West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia is located in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north, Maryland and Virginia to the east, and Kentucky and Ohio to the west. The state has a northern panhandle between Pennsylvania and Ohio and an eastern panhandle between Maryland and Virginia. West Virginia is a small state with an irregular oval shape, rivers and mountains form the state's irregularly shaped borders. West Virginia has the highest mean elevation of any state east of the Mississippi River. The state also has an extremely rugged terrain. West Virginia's landscape includes rivers, mountain ridges and steep and rolling hills. The Appalachian Mountains cover the entire state. The capital and largest city is Charleston.

Since rugged terrain and mountainous landscape have made farming difficult, West Virginia is not a leading agricultural state. The state does have a large manufacturing industry because of its rich mineral deposits and natural resources. Chemical production, centered in the Charleston area, is West Virginia's most important industry. West Virginia's mineral deposits and natural resources include oil, natural gas, timber, clay, limestone, salt, and sand. The state is known for its production of fine glass and its northern panhandle has an important steel industry. Coal deposits can be found under about two-thirds of West Virginia's land, making it one of the leading producers of soft coal in the country.

West Virginia is famous for its high-quality and affordable higher education and its safe and friendly environment. West Virginia hosted over 2500 international students last year alone. Some of the state’s notable schools include West Virginia University, Marshall University, Fairmont State University and Shepherd University.

List of colleges and universities in West Virginia

Official Website of the State of West Virginia

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