West Virginia Vacation Guide System

West Virginia Fun Facts

Capital: Charleston

State abbreviation/Postal code: W.Va./WV

Governor: Earl Ray Tomblin, D (to Jan. 2013)

Lt. Governor/Senate President: Earl Ray Tomblin, D (to Jan. 2013)

Senators: Joe Manchin III, D (to Jan. 2013); John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV, D (to Jan. 2015)

U.S. Representatives: 3

Historical biographies of Congressional members

Entered Union (rank): June 20, 1863 (35)

Present constitution adopted: 1872

Motto: Montani semper liberi (Mountaineers are always free)

State symbols:

flower	rhododendron (1903)
tree	sugar maple (1949)
bird	cardinal (1949)
animal	black bear (1973)
colors	blue and gold (official) (1863)
songs	“West Virginia, My Home Sweet Home,” “The West Virginia Hills,” and “This Is My West Virginia” (adopted by Legislature in 1947, 1961, and 1963 as official state songs)

Nickname: Mountain State

Origin of name: In honor of Elizabeth, “Virgin Queen” of England

10 largest cities (2005 est.): Charleston, 51,176; Huntington, 49,198; Parkersburg, 32,020; Wheeling, 29,639; Morgantown, 28,292; Weirton, 19,544; Fairmont, 19,049; Beckley, 16,936; Clarksburg, 16,439; Martinsburg, 15,996

Land area: 24,077 sq mi. (62,359 sq km)

Geographic center: In Braxton Co., 4 mi. E of Sutton

Number of counties: 55

Largest county by population and area: Kanawha, 193,559 (2005); Randolph, 1,040 sq mi.

State forests: 9 (79,502 ac.)

State parks: 37 (74,508 ac.)

Residents: West Virginian

2005 resident population est.: 1,816,856

2000 resident census population (rank): 1,808,344 (37). Male: 879,170 (48.6%); Female: 929,174 (51.4%). White: 1,718,777 (95.0%); Black: 57,232 (3.2%); American Indian: 3,606 (0.2%); Asian: 9,434 (0.5%); Other race: 3,107 (0.2%); Two or more races: 15,788 (0.9%); Hispanic/Latino: 12,279 (0.7%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 77.7; 65 and over: 15.3; median age: 38.9.

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