Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as
SWVA, is a mountainous region of
Virginia in the westernmost part of the
commonwealth. It is a distinctive cultural region known for its craft, music and natural beauty. Southwest Virginia has been defined alternatively as all Virginia counties on the
Appalachian Plateau, all Virginia counties west of the
Eastern Continental Divide, or at its greatest expanse, as far east as
Blacksburg and
Roanoke. Another geographic categorization of the region places it as those counties within the
Tennessee River watershed. Regardless of how borders are drawn, Southwest Virginia differs from the rest of the commonwealth in that its culture is more closely associated with
Appalachia than the other regions of Virginia. Historically, the region has been and remains rural, but in the 20th century,
coal mining became an important part of its economy. With the decline in the number of coal jobs and the decline of tobacco as a cash crop, Southwest Virginia is increasingly turning to tourism as a source of economic development. Collectively, Southwest Virginia's craft, music, agritourism and outdoor recreation are referred to as the region's "creative economy."