Appalachia

Region of eastern USA, corresponding roughly to the area covered by the Appalachian Mountains. Stretching from the Gulf of St Lawrence to central Alabama, the region consists of 373 counties in 13 states, and is isolated and physically fragmented.

The US government defined the area in its Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965, which was designed to give assistance to the area following the sharp decline in employment in coal mining, which took place in the 1950s. A regional commission undertook the building of new roads, which have reduced the region's isolation and enabled the population to seek work elsewhere. Development of the timber and extractive industries continue to have a deleterious effect on the natural environment.

Appalachia

Variations for orchestra with chorus by Delius, composed in 1902, first performed at Elberfeld, on 15 October 1904; its first London performance was on 22 November 1907. The title is the old American Indian name for North America; the theme is an African-American folksong.