West Virginia
a State in the South Atlantic Division of the North American Union; bounded by Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio; admitted to the Union, June 19, 1863; capital, Charleston; number of counties, 55; area, 24,170 square miles.
Pop. (1890) 762,794; (1900) 958,800; (1910) 1,221,119; (1920) 1,463,701.
Topography. The State is hilly and mountainous. The Allegheny Mountains form the Virginia boundary line. A con- Wismar, and a sum equal equal to $3,750,000; :tinuation of the Cumberland Mountains Brandenburg, Mecklenburg, Hanover, of Tennessee crosses the State about 20 and Brunswick were compensated by the secularization of numerous ecclesiastical foundations. The independence of the United Provinces was recognized by Spain, and that of Switzerland by the empire. See THIRTY YEARS' WAR.