What is the capital of West Virginia?

The capital of West Virginia is Charleston, also the largest city, situated at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains.

How many people live in West Virginia?

West Virginia has a population of approximately 1.8 million people, making it the 39th most populous state in the U.S.

When was West Virginia admitted to the Union?

West Virginia was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, becoming the 35th state. It is the only state created by seceding from a Confederate state (Virginia) during the Civil War.

What is West Virginia known for?

West Virginia is known as the Mountain State, the only state entirely within the Appalachian Mountains, home to New River Gorge National Park (one of the newest national parks), Harpers Ferry (site of John Brown's raid), a coal and chemical industry heritage, world-class white-water rafting, and the first Mother's Day observance.

West Virginia: Interactive Dashboard | Interactive USA Map Portal

Quick Stats

Quick Statistics
Population	1.8M
Rank	#39
Joined	1863
Area (mi²)	24.2k

1.8MPopulation

#39Rank

1863Joined ⓘ

24.2kArea (mi²)

Map

🔍 Click map to enlarge

Seal & Motto

"Montani Semper Liberi"

Latin for "Mountaineers are always free," expressing the fierce independence of a people who broke away from Virginia rather than join the Confederacy. Adopted 1863.

Flag Meaning

Adopted in 1929, West Virginia's flag features a pure white field bordered in Union blue, framing the state coat of arms wreathed in rhododendron — the state flower.

Blue Border — Represents the Union and West Virginia's birth during the Civil War in 1863.
White Field — Symbolizes purity of civic institutions and peace.
Farmer & Miner — Stand beside a boulder inscribed "June 20, 1863," honoring agriculture and industry.

State Symbols

🐦BirdNorthern Cardinal

🌸FlowerRhododendron

🌳TreeSugar Maple

🐻AnimalBlack Bear

🐟FishBrook Trout

💎GemstoneFossil Coral

🎵Song"Take Me Home, Country Roads"

Overview

West Virginia, the 'Mountain State,' is a state of extraordinary natural beauty and quiet resilience. The only state entirely within the Appalachian Mountain range, it is a land of ancient rivers, deep coal-seam hollows, and dense hardwood forests where communities shaped by a century of mining culture have forged a character as rugged and dignified as the mountains themselves.

Geographically, it shares borders with Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky, forming a closely connected regional network.

Historical Significance

West Virginia officially joined the Union on June 20, 1863 — in the midst of the Civil War. It is the only U.S. state created as a direct result of that conflict, formed when the Unionist counties of Virginia refused to follow the state into secession. Its history is inseparable from coal — the mines that fueled America's industrial rise, the labor struggles of the United Mine Workers, and the mine disasters that mark its landscape and memory.

Famous Natives

Chuck YeagerTest PilotMyra · 1923 (First to break sound barrier)

Katherine JohnsonNASA MathematicianWhite Sulphur Springs · 1918

Jerry WestNBA LegendChelyan · 1938

Pearl S. BuckNobel LaureateHillsboro · 1892

Bill WithersSoul MusicianSlab Fork · 1938

Jennifer GarnerActressRaised in Charleston · 1972

Top Cities & Hubs

Charleston

Population: ~48,000

The state capital and largest city at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers, home to the gold-domed State Capitol designed by Cass Gilbert, a revitalizing downtown arts district, and the state's major government and commerce hub.

Huntington

Population: ~46,000

A vital Ohio River city and home to Marshall University, known for its historic Pullman Square entertainment district, major healthcare complex, and the Marshall football team's inspirational recovery from the 1970 plane crash.

Morgantown

Population: ~30,000

Home to West Virginia University, one of the region's premier research universities, a vibrant college-town culture, a cutting-edge personal rapid transit system, and a growing technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Parkersburg

Population: ~29,000

A historically important river city at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers with a rich industrial heritage in oil, chemicals, and glass manufacturing, home to Blennerhassett Island State Park.

Wheeling

Population: ~26,000

West Virginia's original capital and the northern gateway to the state, known for its beautifully restored Victorian architecture, the Wheeling Suspension Bridge (once the world's longest), and historic role as a center of trade.

How West Virginia Ranks

Compared to all 50 states — bar shows relative standing

Forest Coverage#3 of 50

~78% forested — behind only Maine and New Hampshire

Coal Production#2 of 50

Largest underground coal producer in the nation

Mean Elevation#1 East of MS

1,500 ft average — highest of any eastern state

Population#39 of 50

~1.8 million residents

Neighbors

Region🌎 South

CapitalCharleston

Additional Information

AbbreviationWV

Motto Origin

Latin for "Mountaineers are always free," expressing the fierce independence of a people who broke away from Virginia rather than join the Confederacy.

Adopted 1863.

Official WebsiteWestVirginia.gov

Key Landmarks & Economy

New River Gorge National Park: America's newest national park (designated 2020), featuring the 876-foot New River Gorge Bridge — once the world's highest steel arch bridge — and some of the best whitewater rafting and rock climbing in the eastern United States.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park: The historic town at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers where John Brown's 1859 raid on the federal arsenal helped ignite the Civil War, now a beautifully preserved 19th-century town and premier Civil War history site.

The Greenbrier Resort: A legendary luxury resort in White Sulphur Springs operating since 1778, which hosted 28 U.S. presidents and famously concealed a top-secret congressional Cold War fallout shelter for 30 years beneath its west wing.

Did You Know?

West Virginia is the only U.S. state to form by seceding from a Confederate state — its Unionist citizens refused to follow Virginia's secession in 1861 and were admitted to the Union in 1863 by Lincoln.
The New River in West Virginia is one of the oldest rivers in the world — it actually pre-dates the Appalachian Mountains that surround it, making it a "superimposed" river that carved down as the mountains rose around it.
The first Mother's Day service in the United States was held at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia on May 10, 1908, organized by Anna Jarvis to honor her mother.

West Virginia