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• West Virginia was admitted into the Union, after it broke away from Virginia during the American Civil War, in 1863. Although the northern region of West Virginia extends so far north that it is adjacent with Pennsylvania and Ohio, the Census Bureau considers the state in the south, because most of the state is positioned below the Mason Dixon line.

• Fast Facts:

  1. Capital: Charleston
  2. Governor: Joe Manchin IIIECS.org: West Virginia Profile
  3. Senators: Robert C. Byrd and John RockefellerUS Senate Senators: West Virginia Senators
  4. Population (2006 estimate): 1,818,470US Census Bureau: West Virginia QuickFacts
  5. Land area, 2000 (square miles): 24,077.73US Census Bureau: West Virginia QuickFacts
  6. Admitted: June 20, 1863 (35th State)
  7. Time zones: Eastern: UTC-5/-4
  8. Major cities: Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg
  9. Official state items: Black Bear (animal), Northern Cardinal (bird), Brook Trout (fish),Sugar Maple (Tree)
  10. Time zone: Eastern

• Economy

  Noted for its scenic qualities, West Virginia is primarily a logging and coal mining community. In 2006 the state had a GDP of $55.6 billion and had a growth rate that was among the lowest in the nation, at 0.6%. The industry that dominates the economy is that of coal and coal related products. The agriculture and recent oil drilling have been stinted due to restricted resources available to the industries.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  United States | 2008 West Virginia Convention | Vacation | Ohio Valley University | West Virginia Election Results | West Virginia Exit Polls

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