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West Virginia's relative location is in the eastern United States.
Virginia,Kentucky,Ohio,Pennsylvania,and Maryland border it.The natural borders are what make it the most oddly shaped,noncoastal
state in the Untied States.The shape of West Virginia is mostly oval,but two panhandles add variety.A panhandle
is a long,narrow stip of a larger terriotry.The eastern panhandle is bordered by Maryland on the east and north and Virginia
on the south.The northern panhandle sits between Ohio on the west and Pennsylvania on the east. Often called the "most
northern of the southern states," the northern panhandle extends farther north than Pittsburg,Pennsylvania;its southern
boundary is south of Richmond,Virginia.
West Virginia has a lot of natural boundaries,but some
of its borders were the result of minor arguments with its neighbors.West Virginia's southern and eastern
borders go along the Allegheny Mountains,while its western border is made up of rivers,such as the Ohio River,Big
Sandy River,and Tug Fork River.Part of the border with Maryland follows the flow of the Potomac River.The Fairfax Stone is
marked the westernmost edge of the land granted to Lord Fairfax by English King Charles II.From the Fairfax Stone, the boundry
runs up north to the Mason-Dixon Line,marks part of West Virginia's northern border with Pennsylvania.The line that created
the eastern boundry of the northern panhandle runs up north from the Mason-Dixon Line to the Ohio River.
Really,West Virginia is a really small state that
has 24,231 square miles.The state is ranked 41st of the 50 states in size. From east to west its longest width is
266 miles,and its longest length from north to south is 237 miles.About 80% of its land is forested,although less than 1%
of its land is covered with water.
In 2000,West Virginia had a population of 1,808,344 people,while
that is an increase of about 15,000 people from the 1990 census.In 2000,West Virginia ranked 37th in the nation in population.West
Virginians enjoy the best of two worlds.The state has a quiet, countrylike environment; but,thanks to new technology
and modernday highways, West Virginians can drive to metropolitan centers in a matter of hours.
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Climate
West Virginias climate is humid continental.This means that West Virginia experiences four
different seasons a year:spring,summer,autumn,and winter.Winters are normally very cold,while summers are normally very hot.The
lowest temperature ever recorded in West Virginia was -37 degrees Fahrenheit on December 30,1917,at Lewisburg, West Virginia.
The highest temperature was 112 degrees Fahrenheit on July 10,1936, at Martinsburg, West Virginia. The average January temperature
is about 33 degrees Fahrenheit, but thats because its always winter in January. The thermometer rises to an average of 74
degrees Fahrenheit in July because in July its always summertime.Annually, the average temperature is around 54 degrees Fahrenheit.
The mountains of the state also influences temperature. The higher the elevation, the colder it is. This explanation,sometimes
referred to as vertical climate, tells why some areas of the southern part of West Virginia are really colder
than areas up north.
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