West Virginia is located in the mid-Atlantic United States, with its state capital located in Charleston. West Virginia has 55 counties and is bordered by Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky.

Among the 50 states, West Virginia ranks 41st in size, covering 24,231 square miles. According to the 2000 Census, West Virginia ranks 37th in population size with 1,808,344 residents, and the state's population is projected to increase by just 0.9 percent by 2010. The greatest percentage of the state's population (11%) is found in Kanawha County, which includes Charleston, the state's largest city. An analysis of county population projections indicates that 42 counties are projected to experience a decline in population by 2010, including Kanawha County, which is projected to decrease in population by 6 percent.