Editing Botetourt County, Virginia (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|546|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|541|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|4.7|sqmi}} (0.9%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The [[Blue Ridge Mountains]] run along the eastern part of the county, while the [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians]] run along the western portion. The two mountain ranges come close together, separated by the town of Buchanan and the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]].

The James River originates in Botetourt County, near the village of [[Iron Gate, Virginia|Iron Gate]], just south of the Alleghany County line and near the merger of the [[Cowpasture River]] and the [[Jackson River (Virginia)|Jackson River]]. The James River runs south until [[Eagle Rock, Virginia|Eagle Rock]], where it turns east and meanders through the county, passing [[Springwood, Virginia|Springwood]] and [[James River High School (Buchanan, Virginia)|James River High School]] until entering [[Buchanan, Virginia|Buchanan]]. In Buchanan, the river turns northward and flows into Rockbridge County towards [[Glasgow, Virginia|Glasgow]].

Botetourt County is a part of the [[Roanoke, VA MSA|Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area]], and the southern parts of the county have become increasingly suburban in recent decades. Much of the area's former farmland and orchards have been developed into residential subdivisions and businesses.

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Roanoke County, Virginia]] - southwest
*[[Craig County, Virginia]] - west
*[[Alleghany County, Virginia]] - northwest
*[[Rockbridge County, Virginia]] - northeast
*[[Bedford County, Virginia]] - southeast

===National protected areas===
* [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] (part)
* [[George Washington National Forest]] (part)
* [[Jefferson National Forest]] (part)

===Major highways===
*{{Jct|state=VA|I|81}}
*{{Jct|state=VA|US|11}}
*{{Jct|state=VA|US|220}}
*{{Jct|state=VA|US|221}}
*{{Jct|state=VA|US|460}}
*{{Jct|state=VA|SR|43}}