Geographical Facts About West Virginia
| Area | 24,231 square miles |
| Land Area | 24,087 square miles |
| Water Area | 145 square miles |
| Mean Elevation | 460 meters |
| Highest Point | Spruce Knob (1,427 meters) |
| Lowest Point | Harpers Ferry (73 meters) |
| Geographic Center | Braxton County |
General Features
West Virginia is a state located in the South Atlantic and the Appalachian region of the United States. The state is bordered on the north by Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland; on the east and south by Virginia; and on the west by Kentucky and Ohio. The geographic center of the state is located in Braxton County.
The landscape of the state can be divided in to two land divisions:
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Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region:
Extending from northeast portion of west Virginia to the eastern one-sixth of the state, is a forested area known as the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region.The area is composed of many forests, mountains, caves and underground streams. Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia, lies in this region.
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Appalachian Plateau:
The region lying to the west of the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region, is known as the Appalachian Plateau. It covers five-sixths of West Virginia. The area comprises rugged hills.
Climate of West Virginia
West Virginia has a humid sub-tropical climate with hot and humid summers while the winters are generally mild. The highest temperature recorded in West Virginia was 44ºC, on July 10, 1935 at Martinsburg. The state recorded its lowest temperature of ’38ºC, on December 30, 1917 at Lewisburg. The climate is foggy in valleys of the Kanawha section, especially the Tygart Valley. It is also one of the cloudiest states in the United States.
Mountains
West Virginia has many high mountain ranges. The highest point in the state is Spruce Knob.
The other major mountains are:
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Rivers
The major rivers in the state of West Virginia are:
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Lakes
The major lakes in the state of West Virginia are:
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