ABOUT West Virginia
Capital: Charleston
State abbreviation/Postal code: W.Va./WV
Nickname: Mountain State
Origin of name: Named after England's Queen Elizabeth I, the "Virgin Queen".
Briefs on West Virginia:
Also known as the Mountain State, the state of West Virginia is located in the Appalachia region of the United States. About 75% of the state is placed within the Cumberland and the Allegheny Plateaus regions. The state is bordered by famous states of Pennsylvania on the north, Ohio on the north and the west, Kentucky on the west, Maryland to north and west and Virginia to the east and south.
The state of West Virginia is not akin to that of Virginia. The former is settled by the scotch- Irish people while the latter is a home to the planter aristocracy and follows English customs. So the relationship between the two states is considered to be like that between England and Ireland or Scotland.
West Virginia is mostly rural in nature. It is quite an isolated state that has a rich and lust beauty. People who love peaceful and beautiful surroundings and those who are fond of rock climbing are greatly influenced by the state.
This is because the high peaks of the Allegheny Mountains at Spruce Knob and Seneca rocks present a calm ambience and offer activities such as biking, hiking, rock climbing etc. The New River Gorge Bridge, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and several other state parks are amongst different pulls to the state.
The population of the state is 1,808, 344 approximately. But most of the inhabitants move out of West Virginia to nearby advanced states in search of lucrative job offers and better future prospects.
The capital of the state is Charleston. With a total area of 84.7 square kilometers Charleston is also the largest city of West Virginia. Charleston is situated in the Kanawha Valley which is largely industrialized region that is a home to a variety of chemical plants. The city is known for the grand Capitol Building, State Museum, newly constructed Cultural Center and for hosting the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
Nearly 50 miles away from Charleston is the city of Huntington. Huntington had served as an important industrial center and Ohio River Port in early days. Today the city is famous for being the home of the famous Marshall University and the Thundering Herd.
Also important is the small city of Northern Panhandle. The city is known for being a perfect mirror to the glorious past of West Virginia. The Wheeling Island and the Oglebay Park here are popular getaways for the visitors and the local people.
The history of the West Virginia reflects the numerous ups and downs the state has faced. Prior to the European settlers the Native Americans dominated the region.
Till 1863 the region of West Virginia was a part of the state of Virginia. It was in 1863 that the inhabitants of the western counties decided to have an independent state of their own.
As a result on 12th February the Wheeling Convention was called and demand of formation of a new state was met. On 26th March 1863 the revised constitution of the state was adopted.
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