| t |
|
West Virginia |
| t |
|
West Virginia |
Area:
|
62,758 sq km (24,231 sq
mi)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Population: |
1,904,320. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital: |
Charleston, population 56,302. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ethnic Composition: |
Caucasians 96.2%, African Americans 3.1%, Asians & Pacific Islanders 0.4%, Native Americans 0.2%, mixed 0.1%. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History:
|
The Civil War has often been referred to as a war of brother against brother and father against son. No other state serves as a better example of this than West Virginia, where there was relatively equal support for the northern and southern causes. Families were often split down the middle over their beliefs on the war. There are many instances of divided loyalties, and even of individuals fighting for both sides. During the Battle of Scary Creek, for example, a Confederate soldier supposedly saw his brothers fighting for the north, decided he was in the wrong place, and changed sides on the spot. While many historians have traditionally placed the number of Union troops enlisted in West Virginia at a much higher figure than Confederates, more recent studies suggest there were almost as many southern troops as northern. The divisions caused by the Civil War lasted long afterward. These were usually fought out in political arenas but occasionally developed into violence. Military service in the Civil War became a badge of honor, as both Union and Confederate veterans attended reunions and participated in parades well into the twentieth century. West Virginia was the only state to send relatively the same number of Union and Confederate veterans to the Battle of Gettysburg reunion, another symbol of the divided state created by the Civil War. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government:
|
West Virginia's first constitution was adopted in 1863, at the time of statehood. A second constitution went into effect in 1872. The state's chief executive, the governor, is elected for a four-year term. The governor may be reelected any number of times, but may only serve two terms consecutively. Other elected executive officials are the secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general, and commissioner of agriculture. All are elected for four-year terms and may be elected for successive terms. There is no lieutenant governor in West Virginia. West Virginia's state legislature consists of a 34-member Senate and a 100-member House of Delegates. State senators are elected for four-year terms, and delegates are elected for two-year terms. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview:
|
West Virginia is a state of the eastern United States in the very heart of the Appalachian Highlands, and its predominantly mountainous terrain and picturesque scenery have led to its nickname as the Mountain State. West Virginia's unusually irregular boundaries, formed largely by rivers and mountains, give it the shape of a large pan with two handles, one in the north and one in the east, and it is sometimes called the Panhandle State. Plagued for many years by economic stagnation, West Virginia has recently attempted to diversify its industrial activity, yet the state still remains one of the poorest in the United States. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language: |
100% English. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| People:
|
West Virginia is among the second least urbanized states, with only 36 percent of its inhabitants living in cities or towns. The pioneer stock of West Virginia was largely Scots-Irish, German, and English, along with a few blacks. After the Civil War, many blacks left the South for jobs in the coal mines of West Virginia. The coal, lumber, and manufacturing industries also drew immigrants from Italy, Poland, Hungary, and Germany. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion: |
Baptists, Methodists, Roman Catholics, and Presbyterians. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literacy: |
100%. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Life
Expectancy: |
76 Years. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Per Capita
Income: |
$27,200. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency: |
U.S. Dollar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time
Zone: |
International Time Zone +5. Eastern Time Zone, United States. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temperature
Range:
|
Average Air Temperature In Fahrenheit
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Phone
Code: |
Area code 304 throughout entire state. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electricity: |
110 volts AC, 60 Mz. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Measurements: |
British Imperial. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Economy: |
Restaurant/tourism, wholesale/retail, government, manufacturing, construction, transportation, finance, mining, and farming. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major Trading
Partners: |
Canada, Japan, Belgium, Germany, Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Britain, and The Netherlands. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passport/Visa
Requirements: |
Canadians need only show proof of citizenship, and travelers from Austria, Denmark, Belgium, New Zealand, Japan, Finland, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Switzerland can stay up to 90 days without a visa. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Customs: |
Restricted/prohibited merchandise: Cuban cigars, alcohol and tobacco, food/plant products, fish/wildlife products, medicines and narcotics, and biological materials. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Health: |
Information unavailable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Safety: |
Health risks are eptospirosis and sunburn. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transportation: |
Air, trains, busses, taxis, and car rentals. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Business
Hours: |
Shops are generally open from 9 AM to 8 PM, Monday thru Saturday. Some shops open on Sunday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Banking
Information: |
Banks are generally open from 9 AM to 6 PM, Monday thru Friday. Some banks open for four hours on Saturday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Special
Events:
|
Each August, Lewisburg hosts the West Virginia State Fair which includes traditional events as well as live music. The West Virginia State Folk Festival, in Glenville, and Summersville's Bluegrass Country Music Festival draw music lovers from all around in the summer months. Civil War Weekend at Summersville is celebrated with a reenactment of the Battle of Carnifex Ferry and living history demonstrations. Two popular events held in Charleston each year are the Vandalia Gathering, celebrating the state's multiple heritages, during the Memorial Day holiday, and the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, held during the Labor Day holiday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Activities: |
West Virginia's beautiful mountain areas offer fine recreational opportunities. Favorite sports include fishing and hunting. The state also has winter sports such as skiing, tobogganing, and ice skating. Mineral springs, principally those at White Sulphur Springs and Berkeley Springs, have attracted visitors since colonial times. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shopping: |
West Virginia has tremendous shopping opportunities. Simply pick an area and you'll find all kinds of stores for your shopping appetite; jewelry, designer handbags, golf equipment, perfumes, cosmetics and upscale clothing. And don't forget the antiques. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dining: |
West Virginia has literally thousands of all kinds of restaurants. There are some very enjoyable eateries where you'll find a wide variety of steaks, prime rib, ribs, chicken, fish, shrimp, lobster, crab, and other seafood specialties. Or if you prefer ethnic, you'll find Chinese, Cajun, French, Italian, Japanese, Continental, and European. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beverages: |
You'll find most international beverages served in West Virginia. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxes: |
West Virginia's sales tax is 6%. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tipping &
Bargaining: |
Tipping is generally 10% to 15%. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Driving: |
Roads in West Virginia, and the United States, are some of the best in the world. You can reach West Virginia from any state within the continental United States. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Designed and Advertised by International Vacation Homes, Inc. (310) 410-1488 Copyright © 2000 - 2001 by International Vacation Homes, Inc. All rights reserved. 9800 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Fourth Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90045-5225 |
ALMANAC
