WV

Geography & Places abbreviation · US State

WV
Stands forWest Virginia
CategoriesGeography & Places

WV stands for West Virginia, a US state abbreviation.

The Mountain State split from Virginia during the Civil War and was admitted on June 20, 1863, as the 35th state. Charleston is the capital, and West Virginia is the only state lying entirely within the federally defined Appalachian region.

Example: Whitewater outfitters near Fayetteville, WV run the New River Gorge until October.

Usage notes

AP style writes W.Va. with no space; the Government Publishing Office uses W. Va. WV was assigned in 1963, and WVA or W.VA are not postal codes. Datelines always need the state because Charleston is also the largest city of South Carolina.

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