Geology Regions
Virginia is divided into five geologic regions – the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, the Blue Ridge, the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region, and the Appalachian Plateau.


Graphic courtesy of C. M. Bailey, William & Mary Geology
Virginia is approximately 400 miles wide from east to west and 200 miles from north to south. In general, the eastern half of Virginia is flatter than the western half, and the southern half is flatter than the northern half. The highest point is Mount Rogers in the west at 5,729 feet and the lowest point is along the Atlantic beaches in the east at sea level. Its major rivers are the James River, the Potomac River, the Rappahannock River, and the Shenandoah River.
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