Oklahoma
Sooner State · Capital: Oklahoma City · South (Plains)
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Bordering states: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico.
About Oklahoma
Oklahoma lies on the southern plains between Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico; it reaches the last two only through the Panhandle, a strip about 34 miles deep. The land tilts from Black Mesa, 4,975 feet high in the far west, down to 289 feet on the Little River at the Arkansas line. Four upland areas break the plains: the Wichita, Arbuckle and Ouachita mountains and the Ozark Plateau. Yearly rainfall drops from more than 55 inches in the southeast to under 17 in the western Panhandle, so pine forest gives way to tallgrass and then shortgrass prairie. The state has more than 200 artificial lakes and sits in Tornado Alley.
Between the 1830s and the 1880s more than sixty tribes were resettled in Indian Territory, among them the Choctaw, Muscogee, Chickasaw, Cherokee and Seminole, who rebuilt constitutional governments after removals on which thousands died. On April 22, 1889 roughly 50,000 people raced into the Unassigned Lands; those who crossed early were called sooners, the origin of the state's nickname. Tribal land was broken into allotments, and Oklahoma and Indian territories entered together as the 46th state on November 16, 1907. Oil, struck near Bartlesville in 1897 and at Glenn Pool near Tulsa in 1905, had already started a boom. Then came the burning of Tulsa's Greenwood district in 1921 and the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.
The 2020 census counted 3,959,353 Oklahomans, up 5.5% from 2010, enough for five House seats. Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city. Thirty-nine federally recognized tribal nations are headquartered in the state, and the 2020 Supreme Court ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma left much of the east, including most of Tulsa, as Indian country under federal criminal law. Well-known Oklahomans include Will Rogers, born in the Cherokee Nation in 1879, the Olympic champion Jim Thorpe, the singer Woody Guthrie and Wilma Mankiller, the first woman to lead the Cherokee Nation as principal chief.
4 fun facts about Oklahoma
- Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state (over 200).
- Much of the state was settled in a literal race, the Land Run of 1889, when settlers dashed from the border to claim plots.
- The 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in US history.
- Garth Brooks, Brad Pitt, and Reba McEntire are all from Oklahoma.
More about Oklahoma
Oklahoma geography and climate
Frequently asked questions about Oklahoma
Is Oklahoma a US state?
Yes, Oklahoma is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1907, making it the 46th state. Its capital is Oklahoma City and its largest city is Oklahoma City.
What is the capital of Oklahoma?
The capital of Oklahoma is Oklahoma City.
When did Oklahoma become a state?
Oklahoma became a US state in 1907. It is the 46th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Oklahoma?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Oklahoma is OK.
How big is Oklahoma?
Oklahoma ranks #20 of 50 US states by area. With 57.7 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 35th most densely populated state.
What is the population of Oklahoma?
Oklahoma had 3,959,353 residents at the 2020 census, the 28th largest population of the 50 states, up 5.5% since 2010. That count gives it 5 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Oklahoma in?
Oklahoma is in the South region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Oklahoma in?
Oklahoma observes Central Time.
Learn more
How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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