was at the time that this territory seceded from the state of Virginia. Wheeling was the center of statehood and had important political importance. Today it is an important monument area, it has a unique historical value. It was the place where a new state – West Virginia – was born in ancient times. Wheeling has a population of 38,000 and is about an hour’s drive southwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The city is crossed by the Ohio River, which is spanned by the country’s oldest transportation suspension bridge, dating back to 1849. Tourist attractions include the historic market, which is still held regularly today, as well as the well-preserved Victorian architecture downtown. The city also has a lot of renovated industrial buildings, shops, restaurants, the West Virginia Independence Hall is also an interesting building.
