Joel Krallinger, age 9, of Willow Street, Penn., for his question:
WHY IS WEST VIRGINIA IN THE EAST?
In the Appalachian highlands, in some of the most rugged land found in the United States, is the fine state of West Virginia. You'll find no large areas of level ground here, except for strips of valley land along the larger rivers. Mountain chains cover the eastern section while steep hills and narrow valleys make up the region to the west of the mountains.
Because of its name, you might think that West Virginia is located in the western part of the United States. A look at a map, however, will show you that it is a southern state located in the eastern quarter of the country.
West Virginia received its name because it was to the west of the state of Virginia.
West Virginia was actually part of Virginia until the Civil War. When Virginia joined the Confederate States in 1861, the people of the western counties decided to remain loyal to the Union and they formed their own government.
West Virginia became a separate state on June 20, in 1863. It was the 35th state in the nation.
Coal deposits lie under about half of the state's land and West Virginia ranks second only to Kentucky in U.S. coal production. In addition to coal, the mineral resources include vast deposits of clay, natural gas, limestone and petroleum.
The Ohio River forms the western border of West Virginia, and here you'll find a number of important industrial cities.
Charleston is the state's capital and is located in the Kanawha Valley. The area is famous as a manufacturing center for metal products and chemicals.
West Virginia is 34th among the states in population, with a population estimated at more than 1.8 million. Thirty nine percent of the citizens live in cities and 61 percent make their homes in the rural sections. The density of the state shows that 72 persons live on every square mile of land.
West Virginia's chief agricultural products include apples, beef cattle, broilers, eggs, hogs, tobacco and turkeys.
West Virginia's state motto is Montani Semper Liberi, which means "Mountaineers Are Always Free."
The cardinal is West Virginia's state bird, while the rhododendron is the official flower. The state's tree is the sugar maple.