Higher Education  

West Virginia has 23 colleges and universities, as well as 14 two-year and community colleges. State institutions include West Virginia University, at Morgantown; Marshall University, at Huntington; Bluefield State College, at Bluefield; Concord College, at Athens; Fairmont State College, at Fairmont; Glvenville State College, at Glenville; Shepherd College, at Shepherdstown; West Liberty State College, at West Liberty; West Virginia Institute of Technology, at Montgomery; and West Virginia State College, at Institute. Private institutions include Alderson-Broaddus College, at Philippi; Bethany College, at Bethany; Davis and Elkins College, at Elkins; the University of Charleston, at Charleston; Salem College, at Salem; Ohio Valley College, at Parkersburg; West Virginia Wesleyan College, at Buckhannon; and Wheeling Jesuit College, at Wheeling.

Geography

West Virginia occupies an area of 62,758 square kilometers. The state's three main regions are the Appalachian Plateau, the Appalachian Ridge and Valley region (or Great Appalachian Valley), and the Eastern Panhandle. Covering the western 80 percent of the state, the Appalachian Plateau descends southwards in a series of ridges; most of the state's natural resources can be found in this region. Between the Appalachian Plateau and the Appalachian Ridge and Valley region is the Allegheny Front, a steep wall of mountains. Heavily forested ridges separated by narrow valleys characterize the Appalachian Ridge and Valley region in the east. Apple and peach orchards grow in the fertile soil of the Eastern Panhandle, which lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains area. Important rivers include the Ohio, the Big Sandy, the Potomac, and the Shenandoah. Major cities include Charleston (capital), Huntington, Wheeling, and Parkersburg. The population of West Virginia is over 1.8 million.

Climate

Climatic variations in West Virginia are due to differences in altitude. Charleston, in a river valley, has average annual temperatures between -3° C and 8° C in January and between 18° C and 31° C in July. Elkins, at a higher elevation, sees average temperatures ranging from -6° C to 6° C in January and from 14° C to 28° C in July. Rainfall is generally heavier in the southern mountains than the Potomac River area. Annual snowfall varies from 51 cm in the southwest to 254 cm in the mountains.

Cultural Profile

Museums in West Virginia include the Americana Museum, in Aurora; the Pearl S. Buck Museum, in Hillsboro; Huntington Museum of Art, in Huntington; an Asian art collection at West Virginia State College; the Oglebay Institute-Mansion Museum, in Wheeling; the Pocahontas County Historical Museum, in Marlinton; and a geology museum at Marshall University.

Bluegrass and folk music are popular musical forms in West Virginia. Charleston and Wheeling both host symphony orchestras. Dramatic performances are staged regularly at Charleston's Children's Theater, Wheeling's Little Theater, and Grandview State Park.

Recreation

West Virginia has thirty-four state parks and nine state forests. Other interesting places to visit in the state include Charles Town; Covered Bridge, near Philippi; Grave Creek Mound, in Moundsville; Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, in Beckley; Cass Scenic Railroad, in Cass; Jamboree USA, in Wheeling; Oldest Living Things, near White Sulphur Springs; and The Point, near Harpers Ferry. Popular outdoor activities include white-water rafting, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, golf, and tennis.

Interesting Facts

West Virginia has the highest average elevation of any state east of the Mississippi River. Weirton, West Virginia, is the only city in the U. S. that extends from one state border to another. Famous West Virginians include Pearl S. Buck (author), Johnson Newlon Camden (industrialist and politician), George Henry Crumb, Jr. (composer), Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (Civil War Confederate general), Don Knotts (actor), John Knowles (novelist), Mary Lou Retton (Olympic gymnast), Mary Lee Settle (author), and Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager (aviator).