Introduction: West Virginia Download PDF
Despite West Virginia’s mountainous terrain, agriculture made up the majority of the West Virginian economy until the twentieth century. Later, the abundance of resources such as coal, oil, natural gas, and hardwood forests fueled an industrial expansion that shifted the economy’s focus from agriculture to the extraction of natural resources. The first and second world wars triggered a boom in the manufacturing industry, which then became the dominant industry.
West Virginia’s principal manufactures today are steel, chemicals and glass. The state’s coal industry ranks second among all states and contributes 15% of the country’s total coal production. The service industry has been growing recently, though not to the extent of many other states. Within the service sector, tourism is strong featuring dozens of state parks and national forests state. However, manufacturing and mining are still the pillars of the state’s economy.
Government
Symbols
State Seal: |
State Quarter: |
Time Zones:
| Standard Time | GMT-5 | |
| Daylight-Saving Time | GMT-4 | |
Statistics
- Per Capita Real GDP :
- $24,929
- Population:
- 1,814,470
- Percent of People Under Poverty Level:
- 18%
- Per Capita Personal Income:
- $27,897
- Percent of Population with a Bachelor's Degree:
- 10.2%
- Total Exports:
- $3,972,150,000
Top 5 Export Partner Countries
Canada
Belgium
Japan
China
Brazil
Top 5 Export Merchandise
Primary Metals Sales
Chemicals Sales
Computers and Electronic Products Manufacturing
Primary Metals Manufacturing
Machinery Manufacturing
Major Cities
Charleston, Huntington
Major Airports
None
Main Ports:
None
Corporations
| Company | Fortune 1000 Rank: | Revenues ($millions) | Headquarter City |
| Wheeling Pittsburgh | 926 | 1,771 | Wheeling |