The topography of Virginia shifts dramatically from sea level on the Atlantic coast to rugged mountain peaks in the west. The eastern coastal plain (Tidewater) is generally flat, heavily intersected by tidal estuaries and major rivers like the James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac.
West of the Atlantic Seaboard fall line lies the Piedmont region, characterized by rolling hills that gradually increase in elevation. Further west, the Blue Ridge Mountains rise steeply, featuring Mount Rogers, the highest point in the state at 5,729 feet (1,746 meters).
Beyond the Blue Ridge is the Ridge and Valley region, renowned for the fertile Shenandoah Valley and characterized by parallel ridges and deep valleys. Finally, the extreme southwestern tip of the state forms part of the Appalachian Plateau, a rugged and deeply dissected terrain containing the state's major coal seams.