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Located in the Southeastern region of the U.S., Virginia ranks 35th largest among the states in total
area at 42,769 square miles (110,771 square kilometers or 11,077,120 hectares). The state contains
39,598 square miles (102,558 square kilometers or 10,255,835 hectares) of land, whereas 3,171 square
miles (8,213 square kilometers or 821,285 hectares) are covered by water. Virginia is bordered by
Maryland and West Virginia to the north, Tennessee and North Carolina to the south, to the east by
Maryland and the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by Kentucky and West Virginia.
The Old Dominion is a mostly triangle-shaped state and is the most northern of the Southern states.
Virginia is comprised of five diverse physiogeographic regions: the Atlantic Coastal Plain, also
called the Tidewater, a flat and swampy region with tidal rivers, which runs north to south along the
shore of the Atlantic Ocean, and which is divided by the Chesapeake Bay; the Piedmont, the largest
region, with fertile, rolling plains, rivers, and streams; the Blue Ridge, west of the Piedmont,
comprised of the Appalachian Mountains and the state's highest peaks; the Appalachian Ridge and Valley
region, stretching southwest to northeast and containing the Great Valley, a series of valleys divided
by mountains, such as the Shenandoah Valley; and the Appalachian Plateau of southwestern Virginia, a
forested region of rivers and streams with an average elevation of 2,000 feet (0.6 kilometers) above
sea level. The Old Dominion's highest point is Mt. Rogers, at 5,729 feet (1.7 kilometers) above sea
level. Major rivers in Virginia include the Potomac, Rappahannock, York, James, and Shenandoah Rivers.
Major lakes include the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Lake Moomaw, the John H. Kerr Reservoir, the
John W. Flannagan Reservoir, Pound Lake, and Philpott Lake. Numerous caverns lie under central and
western portions of the state.
Virginia's climate is mild in general, described as humid coastal to the east and humid continental
to the west. The state's climate is considered diverse, however, with five different climate regions
including the Tidewater, Piedmont, Northern Virginia, Western Mountain, and Southwestern Mountain
regions. Additional microclimates exist as well. Generally the more coastal regions are milder, with
mountainous western regions experiencing more extreme weather. Major climatic influences to Virginia
include the Atlantic Ocean, the warm Gulf Stream in the ocean along the coast, and air masses moving
generally west to east. Altitude also plays an important role; with elevations ranging from sea level
to over 5,000 feet (1.5 kilometers), the topographic diversity creates widely varying weather scenarios.
Virginia generally experiences an average July high temperature of 75 degrees F (24 degrees C) and an
average January temperature of 36 degrees F (2.2 degrees C). Summers can bring stifling humidity. The
average yearly precipitation ranges around 43 inches (109 centimeters), although this varies widely
across the state, with southwestern Virginia receiving over 60 inches (152 centimeters) of precipitation
and the Shenandoah Valley receiving approximately 33 inches (84 centimeters). The New River and
Shenandoah River Valleys lie within the rain shadow of the Appalachian Mountains, resulting in drier
terrain. The Old Dominion experiences many thunderstorms, heavy winter snows to the Piedmont and
mountainous region, and is occasionally at risk for tropical storms and hurricanes.
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