Ohio
Buckeye State · Capital: Columbus · Midwest (Midwest Rust)
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Bordering states: Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania.
About Ohio
Ohio lies between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, bordered by Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. A line from just west of Cincinnati to East Liverpool marks where the ice sheet stopped: to the north and west lie flat glacial till plains of corn and soybeans, to the south and east the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau of steep hollows and sandstone cliffs. The state spans only 1,093 feet of relief, from 455 feet on the Ohio River to 1,548 feet at Campbell Hill. The southern boundary follows the river's northern low-water mark of 1792, so Ohio owns none of the river.
Adena people raised burial mounds from about 800 BCE, and their Hopewell successors built geometric earthworks such as the Octagon at Newark; eight of these sites became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 banned slavery north of the Ohio River. Ohio became the 17th state on 1 March 1803, although Congress passed no formal admission until 1953. The state gave the Union Grant and Sherman, and in 1870 John D. Rockefeller formed Standard Oil from Cleveland's refineries. The Cuyahoga River fire of 1969 helped bring about the Environmental Protection Agency, while the 1977 closure of Youngstown's Campbell Works began the collapse of the Mahoning valley's steel mills.
The 2020 census counted 11,799,448 people, up 2.3% from 2010, at 288.8 residents per square mile; the state lost a House seat and now holds 15. Columbus is both the capital and the largest city. Honda began building Accords at Marysville in 1982, the first Japanese car assembly in the United States. Seven presidents were born in Ohio, from Ulysses Grant to Warren Harding, as were Neil Armstrong and Toni Morrison, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature. The Buckeye State's swallowtail flag, adopted in 1902, is the only state flag that is not a rectangle.
4 fun facts about Ohio
- Ohio claims eight US presidents by counting the Virginia-born William Henry Harrison, and shares the "mother of presidents" nickname with Virginia.
- The Wright brothers grew up in Dayton and perfected their airplane at Huffman Prairie, near the city, in 1904 and 1905.
- Cleveland hosts the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame partly because local DJ Alan Freed popularized the term "rock and roll" in the early 1950s.
- Ohio's nickname comes from the buckeye tree, whose nuts vaguely resemble a buck's eye.
More about Ohio
Frequently asked questions about Ohio
Is Ohio a US state?
Yes, Ohio is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1803, making it the 17th state. Its capital is Columbus and its largest city is Columbus.
What is the capital of Ohio?
The capital of Ohio is Columbus.
When did Ohio become a state?
Ohio became a US state in 1803. It is the 17th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Ohio?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Ohio is OH.
How big is Ohio?
Ohio ranks #34 of 50 US states by area. With 288.8 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 10th most densely populated state.
What is the population of Ohio?
Ohio had 11,799,448 residents at the 2020 census, the 7th largest population of the 50 states, up 2.3% since 2010. That count gives it 15 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Ohio in?
Ohio is in the Midwest region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Ohio in?
Ohio observes Eastern Time.
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How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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