West Virginia became the 35th state on June 20th 1863. West Virginia is commonly known as the "Mountain State" due to the fact that the Appalachian Mountains run through the state.
Origin of state's name: West Virginia got its name from the British virgin Queen Elizabeth I
Capital City
The capital of West Virginia is Charleston and the state is surrounded by several other states including Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Population
The population of West Virginia is in excess of 1.8 million people based on the last census in 2000.
Driving
Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, Driver's manuals and testing locations can all be found on the West Virginia Department of Transportation website under the Motor Vehicle section.
http://www.wvdot.com/6_motorists/dmv/6G_DMV.HTM
Economy
The economy of West Virginia is driven by a diverse range of industries including cattle and dairy farming, fruit and tobacco growing, lumbar production and related industries including furniture and paper production. Mining is also a big industry in this state.
State Bird: The state bird is the Cardinal known for its robustness and distinctly colored plumage. The Cardinal is also the state bird for Illinois, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Virginia.
State Flower: The state flower is the Rhododendron or Rhododendron maximum which has rich dark green waxy leaves and beautiful delicate pink or white flowers.
State Song: The state song of West Virginia is "The West Virginia Mills" by E. King which the praises on this great state.
State Motto: The state motto is "Mountaineers are always free"