West Virginia is both the only state in the Union completely encased by the Appalachian Mountain region and it’s the state with the highest average elevation in the nation. Therefore, it should be no surprise that mining is a major part of the West Virginia economy. While dips in energy prices have brought tougher times to the state’s raw material mining industry, West Virginia remains first in the nation in coal production and exports.
In recent years, West Virginia’s economy has diversified with gains in the retail sector, logging, and construction. Other key industries with potential for job opportunities include educational services, health care, professional and business services, wholesale trade, arts and entertainment, and finance and insurance.
West Virginia has also refocused on tourism and conservation, doing its best to publicize all of the cool and interesting cave formations in the state and all of the other natural wonders created by the state's unique Appalachian weather and topography. West Virginia has over a million acres set aside for its two national forests, nine state forests, and 37 state parks. As you can probably guess, these are big tourist attractions for campers, hunters, fishing enthusiasts, and the like.
Other tourist attractions worth checking out in the Mountain State include the Berkeley Springs and Greenbrier resort areas, the Harpers Ferry and New River Gorge National River, The Greenbrier and Berkeley Springs resorts, the gorgeous and historically significant homes in the Eastern Panhandle, and the breathtaking railroad ride at Cass.
For those moving to West Virginia with thoughts of continuing their higher education, there’s a wealth of amazing universities and colleges to sift through. Some of the best include West Virginia University in Morgantown, Wheeling University in Wheeling, Marshall University in Huntington, Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Liberty University in West Liberty, and the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley.
Now that you’ve gotten a glimpse of what West Virginia is cooking up, it’s time to boost your trivia cache with a peek at the various living and inanimate symbols of the Mountain State:
West Virginia is a unique and beautiful state which requires a reliable vehicle to experience it for all its worth. Shipping your vehicle with Nexus Auto Transport is your ticket to the best food, attractions, shopping, and entertainment in The Mountain State.
