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The Regions of the United States | Facts & Statistics

South Carolina, the "Palmetto State"
Abbreviation:
SC

South Carolina Flag
State Flag
South Carolina Seal
State Seal

South Carolina is the southern portion of the original 1629 land grant made by England's King Charles I, which was named in his honor (Carolus is Latin for Charles). Settled by the English in 1670, South Carolina was based on a plantation culture with an aristocratic, wealthy society that was dependent on black slave labor. One of the original 13 colonies, South Carolina was first formed in 1729 when the Carolina colony was divided in two to form North and South Carolina. The attack on Fort Sumter in the Charleston harbor launched the Civil War. Today, South Carolina is a growing research center and banking state. South Carolina has retained many features of the South of pre-Civil War days. Graceful buildings, erected before the war, stand in Charleston, Beaufort and other cities. Large plantations, which were once the backbone of the South's economy, still remain in parts of South Carolina. The state's mountains, seashores and historic sites make the state an ideal vacationland.

South Carolina ist der südliche Teil der Landzuteilung von 1629 durch den englischen König Charles I, zu dessen Ehren es benannt wurde (Carolus ist lateinisch für Charles). Von den Engländern 1670 besiedelt, gründete sich South Carolina auf eine Plantagenkultur, mit einer aristokratischen und reichen Gesellschaft, die von Sklavenarbeit abhängig war. Eine der ersten 13 Kolonien, entstand South Carolina 1729, als die Carolina Kolonie in die beiden Teile North und South Carolina aufgeteilt wrude. Der Angriff auf Fort Sumter im Hafen von Charleston führte zum Ausbruch des Bürgerkrieges. Heute ist South Carolina ein wachsendes Forschungs- und Bankenzentrum. South Carolina hat sich viele Eigenheiten aus der Zeit vor dem Bürgerkrieg erhalten. In Charleston, Beaufort und anderen Städten stehen elegante Gebäude, die vor dem Krieg errichtet wurden. Große Plantagen, einst das Rückgrad der Wirtschaft des Südens, findet man noch in einigen Teilen South Carolinas. Mit seinen Bergen, Küsten und historischen Stätten ist South Carolina ein beliebtes Urlaubsziel.

GOVERNMENT
Capital:
Columbia
Governor: Mark Sanford, R (to Jan. 2011)
Senators: Jim DeMint, R (to Jan. 2011); Lindsey Graham, R (to Jan. 2015)
House of Representatives: 6 districts |
Search by zip code

STATISTICS
Population (July 2005):
4,255,000; National Rank: 25; Percent change since April 2000: 6.1%
Land Area: 30,111 sq mi. (77,988 sq km); National Rank:
40
10 largest cities (2005 est):
Columbia, 117,088; Charleston, 106,712; North Charleston, 86,313; Rock Hill, 59,554; Mount Pleasant, 57,932; Greenville, 56,676; Sumter, 39,679; Spartanburg, 38,379; Summerville, 37,714; Hilton Head Island, 34,497

ECONOMY
Total Gross State Product 2005 prel. (billions of current dollars): 139.8
Per Capita Personal Income 2005:
$28,352; National Rank: 43
State Exports 2005 (millions of dollars):
13,944; National Rank: 21
Agriculture:
Tobacco, poultry, cattle, dairy products, soybeans, hogs.
Industry: Textile goods, chemical products, paper products, machinery, tourism.

Government
·
State of South Carolina Official Homepage
· Project VoteSmart
·
State and Local Government on the Internet (Piper Resources)

Statistics
· South Carolina Profile - Fedstats
· U.S. Census Bureau: 2000 Data for the State of South Carolina
· U.S. Census Bureau: State Data Centers: South Carolina

Economy
· South Carolina - Regional Accounts Data (Bureau of Economic Analysis, DoC)

Background
· 50States.com
·
InfoPlease
· Wikipedia.de: South Carolina

 

Travel
·
State Tourist Office
· South Carolina State Trails Program (South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism)

For High School Students
· ClassBrain.com: State Report
· Explore the States
· Stately Knowledge

Teacher Resources
·
ProTeacher: Lessons by State: South Carolina

Link Lists
· GovEngine.com: Federal, State & Local Government Site
· South Carolina (Google)
· South Carolina (Yahoo)

 
Texts are abridged from U.S. State Department IIP publications and other U.S. government materials.
 
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Updated: January 2009