Map of South Carolina which lies in the southeastern region of the USA
| State | South Carolina |
| State Capital | Columbia |
| Largest City | Charleston |
| Coordinates | 34°N 81°W |
| Nickname(s) | “The Palmetto State” |
| Postal Abbreviation | SC |
| Area | 32,020 sq. mi (82,932 sq. km) |
| Highest Point | Sassafras Mountain, 3,560 ft (1,085 m) |
| Neighboring States | North Carolina, Georgia |
| Number of Counties | 46 |
| Population | 5,148,714 (2019) |
| Date of Entering the Union | May 23, 1788 |
| State Anthem | “Carolina”; “South Carolina On My Mind” |
| Governor | Henry McMaster (Republican) |
| Lieutenant Governor | Pamela Evette (Republican) |
| U.S. senators | Lindsey Graham (Republican), Tim Scott (Republican) |
| U.S. House Delegation | 5 Republicans, 2 Democrats |
| GDP (millions of dollars) | 249,958 |
| Demonym | South Carolinian |
| Time Zones | UTC−05:00 (Eastern), Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
South Carolina (SC), on May 23, 1788, became the 8th state of the USA. SC lies on the southeastern seaboard abutting the Atlantic Ocean. It has North Carolina in the north and Georgia to the southwest. Columbia, the capital city, is in the middle of the state.
South Carolina is a small state when it comes to the area; it ranks 40th among 50 states. The state of SC has a total area of 32,020 sq. Miles (82,932 sq. km), of which land is 30,109 Sq. Miles (77,982 sq. km), and 1,911 Sq. Miles (4,949 sq. km) is water. Water bodies constitute 6% of the total area.
The state’s prominent rivers are Little River, Pee Dee River, Sampit River, Black River, Black Mingo Creek, Little Pee Dee River, Lumber River. The Savannah River is the longest. Its length is around 301 miles. All rivers of the state drain to the Atlantic Ocean.
The mean elevation of the state is 350 ft (110 m). The highest point is Sassafras Mountain at 3,560 ft (1,085 m), while the lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean at 0 ft (0 m).
The three most significant topographical features of the state include the Atlantic coastal plain, Piedmont, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The state has several fabulous mountains like Sassafras Mountain, Pinnacle Mountain, Plumley Mountain, Joes Mountain, Glassy Mountain, Little Mountain, etc.
South Carolina terrain mostly consists of forests. At present, the forest covers 67 percent or 13 million acres of land in the state. Prominent forests in the state are Harbison State Forest, Sand Hills State Forest, Manchester State Forest, Wee Tee State Forest, Poe Creek State Forest, Sumter National Forest, etc.
The state is home to several species include Bats, Beavers, Black Bears, Bobcat, Coyote, Deer, Gray fox, Long-tailed weasel, and many more. Several lovely birds are also spotted in South Carolina, including Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Mourning Dove, Tufted Titmouse, American Crow, etc.
Sabal Palm is the official state tree of South Carolina, while Yellow jessamine is the state’s flower. Besides this, Whitetail Deer is designated as the state animal of South Carolina, and Carolina Wren was adopted as the state bird.
The state has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and short mild winters. Spring and autumn are the pleasant seasons of South Carolina. January and July are the coldest and warmest months, respectively. Thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes that occur in South Carolina during the spring.
The average day temperature of the state during summer remains above 90°F (32.2°C), but night temperature varies between 66°F (18.9°C) to 75°F (23.9°C). The average day temperature during winter in the state remains in the range of 58°F (14.4°C) to 62°F (16.7°C) while the mercury at night dips 38°F (3.3°C) to 42°F (5.6°C) along the coast. The state experiences an average annual rainfall between 45 inches (1143mm) to 80 inches (2032mm). Snowfall is rare in South Carolina. The state receives 2750 hours of sunshine annually.
Agriculture had played a pivotal role in its economy during the first half of the 20th century. But it made rapid progress in the manufacturing and service sectors and left agriculture behind in its economic development. Despite this, the agriculture sector still plays a vital role in the economy.
Cotton and cottonseed are the top field crops. Besides these, soybeans, peanuts, corn, and tobacco are other prominent crops harvested in South Carolina.
The state is famous for the production of broilers, turkeys, greenhouse nurseries, cattle, and eggs, and many more.
It has made significant progress in the industrial sector. It is home to several innovative companies in the aerospace, agribusiness, automotive, manufacturing and technology industries, distribution & logistics industry.
The state is a significant producer of chemicals, rubber, plastics, machinery, paper, metal products, computers, and electronic products.
The total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state was the US $ 246,308.9 in 2019, while the per capita personal income in South Carolina was 45,314 US dollars in 2019.
The transportation network in the state is superb. The Department of Transportation (SCDOT) maintains the state highways in South Carolina. It is a part of the South Carolina State Highway System.
The state has several primary and auxiliary interstate highways such as I-85, I-26, I-77, I-95 I-20, 1-126, 1-185, 1-326, and so on.
Various railroads operate in the state. Major freight carriers in the state are Aiken Railway (AIKR), Carolina Piedmont Railroad (CPDR), CSX Transportation (CSXT), East Cooper and Berkeley Railroad (ECBR), etc.
The state is well connected by airline network from the rest of the country. It has several airports. The Prominent airports in the state are Charleston International Airport / Charleston AFB, Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Florence Regional Airport, Greenville- Spartanburg International Airport (Roger Milliken Field), and many more.
The name “South Carolina” was derived from King Charles I and King Charles II of England. The world Carolina emerged from the Latin word Carolinus. Charles 1 of England, who first settled the English colony.
Why is South Carolina Called “The Palmetto State”?
The state is officially known as “The Palmetto State” because the state had seen various battles during the American Revolution and the Civil War. Therefore the state most probably got this nickname “The Palmetto State” during the Revolutionary War. Colonists at Fort Moultrie defeated the British fleet near Charleston in 1776 and built a small fort from palmetto trees’ wood.
The state is famous for some other nicknames such as “The Rice State,” “The Swamp State,” “The Iodine State.”
Tourists eager to see fabulous beaches, fascinating museums, zoos, and breathtaking gardens should plan to visit South Carolina.
Some prominent spots to visit in the state are Congaree National Park, Charleston’s Historic District, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Plantations, Hilton Head Island, Fort Sumter, and Charleston Harbor, Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Caesars Head State Park, Greenville Zoo and many more. Therefore visitors must think of visiting South Carolina at least once in their lifetime to get full enjoyment and relaxation.
1.South Carolina housed many Native American tribes. The Cherokee, Yamasee and Catawba were the prominent ones amongst these.
2.South Carolina is part of the Eastern Time zone.
3.The palmetto tree is a crucial symbol for South Carolina. It has been so since the American Revolutionary War.
4.There are certain cities of South Carolina that are named Coward, Welcome and South of the Border.
5.South Carolina shares common borders with North Carolina and Georgia. It is also encircled by Atlantic Ocean.
6.Richland is at a distance of 13 miles from Columbia and lies to its southeast. It is exactly at the heart of South Carolina.
7.South Carolina is the place of origin of Vanna White.
8.At Fort Sumter in 1861 the earliest battle of the American Civil War was fought.
9.The official soil of South Carolina is Lynchburg.
10.It was in 1729 that North Carolina and South Carolina came into existence.
11.The earliest symphony orchestra of USA was staged in 1767. It was named Saint Cecilia Society.
12.South Carolina’s earliest flag had a blue backdrop and a semi-circular moon on it.
13.Francisco de Gordillo traveled around the South Carolinian shoreline in 1521.
14.In 1629 Sir Robert Heath received a portion of land from King Charles I. It was on this site that Carolina later came to be built.
15.On 23rd May in 1789 South Carolina attained statehood.
16.In 1730, approximately 66.67% of South Carolinians were of African-American origin.
17.Albemarle Point in South Carolina is located on the banks of River Ashley. This is the area that the English first settled in when they arrived in the region.
18.South Carolina is the 40th biggest state in USA. Its aggregate area is 31,189 square miles.
19.The original society of South Carolina can be described as a rich, powerful and noble one.
20.The Shag is the officially recognized dance form in South Carolina.
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