State of Oklahoma
Flag of Oklahoma Seal Nickname(s): Sooner State Motto(s): Labor omnia vincit (Latin: Labor conquers all things)
Official language(s)	None
Demonym	Oklahoman
Capital	Oklahoma City
Largest city	Oklahoma City
Area	Ranked 20th in the US
- Total	69,898 sq mi (181,196 km²)
- Width	230 miles (370 km)
- Length	298 miles (480 km)
- % water	1. The flag and banner of the US state of Oklahoma consists of a traditional Osage Nation buffalo-skin shield with seven Eagle The Great Seal of Oklahoma consists of a five-pointed star in a circle This is a list of US state nicknames, including officially adopted Nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states of the United States. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. Labor omnia vincit is a common Latin phrase, meaning "Hard work conquers all" Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The United States does not have an Official language; however the majority of the population speaks English as a native language (about 82% A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. This is a list of the largest cities of US states by population Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 8
- Latitude	33°37' N to 37° N
- Longitude	94° 26' W to 103° W
Population	Ranked 28th in the US
- Total	3,579,212 (2006 est. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the )[1]
- Density	50. This article is a list of the 50 US States ordered by Population density. 3[1]/sq mi  19. 4/km² (35th in the US)
Elevation
- Highest point	Black Mesa[2] 4,973 ft  (1,515 m)
- Mean	1,296 ft  (395 m)
- Lowest point	Little River[2] 289 ft  (88 m)
Admission to Union	November 16, 1907 (46th)
Governor	C. Brad Henry (D)
Lieutenant Governor	Jari Askins (D)
U.S. Senators	James M. Inhofe (R) Thomas A. Coburn (R)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zones
- most of state	Central: UTC-6/-5
- Kenton	Mountain: UTC-7/-6
Abbreviations	OK Okla. US-OK
Website	www.ok.gov

Oklahoma (pronounced /ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə/)^[3] is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> Black Mesa extends from Mesa de Maya in Colorado southeasterly along the north bank of the Cimarron River, crossing the northeast corner of The Little River is a Tributary of the Canadian River, 90 mi (145 km long in central Oklahoma in the United States. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of U Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry (born July 10, 1963) is the Governor of the U This is a complete and current List of United States Lieutenant Governors. Jari Askins ( April 27, 1953) is an American Lawyer and Democratic Politician from the US State of Oklahoma The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives James Mountain "Jim" Inhofe (born November 17 1934 is a American Politician from Oklahoma. Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, MD (born March 14 1948 is an American Politician and medical doctor. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses These are tables of congressional delegations from Oklahoma to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. This is a list of United States of America States by time zone The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving Daylight saving time ( DST Kenton is a small unincorporated community in Cimarron County, Oklahoma, United States. The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC-7) during the shortest days of autumn Daylight saving time ( DST The traditional abbreviations for US states and territories were widely used in mailing addresses prior to the introduction of two-letter U ISO 3166-2US is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United States of America. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The South Central United States or South Central states is a region of the United States located in the south central part of the country The United States of America —commonly referred to as the With an estimated 3,579,212 residents in 2006 and a land area of 68,667 square miles (177,847 km²),^[1] Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state. Its name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma, meaning "land of the red man",^[4] and is known informally by its nickname, The Sooner State. The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States ( Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana) Formed from Indian Territory on November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was the 46th state to enter the union. The Indian Territory, also known as The Indian Country, The Indian territory or the Indian territories, was land set aside within the United States Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Its citizens are known as Oklahomans, and the state's capital and largest city is Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma.

A major producer of natural gas, oil and food, Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation, energy, telecommunications, and biotechnology. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Biotechnology is Technology based on Biology, especially when used in Agriculture, Food science, and Medicine. ^[5] It has one of the fastest growing economies in the nation, ranking third in per capita income growth and leading in gross domestic product growth. Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' ^[6][7] Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma's primary economic anchors, with nearly 60 percent of Oklahomans living in their metropolitan statistical areas. Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced ^[8] The state holds a mixed record in education and healthcare, and its largest universities participate in the NCAA and NAIA athletic associations, while two house athletic departments rated among the most successful in American history. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations ^[9][10]

With small mountain ranges, prairie, and eastern forests, most of Oklahoma lies in the Great Plains and the U.S. Interior Highlands—a region especially prone to severe weather. Prairie, from the French prairie ("meadow" "grassland" "pasture" refers to an area of land of low topographic relief that historically The Great Plains are the broad expanse of Prairie and Steppe which lie east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada The US Interior Highlands is a mountainous region spanning eastern Oklahoma, western and northern Arkansas, southern Missouri, and the extreme southeast Severe weather is any destructive weather phenomenon. The term is usually used to refer to severe thunderstorms and related phenomena such as Tornados ^[11] With a prevalence of German, Irish, British and Native American ancestry, more than 25 Native American languages are spoken in Oklahoma, the most of any state. The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as The Irish people ( Irish: Muintir na hÉireann, na hÉireannaigh, na Gaeil) are a Western European Ethnic group who originate British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States ^[12] It is located on a confluence of three major American cultural regions and historically served as a route for cattle drives, a destination for southern settlers, and a government-sanctioned territory for Native Americans. Cultural region is a term used mainly in the study of Geography. A cattle drive is the process of moving a herd of Cattle from one place to another usually moved and herded by Cowboys on Horses Prior to the mid-19th Territories of the United States are one type of political division of the United States, administered by the U Part of the Bible Belt, widespread belief in evangelical Christianity makes it one of the most politically conservative states, though voter registration is largest in the Democratic Party. The Bible Belt is an informal term for an area of the United States of America in which socially conservative Evangelical Protestantism is a Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ^[13]

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Geography 2.1 Topography 2.2 Flora and fauna 2.3 Protected lands 2.4 Climate 3 History 4 Economy 4.1 Industry 4.2 Energy 4.3 Agriculture 5 Culture 5.1 Arts and theater 5.2 Festivals and events 6 Education 7 Sports 8 Health 9 Media 10 Transportation 11 Law and government 11.1 Branches 11.2 Local government 11.3 National politics 12 Cities and towns 13 Demographics 13.1 Religion 14 State symbols 15 See also 16 Notes 17 References 18 Further reading 19 External links

Etymology

The name Oklahoma comes from the Choctaw phrase okla humma, literally meaning red people. The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States ( Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana) Choctaw Chief Allen Wright suggested the name in 1866 during treaty negotiations with the federal government regarding the use of Indian Territory, in which he envisioned an all-Indian state controlled by the United States Superintendent of Indian Affairs. The Indian Territory, also known as The Indian Country, The Indian territory or the Indian territories, was land set aside within the United States Equivalent to the English word Indian, okla humma was a phrase in the Choctaw language used to describe the Native American race as a whole. Oklahoma later became the de-facto name for Oklahoma Territory, and it was officially approved in 1890, two years after the area was opened to white settlers. Oklahoma Territory was an Organized territory of the United States from May 2, 1890 until November 16, 1907, when ^[4][14][15]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Oklahoma

Oklahoma is the 20th-largest state in the United States, covering an area of 69,898 square miles (181,035 km²), with 68,667 square miles (177847 km²) of land and 1,231 square miles (3,188 km²) of water. ^[16] It is one of six states on the Frontier Strip, and lies partly in the Great Plains near the geographical center of the 48 contiguous states. The Frontier Strip refers to the six states in the United States forming a north-south line from North Dakota to Texas. The Great Plains are the broad expanse of Prairie and Steppe which lie east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada The term continental United States refers to the 48 contiguous states located on the North American continent south of the border with Canada plus the District It is bounded on the east by Arkansas and Missouri, on the north by Kansas, on the northwest by Colorado, on the far west by New Mexico, and on the south and near-west by Texas. Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State.

Topography

See also: Lakes in Oklahoma

Oklahoma is situated between the Great Plains and the Ozark Plateau in the Gulf of Mexico watershed,^[17] generally sloping from the high plains of its western boundary to the low wetlands of its southeastern boundary. The following is a List of lakes in Oklahoma located entirely (or partially as in the case of Lake Texoma) in the state. The Great Plains are the broad expanse of Prairie and Steppe which lie east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world ^[18][19] Its highest and lowest points follow this trend, with its highest peak, Black Mesa, at 4,973 feet (1,516 m) above sea level, situated near its far northwest corner in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Black Mesa extends from Mesa de Maya in Colorado southeasterly along the north bank of the Cimarron River, crossing the northeast corner of The state's lowest point is on the Little River near its far southeastern boundary, which dips to 289 feet (88 m) above sea level. ^[20]

The state has four primary mountain ranges: the Ouachita Mountains, the Arbuckle Mountains, the Wichita Mountains, and the Ozark Mountains. The Ouachita Mountains are a mountain range located in west central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma. turner falls okjpg|thumb|right|300px|Turner Falls nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains of South Central Oklahoma The Wichita Mountains are located in southwestern Oklahoma. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, a favorite for hikers and rock ^[18] The U. S. Interior Highlands Region, which contains the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, is the only major mountainous region between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. The Appalachian Mountains ( often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ^[21] A portion of the Flint Hills stretches into north-central Oklahoma, and in the state's southeastern corner, Cavanal Hill is officially regarded as the world's tallest hill; at 1,999 feet (609 m), it fails the definition of a mountain by one foot. The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a band of hills in eastern Kansas stretching into north-central Oklahoma Cavanal Hill (officially Cavanal Mountain according to the US Geological Survey) located at Poteau Oklahoma is billed as the tallest Hill ^[22] More than 500 named creeks and rivers make up Oklahoma's waterways, and with 200 lakes created by dams, it holds the highest number of artificial reservoirs in the nation. ^[22]

Among the most geographically diverse states, Oklahoma is one of four to harbor more than 10 distinct ecological regions, containing eleven within its borders, more per square mile than in any other state by a wide margin. An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " ^[11] Marked by differences in geographical diversity between its western and eastern halves, eastern Oklahoma touches eight ecological regions, while its western half holds three. ^[11]

Most of the state lies in two primary drainage basins belonging to the Red and Arkansas rivers, though the Lee and Little rivers also contain significant drainage basins. A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, For other uses see Red River. The Red River is one of several rivers with that name. The Arkansas River is a major Tributary of the Mississippi River. ^[23] In the state’s northwestern corner, semi-arid high plains harbor few natural forests and rolling to flat landscape with intermittent canyons and mesa ranges like the Glass Mountains. Northwestern Oklahoma is the geographical region of the state of Oklahoma which includes the Oklahoma Panhandle, stretching to an eastern extent along Interstate A Semi-arid climate or steppe climate generally describes climatic regions that receive low annual Rainfall (250-500 mm or 10-20 in This article is about a geographic region in the United States For the song see CANYONMID. For the band see Canyon (band. A canyon (rarely cañon) or gorge A mesa ( Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic for "table" is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs The Glass Mountains or Gloss Mountains are a series of Mesas in Major County Oklahoma, stretching west along US Highway 412 Partial plains interrupted by small mountain ranges like the Antelope Hills and the Wichita Mountains dot southwestern Oklahoma, and transitional prairie and woodlands cover the central portion of the state. Antelope Hills may refer to several places or geographic features in the United States The Wichita Mountains are located in southwestern Oklahoma. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, a favorite for hikers and rock Southwest Oklahoma is a geographical name for the southwest portion of the state of Oklahoma, typically considered to be south of the Canadian River extending eastward from Central Oklahoma is the geographical name for the central region of the U The Ozark and Ouachita Mountains rise from west to east over the state's eastern third, gradually increasing in elevation in an eastward direction. ^[19][23]

Flora and fauna

Forests cover 24 percent of Oklahoma^[22] and prairie grasslands composed of shortgrass, mixed-grass, and tallgrass prairie, harbor expansive ecosystems in the state's central and western portions, although cropland has largely replaced native grasses. Prairie, from the French prairie ("meadow" "grassland" "pasture" refers to an area of land of low topographic relief that historically The tallgrass prairie is an Ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance A farm is an area of land including various structures devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food ( Produce, Grains, or Livestock ^[24] Where rainfall is sparse in the western regions of the state, shortgrass prairie and shrublands are the most prominent ecosystems, though pinyon pines, junipers, and ponderosa pines grow near rivers and creek beds in the far western reaches of the panhandle. Shrubland (synonymous with Scrubland) is a habitat type dominated by woody Shrubs A shrub is a perennial woody plant that branches at ground level to form several The pinyon (or piñon) Pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. Junipers are Coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Ponderosa Pine ( Pinus ponderosa) sometimes called Bull Pine or Western Yellow Pine is a widespread and variable Pine native to western North ^[24] Marshlands, cypress forests and mixtures of shortleaf pine, loblolly pine and deciduous forests dominate the state's southeastern quarter, while mixtures of largely post oak, elm, cedar and pine forests cover northeastern Oklahoma. In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject Cypress is the name applied to many Plants in the conifer family Cupressaceae (cypress family Pinus echinata ( Shortleaf Pine) is a species of Pine native to the eastern United States from southern New York south Pinus taeda ( Loblolly Pine) is one of several Pines native to the southeastern United States. Southeastern Oklahoma, also known by its official tourism designation Kiamichi Country, encompasses the southeastern quarter of the state of Oklahoma. Quercus stellata ( Post oak) is an Oak in the white oak group Elms are Deciduous and Semi-deciduous Trees comprising the genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae, found Cedar ( Cedrus) is a genus of Coniferous Trees in the Plant family Pinaceae. This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. Located in northeast Oklahoma, Green Country is a heavily-wooded area of the state with many rolling hills and mountains and much foliage as opposed to western and central Oklahoma ^[24][23][25]

The state holds populations of white-tailed deer, coyotes, bobcats, elk, and birds such as quail, doves, cardinals, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, and pheasants. The White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) also known as the Virginia deer, or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized Deer found throughout The coyote (kaɪˈoʊti ˈkaɪoʊt ( Canis latrans) also known as the prairie wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora The Bobcat ( Lynx rufus) is a North American Mammal of the cat family Felidae. The elk, or wapiti ( Cervus canadensis) is one of the largest Species of Deer in the world and one of the largest Mammals in Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized Birds in the Pheasant family Phasianidae, or in the family Odontophoridae. The Cardinals or Cardinalidae are a family of Passerine Birds found in North and South America. The Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a Bird of prey found in North America that is most recognizable as the national bird and The Red-tailed Hawk ( Buteo jamaicensis) is a medium-sized Bird of prey, one of three species colloquially known in the United States as the " Pheasants are a group of large Birds in the order Galliformes. In prairie ecosystems, american bison, greater prairie-chickens, badgers, and armadillo are common, and some of the nation's largest prairie dog towns inhabit shortgrass prairie in the state's panhandle. The American bison ( Bison bison) is a Bovine Mammal, also commonly known as the American buffalo. The Greater Prairie Chicken, Tympanuchus cupido, is a large Bird in the Grouse family. Badger is the Common name for any animal of three subfamilies which belong to the family Mustelidae: the same Mammal family as the Armadillos are small Placental Mammals known for having a leathery armor shell The prairie dogs ( Cynomys) are small burrowing Rodents native to the Grasslands of North America The Cross Timbers, a region transitioning from prairie to woodlands in Central Oklahoma, harbors 351 vertebrate species. The term Cross Timbers is used to describe a fairly narrow strip of land in the United States that runs from southeastern Kansas across Central Oklahoma Vertebrates are members of the Subphylum Vertebrata, Chordates with backbones or spinal columns The grouping sometimes includes The Ouachita Mountains are home to black bear, red fox, grey fox, and river otter populations, which coexist with a total of 328 vertebrate species in southeastern Oklahoma. The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. The Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora. The Gray Fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America The River Otter rises in the Blackdown Hills just inside the county of Somerset, near Otterford, then flows south for some 32 km through ^[24]

Protected lands

Oklahoma has 50 state parks,^[26] six national parks or protected regions,^[27] two national protected forests or grasslands,^[28] and a network of wildlife preserves and conservation areas. State Park is a term used in the United States and in Mexico for an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty historic interest recreation or other A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution "National forest" redirects here for the National Forest in England see National Forest England; for those in Brazil see List of Brazilian National Forests Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody Six percent of the state's 10 million acres (40,000 km²) of forest is public land,^[25] including the western portions of the Ouachita National Forest, the largest and oldest national forest in the southern United States. The Ouachita National Forest is a National Forest that lies in the western section of Arkansas and portions of eastern Oklahoma. ^[29] With 39,000 acres (158 km²), the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in north-central Oklahoma is the largest protected area of tallgrass prairie in the world and is part of an ecosystem that encompasses only 10 percent of its former land area, once covering 14 states. This article is about the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Oklahoma The tallgrass prairie is an Ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical ( ^[30] In addition, the Black Kettle National Grassland covers 31,300 acres (127 km²) of prairie in southwestern Oklahoma. The Cibola National Forest is a United States National Forest in western and central New Mexico, USA. ^[31] The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is the oldest and largest of nine national wildlife refuges in the state^[32] and was founded in 1901, encompassing 59,020 acres (238. Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, located in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton has protected unique wildlife habitats since 1901 and is the oldest managed wildlife facility in the U National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain Protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 8 km²). ^[33] Of Oklahoma's federally protected park or recreational sites, the Chickasaw National Recreation Area is the largest, with 4,500 acres (18 km²). Chickasaw National Recreation Area preserves partially forested hills of south-central Oklahoma near Sulphur. ^[34] Other federal protected sites include the Santa Fe and Trail of Tears national historic trails, the Fort Smith and Washita Battlefield national historic sites, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial. The Santa Fe Trail was a Historic 19th century transportation route through southwestern North America connecting Missouri with Santa Fe The Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of Native Americans from their homelands to Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma in the Western United States Fort Smith National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in Fort Smith Arkansas and Oklahoma along the Washita Battlefield National Historic Site protects and interprets the site of the Southern Cheyenne village of Peace Chief Black Kettle. The Oklahoma City National Memorial is the largest memorial of its kind in the United ^[27]

Climate

Oklahoma is located in a temperate region and experiences occasional extremes of temperature and precipitation typical in a continental climate. Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year ^[35] Most of the state lies in an area known as Tornado Alley characterized by frequent interaction between cold and warm air masses producing severe weather. For the book by William S Burroughs, see Tornado Alley (book. Severe weather is any destructive weather phenomenon. The term is usually used to refer to severe thunderstorms and related phenomena such as Tornados ^[20] An average 54 tornadoes strike the state per year—one of the highest rates in the world. A tornado is a violent rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a Cumulonimbus cloud or in rare cases the base of a Cumulus ^[36] Because of its position between zones of differing prevailing temperature and winds, weather patterns within the state can vary widely between relatively short distances. ^[20]

The humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa) of the eastern part of Oklahoma influenced heavily by southerly winds bringing moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, but transitions progressively to a semi-arid zone (Koppen BSk) in the high plains of the Panhandle and other western areas from about Lawton westward less frequently touched by southern moisture. Humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa or Cwa) is a climate zone characterized by hot humid summers and chilly to mild winters The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world A Semi-arid climate or steppe climate generally describes climatic regions that receive low annual Rainfall (250-500 mm or 10-20 in Lawton is a city in and the County seat of Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. ^[35] Precipitation and temperatures fall from east to west accordingly, with areas in the southeast averaging an annual temperature of 62 °F (17 °C) and an annual rainfall of 56 inches (1,420 mm), while areas of the panhandle average 58 °F (14 °C), with an annual rainfall under 17 inches (430 mm). Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. ^[20] All of the state frequently experiences temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) or below 0 °F (−18 °C),^[35] and snowfall ranges from an average of less than 4 inches (10 cm) in the south to just over 20 inches (51 cm) on the border of Colorado in the panhandle. The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. ^[20] The state is home to the National Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service located at Norman. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC located in Norman, Oklahoma, is part of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP operating under The National Weather Service ( NWS) once known as the Weather Bureau is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Norman is the largest city in and the County seat of Cleveland County in the U ^[37]

Monthly temperatures for Oklahoma's largest cities
City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Oklahoma City	47/26	54/31	62/39	71/48	79/58	87/66	93/71	92/70	84/62	73/51	60/38	50/29
Tulsa	46/26	53/31	62/40	72/50	80/59	88/68	94/73	93/71	84/63	74/51	60/39	50/30
Lawton	50/26	56/31	65/40	73/49	82/59	90/68	96/73	95/41	86/63	76/51	62/39	52/30
Average high/low temperatures in °F[38][39]

History

Main article: History of Oklahoma

Evidence exists that native peoples traveled through Oklahoma as early as the last ice age,^[40] but the state's first permanent inhabitants settled in communities accentuated with mound-like structures near the Arkansas border between 850 and 1450 AD. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Spiro Mounds is a state archaeological site run by the Oklahoma Historical Society and open to the public ^[41][42] Spaniard Francisco Vásquez de Coronado traveled through the state in 1541,^[43] but French explorers claimed the area in the 1700s^[44] and it remained under French rule until 1803, when all the French territory west of the Mississippi River was purchased by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado y Luján (Born in 1510 &ndash Died on September 22 1554 was a Spanish Conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other For the film see Louisiana Purchase (film. The Louisiana Purchase (French Vente de la Louisiane "Louisiana Sale" ^[43]

Thousands of Native Americans, including those making up the "Five Civilized Tribes", were removed from their lands in Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee and transported to Oklahoma in the 1830s^[45] on the Trail of Tears. The Five Civilized Tribes is the term applied to five Native American nations the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Indian Removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to ethnically cleanse Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi The Trail of Tears was the forced relocation of Native Americans from their homelands to Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma in the Western United States The area, already occupied by Osage and Quapaw tribes, was designated Indian Territory by the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the Indian Intercourse Act of 1834. The Osage Nation is a tribe in the United States, which is mainly based in Osage County Oklahoma, but can be found throughout America The Quapaw people are a tribe of Native Americans who historically resided on the west side of the Mississippi River in what is now the state of Arkansas The Indian Territory, also known as The Indian Country, The Indian territory or the Indian territories, was land set aside within the United States The Indian Removal Act, part of a United States government policy known as Indian removal, was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 26 The Indian Intercourse Acts were several acts passed by the United States Congress regulating commerce between American Indians and non-Indians and restricting travel ^[43] Fifteen tribes were given land within the territory in 1830,^[46] but by 1890, more than 30 tribes had been allocated federal land. ^[47]

In the period between 1866 and 1899,^[43] cattle ranches in Texas strived to meet the demands for food in eastern cities, and railroads in Kansas promised to deliver in a timely manner. Cattle trails and cattle ranches developed as cowboys either drove their product north or settled illegally in Indian Territory. A cattle drive is the process of moving a herd of Cattle from one place to another usually moved and herded by Cowboys on Horses Prior to the mid-19th A cowboy is an animal Herder who tends Cattle on Ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback and often performs a multitude of ^[43] In 1881, four of five major cattle trails on the western frontier traveled through Indian Territory. ^[48] Increased presence of white settlers in Indian Territory prompted the United States Government to establish the Dawes Act in 1887, which divided the lands of individual tribes into allotments for individual families, encouraging farming and private land ownership among native Americans, but giving excess land to the federal government. The Dawes Act was enacted on February 8, 1887 and named after its sponsor U In the process, nearly half of Indian-held land within the territory was made open to outside settlers and for purchase by railroad companies. ^[49]

Major land runs, including the Land Run of 1889, were held for settlers on the hour that certain territories were opened to settlement. Land run (sometimes "land rush") usually refers to a historical event in which previously-restricted land of the United States was opened for Homesteading The Land Rush of 1889 was the first Land run into the Unassigned Lands and included all or part of the modern day Canadian, Cleveland, Kingfisher Usually, land was allocated to settlers on a first come, first served basis. ^[50] Those who broke the rules by crossing the border into the territory before it was allowed were said to have been crossing the border sooner, leading to the term sooners, which eventually became the state's official nickname. ^[51]

Delegations to make the territory into a state began near the turn of the 20th century, when the Curius Act abolished all tribal jurisdiction in Indian Territory. Attempts to create an all-Indian state named Oklahoma, and a later attempt to create an all-Indian state named Sequoyah failed, but the Sequoyah Statehood Convention of 1905 eventually laid the groundwork for the Oklahoma Statehood Convention, which took place two years later. The State of Sequoyah was the proposed name for what proved to be an abortive attempt by Native Americans in the early years of the 20th century to establish a U ^[52] On November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was established as the 46th state in the Union. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year

The new state became a focal point for the emerging oil industry, as discoveries of oil pools prompted towns to grow rapidly in population and wealth. The petroleum industry includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting (often by Oil tankers and pipelines Tulsa eventually became known as the "Oil Capital of the World" for most of the 20th century, and oil investments fueled much of the state's early economy. The name "Oil Capital of the World" can refer to Houston Texas or Tulsa Oklahoma. ^[53] In 1927, Oklahoma businessman Cyrus Avery, known as the "Father of Route 66", began a campaign to create Route 66. Cyrus Stevens Avery (1871–1963 was known as the "Father of Route 66 " Using an existing stretch of highway from Amarillo, Texas to Tulsa, Oklahoma to form the original portion of Highway 66, Avery spearheaded the creation of the U.S. Highway 66 Association to oversee the planning of Route 66, based in his hometown of Tulsa. The US Highway 66 Association was organized in Tulsa Oklahoma in 1927. ^[54]

In the early 20th century, Tulsa was home to one of the most prosperous African American communities in the United States, however Jim Crow laws and at least 27 lynchings of African-Americans including Laura Nelson and her 14 year old son, culminated in the costliest incident of racial violence in American history with the Tulsa Race Riot in 1921. The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enacted primarily but not exclusively in the Southern and border states of the United States between 1876 and 1965 The Tulsa race riot, also known as the 1921 race riot, The night that Tulsa died, the Tulsa Race War, or the Greenwood riot, was a massacre ^[55] Sixteen hours of rioting resulted in 35 city blocks destroyed, $1. 8 million in property damage, and a death toll estimated to be as high as 300 people.

During the 1930s, parts of the state began feeling the consequences of poor farming practices, drought, and high winds. Known as the Dust Bowl, areas of Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, and northwestern Oklahoma were hampered by long periods of little rainfall and abnormally high temperatures, sending thousands of farmers into poverty and forcing them to relocate to more fertile areas of the western United States. The Dust Bowl, or the dirty thirties, was a period of severe Dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Northwestern Oklahoma is the geographical region of the state of Oklahoma which includes the Oklahoma Panhandle, stretching to an eastern extent along Interstate ^[56] Over a twenty-year period ending in 1950, the state saw its only historical decline in population, dropping 6. 9 percent. In response, dramatic efforts in soil and water conservation led to massive flood control systems and dams, creating hundreds of reservoirs and man-made lakes. Soil conservation is set of management strategies for prevention of Soil being eroded from the earth’s surface or becoming chemically altered by overuse Water conservation refers to reducing the use of water The goals of water conservation efforts include Sustainability - To ensure availability for A reservoir is most broadly a place or hollow vessel where Fluid is kept in Reserve, for later use By the 1960s, more than 200 man-made lakes had been created, the most in the nation. ^[57][11]

In 1995, Oklahoma City became the scene of one of the worst acts of terrorism ever committed in American history. The Oklahoma City bombing of April 19, 1995, in which Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols detonated an explosive outside of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killed 168 people, including 19 children. The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist attack on April 19 1995 aimed at the U Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Timothy James McVeigh ( April 23, 1968 &ndash June 11, 2001) was a United States Army veteran and security guard who bombed Terry Lynn Nichols (born April 1, 1955) is a US Army veteran who was convicted of being an accomplice of Timothy McVeigh, the man convicted The Alfred P Murrah Federal Building was a United States Federal Government complex located at 200 N Timothy McVeigh was later sentenced to death and executed by lethal injection, while his partner, Terry Nichols, was convicted of 161 counts of first degree murder and received life in prison without the possibility of parole. ^[58]

Economy

Based in the sectors of aviation, energy, transportation equipment, food processing, electronics, and telecommunications, Oklahoma is an important producer of natural gas, aircraft, and food. Aviation refers to activities involving man-made flying devices ( Aircraft) including the people organizations and regulatory bodies involved with them Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw Ingredients into Food or to transform food into other forms for consumption by Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture ^[5] The state ranks second in the nation for production of natural gas,^[59] and is the 27th-most agriculturally productive state, ranking 5th in production of wheat. ^[60] Six Fortune 500 companies and one additional Fortune 1000 company are headquartered in Oklahoma,^[61] and it has been rated one of the most business-friendly states in the nation,^[62] with the 7th-lowest tax burden in 2007. Please do not add the complete list of fortune 500 companies The list is copyrighted by Fortune which makes money by selling the content Please do not add the complete list of fortune 1000 companies ^[63] From 2000 to 2006, Oklahoma's gross domestic product grew 50 percent, the fifth-highest rate in the nation. It had the fastest-growing GDP between 2005 and 2006, increasing from $122. 5 to $134. 6 billion, a jump of 10. 8 percent,^[7] and its gross domestic product per capita grew 9. 7 percent from $34,305 in 2005 to $37,620 in 2006, the second-highest rate in the nation. ^[64] Though oil has historically dominated the state's economy, a collapse in the energy industry during the 1980s led to the loss of nearly 90,000 energy-related jobs between 1980 and 2000, severely damaging the local economy. The 1980s oil glut was a surplus of crude oil caused by falling demand following the 1973 and 1979 energy crises. ^[65] Oil accounted for 17 percent of Oklahoma's economic impact in 2005,^[66] and employment in the state's oil industry was outpaced by five other industries in 2007. ^[67]

Industry

In early 2007, Oklahoma had a civilian labor force of 1. 7 million and total non-farm employment fluctuated around 1. 6 million. ^[67] The government sector provides the most jobs, with 326,000 in 2007, followed by the transportation and utilities sector, providing 285,000 jobs, and the sectors of education, business, and manufacturing, providing 191,000, 178,000, and 151,000 jobs, respectively. A public utility (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the Infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, "making by hand" is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale ^[67] Among the state's largest industries, the aerospace sector generates $11 billion annually. ^[62] Tulsa is home to the largest airline maintenance base in the world, which serves as the global maintenance and engineering headquarters for American Airlines. American Airlines Inc (AA is a US -based airline and the world's Largest airline in total passenger miles transported and passenger fleet size ^[68] In total, aerospace accounts for more than 10 percent of Oklahoma's industrial output, and it is one of the top 10 states in aerospace engine manufacturing. ^[5] Due to its position in the center of the United States, Oklahoma is also among the top states for logistic centers, and a major contributor to weather-related research. ^[62] The state is the top manufacturer of tires in North America and contains one of the fastest-growing biotechnology industries in the nation. Biotechnology is Technology based on Biology, especially when used in Agriculture, Food science, and Medicine. ^[62] In 2005, international exports from Oklahoma's manufacturing industry totaled $4. 3 billion, accounting for 3. 6 percent of its economic impact. ^[69] Tire manufacturing, meat processing, oil and gas equipment manufacturing, and air conditioner manufacturing are the state's largest manufacturing industries. ^[70]

Energy

Oklahoma is the nation's second-largest producer of natural gas, fifth-largest producer of crude oil, has the second-greatest number of active drilling rigs,^[71] and ranks fifth in crude oil reserves. For a detailed diagram of a Petroleum drilling rig, See Drilling rig (petroleum A drilling rig is a machine which creates holes (usually called ^[72] While the state ranked fifth for installed wind energy capacity in 2005,^[73] it is at the bottom of states in usage of renewable energy, with 96 percent of its electricity being generated by non-renewable sources in 2002, including 64 percent from coal and 32 percent from natural gas. Wind Power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form such as electricity using Wind turbines At the end of 2007 worldwide capacity of wind-powered generators was Renewable energy is Energy generated from Natural resources mdashsuch as Sunlight, Wind, Rain, tides and geothermal Non-renewable energy is energy taken from "finite resources that will eventually dwindle, becoming too expensive or too environmentally damaging to retrieve" ^[74] However, since 1993, with the Oklahoma Legislature's creation of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board, more than $38 million has been spent on restoring more than 7,800 orphaned and abandoned oil well sites across the state. Created by the Oklahoma Legislature and energy industry leaders in 1993 the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (abbreviated OERB) is funded voluntarily by West Texas PumpjackJPG|thumb|right|300px|This Pumpjack located south of Midland TX is a common sight in West Texas. Ranking 11th for total energy consumption per capita in 2006,^[75] the state's energy costs were 10th lowest in the nation. ^[71] As a whole, the oil energy industry contributes $23 billion to Oklahoma's gross domestic product,^[66] and employees of Oklahoma oil-related companies earn an average of twice the state's typical yearly income. ^[76] In 2004, the state had 83,750 commercial oil wells and as many as 750,000 total wells,^[72][66] churning 178 thousand barrels of crude oil a day. ^[72] Ten percent of the nation's natural gas supply is held in Oklahoma, with 1. 662 trillion cubic feet (47. 1 km³). ^[72]

According to Forbes Magazine, three of the largest private oil-related companies in the nation are located in the state,^[77] and all five of Oklahoma's Fortune 500 companies are oil-related. Forbes is an American Publishing and media company Its flagship publication Forbes magazine is published bi-weekly ^[61] In 2006, Tulsa-based Semgroup ranked 5th on the Forbe's list of largest private companies, Tulsa-based QuikTrip ranked 46th, and Oklahoma City-based Love's Travel Shops ranked 132nd. History SemGroup LP was founded in February 2001 On July 9, 2007 SemGroup announced that it would establish a publicly traded affiliate SemGroup Energy Partners QuikTrip (abbreviated QT) is a Tulsa -based chain of Convenience stores primarily found in the Midwestern and Southern United States ^[77] Tulsa's ONEOK and Williams Companies are the state's largest and second-largest companies respectively, also ranking as the nation's second and third-largest companies in the field of energy, according to Fortune Magazine. ONEOK Inc (pronounced like 'one oak' ( is a diversified Fortune 200 corporation based in Tulsa Oklahoma. The Williams Companies Inc ( is an energy company based in Tulsa Oklahoma. Fortune is a Global Business Magazine published by Time Inc's Fortune|Money Group ^[78] The magazine also places Oklahoma City's Devon Energy as the second-largest company in the mining and crude oil-producing industry in the nation, while Chesapeake Energy ranks seventh respectively in that sector and Oklahoma Gas & Electric ranks as the 25th-largest gas and electric utility company. Chesapeake Energy ( is a producer of Natural gas in the United States and according to their 3Q 2007 report is the largest independent producer third overall Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E is a regulated electric utility company that serves over 750000 customers in Oklahoma and western Arkansas. ^[78]

Agriculture

The 27th-most agriculturally productive state, Oklahoma is fifth in cattle production and fifth in production of wheat. ^[79][60] Approximately 5. 5 percent of American beef comes from Oklahoma, while the state produces 6. 1 percent of American wheat, 4. 2 percent of American pig products, and 2. 2 percent of dairy products. ^[60] The state had 83,500 farms in 2005, collectively producing $4. 3 billion in animal products and under one billion dollars in crop output with more than $6. 1 billion added to the state's gross domestic product. ^[60] Poultry and swine are its second and third-largest agricultural industries. ^[79]

Culture

Oklahoma is placed in the South by the United States Census Bureau,^[80] but lies fully or partially in the midwest, southwest, and southern cultural regions by varying definitions, and partially in the Upland South and Great Plains by definitions of abstract geographical-cultural regions. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census The Southwestern area of the United States could be defined as the states west of the Mississippi River, with the qualification of a certain northern limit such as the 37 Cultural region is a term used mainly in the study of Geography. The terms Upper South and Upland South refer to the northern part of the Southern United States, in contrast to the Lower South or Deep South. The Great Plains are the broad expanse of Prairie and Steppe which lie east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada ^[81] Oklahomans have a high rate of German or native American ancestry,^[82] with 25 different native languages spoken, more than in any other state. ^[12] Six governments have claimed the area at different times,^[83] and 67 native American tribes are represented in Oklahoma,^[43] including 39 tribal headquarters, the most in the nation. ^[84] Western ranchers, native American tribes, southern settlers, and eastern oil barons have shaped the state's cultural predisposition, and its largest cities have been named among the most underrated cultural destinations in the United States. ^[85][86] While residents of Oklahoma are associated with stereotypical traits of friendliness and generosity — the Catalogue for Philanthropy ranks Oklahomans 4th in the nation for overall generosity^[87] — the state has also been associated with a negative cultural stereotype first popularized by John Steinbeck's novel Grapes of Wrath, which described the plight of uneducated, poverty-stricken Dust Bowl-era farmers from midwestern states deemed "Okies". A stereotype (from Greek: stereo + týpos = "solid impression" is a generalized perception of first impressions behaviors presumed by a group John Steinbeck III (February 27 1902—December 20 1968 was one of the best-known and most widely read American writers of the 20th century The Grapes of Wrath is a novel published in 1939 and written by John Steinbeck, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for The Dust Bowl, or the dirty thirties, was a period of severe Dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Okie is a term dating from as early as 1907 denoting a resident or native of Oklahoma. ^[88][89][90] However, the term is used in a positive manner by Oklahomans. ^[89]

Arts and theater

In the state's largest urban areas, pockets of jazz culture flourish,^[92] and Native American, Mexican, and Asian enclaves produce music and art of their respective cultures. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry. They include sub-ethnic groups such as Chinese Americans Filipino Americans Indian ^[93] The Oklahoma Mozart Festival in Bartlesville is one of the largest classical music festivals in the southern United States,^[94] and Oklahoma City's Festival of the Arts has been named one of the top fine arts festivals in the nation. Bartlesville is a city in Washington county in the US state of Oklahoma. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music ^[92] The Tulsa Ballet, one of the state's five major city ballet companies, is rated as one of the top ballet companies in the United States by the New York Times. Tulsa Ballet is a professional American Ballet company located in Tulsa OK ^[92] The University of Oklahoma's dance program, formed by ballerina Yvonne Chouteau‎, was the first fully-accredited program of its kind in the United States. Yvonne Chouteau (born March 7, 1929 in Vinita, Oklahoma) is one of the "Five Moons" or Native prima ballerinas of Oklahoma In Sand Springs, an outdoor amphitheater called "Discoveryland!" is the official performance headquarters for the musical Oklahoma!^[95] Historically, the state has produced musical styles such as The Tulsa Sound and Western Swing, which was popularized at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa. Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The Tulsa Sound is a musical style that originated in Tulsa Oklahoma. This article is about the Musical genre. For the popular western swing Steel guitar tuning see E9 tuning. Cain's Ballroom is a Music venue in Tulsa, OK. It was built in 1924 to serve as a garage for one of Tulsa's founders Tate Brady. The building, known as the "Carnegie Hall of Western Swing",^[96] served as the performance headquarters of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys during the 1930s. James Robert (Bob Wills ( March 6, 1905 &ndash May 13, 1975) was an American Western swing musician Songwriter The Texas Playboys were a Western Swing band long led by Bob Wills, and considered by many to be the definitive progenitor of that musical genre ^[97]

Oklahoma is in the nation's middle percentile in per capita spending on the arts, ranking 17th, and contains more than 300 museums. ^[92] The Philbrook Museum of Tulsa is considered one of the top 50 fine art museums in the United States,^[91] and the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman, one of the largest university-based art and history museums in the country, documents the natural history of the region. The Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma is an Art museum and former home of Oklahoma oil pioneer Waite Phillips and his wife Fine art is any Art form developed primarily for Aesthetics rather than Utility. The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is a Natural history Museum in Norman Oklahoma, operated by the University of Oklahoma. ^[92] The collections of Thomas Gilcrease are housed in the Gilcrease Museum of Tulsa, which also holds the world's largest, most comprehensive collection of art and artifacts of the American West. William Thomas Gilcrease (1890&ndash1962 was an American oilman art collector and philanthropist Gilcrease Museum is a Museum located northwest of downtown Tulsa Oklahoma. ^[98] The Oklahoma City Museum of Art contains the most comprehensive collection of glass sculptures by artist Dale Chihuly in the world,^[99] and Oklahoma City's National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum documents the heritage of the American Western frontier. Dale Patrick Chihuly (b September 20, 1941 in Tacoma Washington, U The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. ^[92] With remnants of the Holocaust and artifacts relevant to Judaism, the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art of Tulsa preserves the largest collection of Jewish art in the Southwest United States. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut The Southwestern area of the United States could be defined as the states west of the Mississippi River, with the qualification of a certain northern limit such as the 37 ^[100]

Festivals and events

Oklahoma's centennial celebration was named the top event in the United States for 2007 by the American Bus Association,^[101] and consisted of multiple celebrations ending with the 100th anniversary of statehood on November 16, 2007. A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Annual ethnic festivals and events take place throughout the state, and include festivals in Scottish, Italian, Vietnamese, Irish, Native American, Czech, Jewish, and African American communities depicting cultural heritage or traditions. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging A Vietnamese American (người Mỹ gốc Việt is a resident of the United States who is of Vietnamese heritage Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa During a 10-day run in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma State Fair attracts close to one million people,^[102] and large pow-wows, Asian festivals, and Juneteenth celebrations are held in the city each year. The Oklahoma State Fair is a large fair and exposition in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The culture of Asia is the artificial aggregate of the Cultural heritage of many nationalities, societies, Religions and Ethnic groups Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is an official annual holiday in 29 Twelve other states list it as an official holiday including The Tulsa State Fair attracts over one million people during its 10-day run,^[103] and the city's Mayfest festival entertained more than 375,000 people in four days during 2007. The Tulsa State Fair is a fair and exposition in Tulsa Oklahoma that operates during an 11-day span starting at the end of September and ending early in October ^[104] In 2006, Tulsa's Oktoberfest was named one of the top 10 in the world by USA Today and one of the top German food festivals in the nation by Bon Appetit magazine. The Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany during late September (and running to early October USA TODAY is a national American daily Newspaper published by the Gannett Company. Bon Appétit ( French for enjoy your meal -- literally good appetite) describes itself as "a Food and entertaining Magazine ^[105]

Education

See also: List of School Districts in Oklahoma and List of Colleges and Universities in Oklahoma

With an educational system made up of public school districts and independent private institutions, Oklahoma had 631,337 students enrolled in 1,849 public primary, secondary, and vocational schools in 540 school districts as of 2006. The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and For the film of this title see Private School (film. Private schools, or Independent schools are Schools not administered Primary education is the first stage of Compulsory education. Australia See also Education Vocational education or Vocational Education and Training (VET also called Career and Technical Education (CTE prepares learners for jobs that are based School districts are a form of Special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools ^[106] Ranked near the bottom of states in expenditures per student, Oklahoma spent $6,614 for each student in 2005, 47th in the nation,^[106] though its growth of total education expenditures between 1992 and 2002 ranked 22nd. ^[107] The state is among the best in pre-kindergarten education, and the National Institute for Early Education Research rated it first in the United States with regard to standards, quality, and access to pre-kindergarten education in 2004, calling it a model for early childhood schooling. Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) refers to the first formal Academic classroom-based learning environment that a child customarily attends Early childhood education regards Education in Early childhood, which are the most vulnerable stages in a persons life ^[108] While high school dropout rates decreased 29 percent between 2005 and 2006, Oklahoma ranked in the bottom three states in the nation for retaining high school seniors,^[109] with a 3. High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution 2 percent dropout rate. ^[106] In 2004, the state ranked 36th in the nation for the relative number of adults with high school diplomas, though at 85. A high school diploma is a Diploma awarded for the completion of High school. 2 percent, it had the highest rate among southern states. ^[110][111]

The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University are the largest public institutions of higher education in Oklahoma, both operating through one primary campus and satellite campuses throughout the state. University of Oklahoma, abbreviated OU, is a Coeducational public Research university located in the U Higher education is Education that is provided by universities, vocational universities, Community colleges Liberal arts colleges The two colleges, along with the University of Tulsa, rank among the country's best in undergraduate business programs,^[112] and the University of Oklahoma and University of Tulsa are in the top percentage of universities nationally for academic ratings. The University of Tulsa is a Private university awarding bachelors masters and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa Oklahoma. ^[10] Oklahoma holds eleven public regional universities,^[113] including Northeastern State University, the second-oldest institution of higher education west of the Mississippi River,^[114] also containing the only College of Optometry in Oklahoma^[115] and the largest enrollment of Native American students in the nation by percentage and amount. Northeastern State University (NSU is a public university with its main campus located in Tahlequah Oklahoma, at the foot of the Ozark Mountains The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to Optometry is a health care profession concerned with Eyes and related structures as well as vision, Visual systems and vision information Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States ^[114][116] Six of the state's universities were placed in the Princeton Review's list of best 122 regional colleges in 2007,^[117] and three made the list of top colleges for best value. The Princeton Review (TPR is an American educational preparation company ^[118] The state has 54 post-secondary technical institutions operated by Oklahoma's CareerTech program for training in specific fields of industry or trade. ^[106]

Sports

Oklahoma has minor league professional sports teams in basketball, football, arena football, baseball, soccer, and hockey, located in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Enid, and Lawton. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with This article is about the sport of Arena Football See Arena Football (video game for the EA Sports Video game of the same name Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Hockey is any of a family of Sports in which two teams compete by trying to maneuver a Ball, or a hard round rubber or heavy plastic disc called a puck Minor league baseball at the AAA and AA levels, hockey in the Central Hockey League, and arena football in the af2 league are hosted by Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Part of the History of baseball series Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of Professional baseball leagues in North Part of the History of baseball series Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of Professional baseball leagues in North The Central Hockey League (CHL is a mid-level Professional hockey league owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. af2 (short for arenafootball2) is the name of the Arena Football League 's Minor league, which started play in 2000. Oklahoma City also hosts the Oklahoma City Lightning playing in the National Women's Football Association, and Tulsa serves as the base for the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League and the Tulsa Revolution, playing in the American Indoor Soccer League. The Oklahoma City Lightning is Oklahoma City's full-contact women's American football team in the National Women's Football Association. The National Women's Football Association (NWFA is a full-contact American football league for women headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Association 's officially sponsored and operated developmental Basketball organization History The team will begin play at the Soccer City Indoor Sports Complex in 2008 and is one of two new teams for the American Indoor Soccer League during the 2007-2008 The American Indoor Soccer League or AISL originally considered itself a minor Indoor soccer league ^[119] Enid and Lawton host professional basketball teams in the USBL and the CBA. The Continental Basketball Association ( CBA) is a professional men's Basketball league in the United States.

The NBA's New Orleans Hornets became the first major league sports franchise based in Oklahoma when it was forced to relocate to Oklahoma City's Ford Center for two seasons following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The New Orleans Hornets are a professional Basketball team based in New Orleans Louisiana, United States. This article is about the multipurpose entertainment facility Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States ^[120] In July 2006, a group of Oklahoma City businessmen, led by Clayton Bennett, purchased the Seattle SuperSonics and attempted negotiations for a new arena in the Seattle area. Clayton "Clay" Ike Bennett is an American businessman and Chairman of the Professional Basketball Club LLC, the ownership of the The Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional Basketball team based in Seattle Washington that played When funding did not surface, the group requested permission from the NBA to relocate the team to Oklahoma City. The Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional Basketball team based in Seattle Washington that played ^[121] On April 18, 2008, the NBA gave approval for the move for the 2008-2009 season, which depends on the outcome of litigation surrounding the ownership of the team and its attempt to break a lease with KeyArena early. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common KeyArena at Seattle Center, also known as KeyArena is located north of downtown Seattle, USA on the grounds of Seattle Center (the site of 1962 ^[122]

Collegiate athletics are a popular draw in the state. College athletics refers primarily to Sports and athletic competition organized and funded by institutions of tertiary education ( Colleges or universities The University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State University Cowboys average well over 60,000 fans attending their football games, and the University of Oklahoma's football program ranked 13th in attendance among American colleges in 2006, with an average of 84,561 people attending its home games. The University of Oklahoma features 17 varsity sports teams Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to individuals who participated in the Oklahoma State Cowboys ( Cowgirls for women's teams are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Football is the word given to a number of similar Team sports all of which involve (to varying degrees kicking a Ball with the foot in an attempt to score a ^[123] The two universities meet several times each year in rivalry matches known as the Bedlam Series, which are some of the greatest sporting draws to the state. History The Bedlam Series is like most other intra-state rivalries a rivalry that goes beyond one or two sports Sports programs from 11 Oklahoma colleges and universities compete within the NCAA, with four participating at the association’s highest level, Division I: University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, University of Tulsa, and Oral Roberts University. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations Division I (or D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States ^[124] Sports Illustrated magazine rates the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University among the top colleges for athletics in the nation. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. ^[9][125] In addition, 12 of the state's smaller colleges or universities participate in the NAIA, mostly within the Sooner Athletic Conference. Current members Teams John Brown Golden Eagles Lubbock Christian Chaparrals and Lady Chaps ^[126]

Regular LPGA tournaments are held at Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa, and major championships for the PGA or LPGA have been played at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oak Tree Country Club in Oklahoma City, and Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa. The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional Golfers The organization whose headquarters are The men's major golf championships, often referred to simply as "the majors" are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional Golf. Founded in 1916 the Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens Florida, and is the largest working sports organization The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional Golfers The organization whose headquarters are Southern Hills Country Club is a prestigious private Golf and Country club in Tulsa Oklahoma in the United States. ^[127] Rated one of the top golf courses in the nation, Southern Hills has hosted four PGA Championships, including one in 2007, and three U.S. Opens, the most recent in 2001. The PGA Championship (sometimes referred to as the US PGA Championship outside of North America is an annual Golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the US ^[128] Rodeos are popular throughout the state, and Guymon, in the state's panhandle, hosts one of the largest in the nation. Rodeo (ˈroʊdioʊ or /roʊˈdeɪoʊ/ is a sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States Guymon is a city in and the County seat of Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. ^[129]

Health

The state was the 21st-largest recipient of medical funding from the federal government in 2005, with health-related federal expenditures in the state totaling $75,801,364; immunizations, bioterrorism preparedness, and health education were the top three most funded medical items. Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's Immune system becomes fortified against an agent (known as the For the use of biological agents in warfare see Biological warfare. ^[130] Instances of major diseases are near the national average in Oklahoma, and the state ranks at or slightly above the rest of the country in percentage of people with asthma, diabetes, cancer, and hypertension. Asthma is a chronic Condition involving the Respiratory system in which the airways occasionally constrict become inflamed, and are Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the Blood pressure is chronically elevated ^[130]

In 2000, Oklahoma ranked 45th in physicians per capita and slightly below the national average in nurses per capita, but was slightly over the national average in hospital beds per 100,000 people and above the national average in net growth of health services over a 12-year period. ^[131] One of the worst states for percentage of insured people, nearly 25 percent of Oklahomans between the age of 18 and 64 did not have health insurance in 2005, the fifth-highest rate in the nation. ^[132] Oklahomans are in the upper half of Americans in terms of obesity prevalence, and the state is the 14th most obese in the nation, with 24 percent of its adults at or near obesity. Obesity is a condition in which excess Body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be negatively affected ^[133] It ranks 16th in terms of teenage obesity, with 11. 1 percent of high school students at or near obesity, and is one of two states that do not have requirements for physical education in public schools. ^[133]

The OU Medical Center, Oklahoma's largest hospital, is the only hospital in the state designated a Level I trauma center by the American College of Surgeons, and is located on the grounds of the Oklahoma Health Center, the state's largest concentration of medical research facilities. A trauma center is a Hospital equipped to provide comprehensive Emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries The American College of Surgeons is an educational association of Surgeons created in 1913 ^[134][135] The Regional Medical Center of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa is one of four such regional facilities nationwide, offering cancer treatment to the entire southwestern United States, and is one of the largest cancer treatment hospitals in the country. Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA is a privately-owned for-profit company that operates Hospitals and outpatient oncology clinics ^[136] The largest osteopathic teaching facility in the nation, Oklahoma State University Medical Center at Tulsa, also rates as one of the largest facilities in the field of neuroscience. Oklahoma State University Medical Center is a health institution located in Tulsa Oklahoma. Neuroscience is a field devoted to the scientific study of the nervous system ^[137][138]

Media

Oklahoma City and Tulsa are the 45th and 61st-largest media markets in the United States as ranked by Nielsen Media Research. A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area, DMA or simply market is a region where the Population Nielsen Media Research ( NMR) is an American firm that measures media Audiences including Television, Radio The state's third-largest media market, Lawton-Wichita Falls, Texas, is ranked 144th nationally by the agency. Wichita Falls is a city in the state of Texas and the County seat of Wichita County Texas, United States. ^[140] Broadcast television in Oklahoma began in 1949 when KFOR-TV (then WKY-TV) in Oklahoma City and KOTV-TV in Tulsa began broadcasting a few months apart. Terrestrial television is a term which refers to modes of television broadcasting which do not involve satellite transmission KFOR-TV, channel 4 is an NBC-affiliated television station in Oklahoma City Oklahoma. KOTV, commonly referred to as "KOTV 6" or "The News On 6" is the CBS affiliate in Tulsa Oklahoma, in the United States ^[141] Currently, all major American broadcast networks have affiliated television stations in the state. A television network is a distribution network for Television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many Television stations ^[142]

The state has two primary newspapers. A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. The Oklahoman, based in Oklahoma City, is the largest newspaper in the state and 48th-largest in the nation by circulation, with a weekday readership of 215,102 and a Sunday readership of 287,505. The Oklahoman is the largest daily and statewide Newspaper in Oklahoma and is the only daily newspaper that covers the Oklahoma City area The Tulsa World, the second most widely circulated newspaper in Oklahoma and 77th in the nation, holds a Sunday circulation of 189,789 and a weekday readership of 138,262. The Tulsa World is the daily Newspaper for the city of Tulsa Oklahoma, and is the second-most widely circulated newspaper in the state after ^[139] Oklahoma's first newspaper was established in 1844, called the Cherokee Advocate, and was written in both Cherokee and English. Cherokee (ᏣᎳᎩ Tsalagi) is an Iroquoian language spoken by the Cherokee people which uses a unique syllabary writing system ^[143] In 2006, there were more than 220 newspapers located in the state, including 177 with weekly publications and 48 with daily publications. ^[143]

Two large public radio networks are broadcast in Oklahoma: Oklahoma Public Radio and Public Radio International. Public broadcasting refers to radio television and other electronic media outlets that receive some or all of their funding from the public Public Radio International ( PRI) is a Minneapolis -based American Public radio organization with locations in Boston, New York First launched in 1955, Oklahoma Public Radio was the first public radio network in Oklahoma, and has won 271 awards for outstanding programming. ^[144] Public Radio International broadcasts on 10 stations throughout the state, and provides more than 400 hours of programming. ^[145] The state's first radio station, KRFU in Bristow, moved to Tulsa and became KVOO in 1927. Bristow is a city in Creek County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4325 at the 2000 census. ^[146] In 2006, there were more than 500 radio stations in Oklahoma broadcasting with various local or nationally owned networks. ^[147]

Transportation

Transportation in Oklahoma is generated by an anchor system of interstate highways, commuter rail lines, airports, seaports, and mass transit networks. The Dwight D Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply the Interstate System) "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo Situated along an integral point in the United States Interstate network, Oklahoma contains three interstate highways and four auxiliary interstate highways. The Dwight D Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply the Interstate System) The auxiliary Interstate Highways (also called 3-digit Interstate Highways) is an additional network of freeways of the Interstate Highway System. In Oklahoma City, Interstate 35 intersects with Interstate 44 and Interstate 40, forming one of the most important intersections along the United States highway system. Interstate 35 (I-35 is a north–south Interstate highway in the central United States. Interstate 44 (I-44 is an Interstate highway in the central United States. Interstate 40 (I-40 is a major west-east Interstate highway in the United States ^[148] More than 12,000 miles (19,000 km) of roads make up the state's major highway skeleton, including state-operated highways, ten turnpikes or major toll roads,^[148] and the longest drivable stretch of Route 66 in the nation. A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards ^[149] In 2005, Interstate 44 in Oklahoma City was Oklahoma's busiest highway, with a daily traffic volume of 131,800 cars. ^[150] In 2007, the state had the nation's highest number of bridges classified as structurally deficient, with nearly 6,300 bridges in disrepair, including 127 along its primary highway system. ^[151]

Oklahoma's largest commercial airport is Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, averaging a yearly passenger count of more than 3. Will Rogers World Airport is located in southwestern Oklahoma City Oklahoma. 5 million in 2005. ^[152] Tulsa International Airport, the state's second largest commercial airport, serves more than three million travelers annually. Tulsa International Airport is a city-owned public-use Airport located five miles (8 km) northeast of the Central business district of Tulsa ^[153] Between the two, thirteen major airlines operate in Oklahoma. ^[154][155] In terms of traffic, Riverside-Jones airport in Tulsa is the state's busiest airport, with 235,039 takeoffs and landings in 2006. ^[156] In total, Oklahoma has over 150 public-use airports. ^[157]

Oklahoma is connected to the nation's rail network via Amtrak's Heartland Flyer, its only regional passenger rail line. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 The Heartland Flyer is a daily passenger train that follows a 206- Mile (332-km route between Fort Worth Texas and Oklahoma City Oklahoma. It currently stretches from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth, Texas, though lawmakers began seeking funding in early 2007 to connect the Heartland Flyer to Tulsa. Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventeenth-largest city in the United States. ^[158] Two seaports on rivers serve Oklahoma: the Port of Muskogee and the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. The Port of Muskogee is a regional Port, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. The Tulsa Port of Catoosa is located near the city of Catoosa in Rogers County, just inside the municipal fenceline of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The only port handling international cargo in the state, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa is the most inland ocean-going port in the nation and ships over two million tons of cargo each year. ^[159][160] Both ports are located on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, which connects barge traffic from Tulsa and Muskogee to the Mississippi River via the Verdigris and Arkansas rivers, contributing to one of the busiest waterways in the world. The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System is part of the inland waterway system originating at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and running southeast through BARGE, the Big August RecGambling Excursion is a yearly convention held in Las Vegas during the first weekend of August The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The Verdigris River is a Tributary of the Arkansas River in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma The Arkansas River is a major Tributary of the Mississippi River. ^[160]

Law and government

Main article: Government of Oklahoma

The government of Oklahoma is a liberal democracy modeled after the Federal Government of the United States, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The term "liberal" in "liberal democracy" does not imply that the government of such a democracy must follow the political ideology of The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. ^[161] The state has 77 counties with jurisdiction over most local government functions within each respective domain,^[19] five congressional districts, and a voting base with a majority in the Democratic Party. A county of the United States is a local level of government created as a subdivision of a state by the state government or by the federal or territorial government as a subdivision As of the 2000 census, there are five Oklahoma United States congressional districts. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ^[13] State officials are elected by plurality voting. The plurality voting system is a Single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member

Branches

See also: Governor of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Legislature, and Oklahoma Supreme Court

The Legislature of Oklahoma consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Governor of the State of Oklahoma is the Head of state for the State of Oklahoma, United States. The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the Legislative branch of the Government of Oklahoma. The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the Legislative branch of the Government of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Senate is the Upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the Lower house being the Oklahoma House of Representatives The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the Lower house and larger body of the two houses of the Oklahoma Legislature, the other being the Oklahoma Senate As the lawmaking branch of the state government, it is responsible for raising and distributing the money necessary to run the government. The Senate has 48 members serving four-year terms, while the House has 101 members with two year terms. The state has a term limit for its legislature that restricts any one person to a total of twelve cumulative years service between both legislative branches. ^[162][163]

Oklahoma's judicial branch consists of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, and 77 District Courts that each serves one county. The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U The Oklahoma judiciary also contains two independent courts: a Court of Impeachment and the Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary. Impeachment is the first of two stages in a specific process for a legislative body to forcibly remove a Government official The Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary is one of the two independent courts in the Oklahoma judiciary and has exclusive jurisdiction over hearing cases involving the removal of any judge of Oklahoma has two courts of last resort: the state Supreme Court hears civil cases, and the state Court of Criminal Appeals hears criminal cases. Judges of those two courts, as well as the Court of Civil Appeals are appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the state Judicial Nominating Commission, and are subject to a non-partisan retention vote on a six-year rotating schedule. In Political science, nonpartisan denotes an Election, event or organization in which the participants declare or do not formally have a Political party ^[162]

The executive branch consists of the Governor, his staff, and other elected officials. The Governor of the State of Oklahoma is the Head of state for the State of Oklahoma, United States. The principle head of government, the Governor is the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, serving as the ex officio Commander-in-Chief of the Oklahoma National Guard when not called into Federal use and reserving the power to veto bills passed through the Legislature. C D E A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces The Oklahoma National Guard, a division of the Oklahoma Department of the Military, is the component of the United States National Guard in the U The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. A veto, Latin for "I forbid" is used to Denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a certain piece of Legislation. The responsibilities of the Executive branch include submitting the budget, ensuring that state laws are enforced, and ensuring peace within the state is preserved. ^[164]

Local government

The state is divided into 77 counties that govern locally, each headed by a three member council of elected commissioners, a tax assessor, clerk, court clerk, treasurer, and sheriff. A county of the United States is a local level of government created as a subdivision of a state by the state government or by the federal or territorial government as a subdivision A court clerk ( British English clerk to the court; American English clerk of the court or clerk of court) is an Officer of the In many Governments a treasurer is the person responsible for running the Treasury. SHERIFF is a telecom fraud detection and management system originally developed by BT and MCI. ^[165] While each municipality operates as a separate and independent local government with legislative and judicial power, county governments maintain jurisdiction over both incorporated cities and non-incorporated areas within their boundaries, but have no legislative or judicial power. A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or Both county and municipal governments collect taxes, employ a separate police force, hold elections, and operate emergency response services within their jurisdiction. ^[166][167] Other local government units include school districts, technology center districts, community college districts, rural fire departments, rural water districts, and other special use districts. School districts are a form of Special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools

Thirty-nine Native American tribal governments are based in Oklahoma, each holding limited powers within designated areas. While Indian reservations typical in most of the United States are not present in Oklahoma, tribal governments hold land granted during the Indian Territory era, but with limited jurisdiction and no control over state governing bodies such as municipalities and counties. An Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American Tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau Tribal governments are recognized by the United States as quasi-sovereign entities with executive, judicial, and legislative powers over tribal members and functions, but are subject to the authority of the United States Congress to revoke or withhold certain powers. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The tribal governments are required to submit a constitution and any subsequent amendments to the United States Congress for approval. ^[168][169]

National politics

Main article: Politics of Oklahoma

Oklahoma has a voter demographic weighted towards the Democratic Party as of 2007. This article is about political groups and tendencies in Oklahoma The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Though there are 11. 6 percent more registered Democrats in Oklahoma than registered Republicans,^[13] the state has voted for a Republican in every presidential election from 1968 forward, and in 2004, George W. Bush carried every county in the state and 65. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. 6 percent of the statewide vote. ^[170] Three third parties have substantial influence in state politics: Oklahoma Libertarian Party, Green Party of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Constitution Party. In a Two-party system of politics the term third party is sometimes applied to a party other than the two dominant ones The Oklahoma Libertarian Party is the branch of the Libertarian Party in Oklahoma. Key values The Green Party of Oklahoma is a third party founded on the Four Pillars of the Green Party: ecological wisdom social justice grass-roots The Oklahoma Constitution Party is a member of the Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform Coalition (OBAR and is affiliated with the national Constitution Party.

Following the 2000 census, the Oklahoma delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives was reduced from six to five representatives, each serving one congressional district. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. A congressional district is an electoral Constituency that elects a single member of a Congress. For the 110th Congress (2007–2009), there are no changes in party strength, and the delegation has four Republicans and one Democrat. Oklahoma's U. S. senators are Republicans Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn, and its U. James Mountain "Jim" Inhofe (born November 17 1934 is a American Politician from Oklahoma. Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, MD (born March 14 1948 is an American Politician and medical doctor. S. Representatives are John Sullivan (R-OK-1), Dan Boren (D-OK-2), Frank D. Lucas (R-OK-3), Tom Cole (R-OK-4), and Mary Fallin (R-OK-5). John A Sullivan (born January 1 1965 is an American Politician. David Daniel "Dan" Boren (born August 2, 1973) is a Democratic U Frank D Lucas (born January 6, 1960) is a Politician from the U Thomas Jeffery Cole (born April 28, 1949) is a Politician from the state of Oklahoma, currently representing Oklahoma's 4th Congressional Mary Fallin (born December 9, 1954) is a Congresswoman from the U

Cities and towns

See also: List of cities in Oklahoma and List of towns in Oklahoma

Oklahoma had 549 incorporated places in 2006, including three cities over 100,000 in population and 40 over 10,000. Two of the fifty largest cities in the United States are located in Oklahoma, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and 58 percent of Oklahomans live within their metropolitan areas, or spheres of economic and social influence defined by the United States Census Bureau as a metropolitan statistical area. The Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced ^[171][8] Oklahoma City, the state's capital and largest city, had the largest metropolitan area in the state in 2007, with 1,269,907 people, and the metropolitan area of Tulsa had 905,755 residents. The Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area is a large urban region located in the central part of the state of Oklahoma. Green Country Cities The Tulsa Metropolitan Area's anchor city Tulsa was home to 387807 residents in 2003 ^[172] Between 2005 and 2006, the Tulsa suburbs of Jenks, Bixby, and Owasso led the state in population growth, showing percentage growths of 47. South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California. Jenks is a city in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States, and a suburb of Tulsa, in the northeastern part of the state Bixby is a city in Tulsa and Wagoner counties in the US state of Oklahoma, and is a suburb of Tulsa. Owasso is a city in Rogers and Tulsa counties in the US state of Oklahoma, and a northern Suburb of Tulsa. 9, 44. 56, and 34. 31, respectively. ^[173]

In descending order of population, Oklahoma's largest cities in 2007 were: Oklahoma City (537,730), Tulsa (382,870), Norman (102,830), Broken Arrow (88,310), Lawton (87,540), Edmond (76,640), Midwest City (55,160), Moore (49,280), Enid (46,510), and Stillwater (44,820). Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the US state of Oklahoma. Norman is the largest city in and the County seat of Cleveland County in the U Broken Arrow is a city located in the northeastern part of the U Lawton is a city in and the County seat of Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state Midwest City is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Moore is a sprawling residential city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma and is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area Enid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. The Population was 47045 at the 2000 census. Stillwater is a city in Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. Of the state's ten largest cities, three are outside the metropolitan areas of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and only Lawton has a metropolitan statistical area of its own as designated by the United States Census Bureau, though the metropolitan statistical area of Fort Smith, Arkansas extends into the state. Fort Smith is the second-largest city in the US state of Arkansas and one of the two County seats of Sebastian County. ^[173]

Under Oklahoma law, municipalities are divided into two categories: cities, defined as having more than 1,000 residents, and towns, with under 1,000 residents. Both have legislative, judicial, and public power within their boundaries, but cities can choose between a mayor-council, council-manager, or strong mayor form of government, while towns operate through an elected officer system. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State The Mayor-Council government system sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system is one of two variations of Government used for the most part in modern In the council-manager form of government an elected city council (typically between five and 11 people is responsible for making Policy, passing Ordinances voting Appropriations The Mayor-Council government system sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system is one of two variations of Government used for the most part in modern ^[166]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1890	258,657		—
1900	790,391		205. 6%
1910	1,657,155		109. 7%
1920	2,028,283		22. 4%
1930	2,396,040		18. 1%
1940	2,336,434		−2. 5%
1950	2,233,351		−4. 4%
1960	2,328,284		4. 3%
1970	2,559,229		9. 9%
1980	3,025,290		18. 2%
1990	3,145,585		4%
2000	3,450,654		9. 7%
Est. 2006	3,579,212		3. 7%

Main article: Demographics of Oklahoma

As of 2006, Oklahoma had an estimated population of 3,579,212, with an ancestral makeup of 14. According to the US Census Bureau as of 2006, Oklahoma has an estimated population of 3579212 which is an increase of 35770 or 1 5% German, 13. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 1% American, 11. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 8% Irish, 9. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 6% English, 8. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry 1% African American, and 11. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa 4% Native American, including 7. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States 9% Cherokee. The Cherokee (ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ a-ni-yv-wi-ya, in the Cherokee language) are a people native to North America, who at the time of European contact ^[174][175] though the percentage of people claiming American Indian as their only race was 8. 1%. ^[1] The state had the second highest number of Native Americans, estimated at 395,219 in 2002, as well as the second highest percentage among all states. ^[175] As of 2006, 4. 7% of Oklahoma's residents were foreign born,^[176] compared to 12. 4% for the nation. ^[177] The center of population of Oklahoma is located in Lincoln County near the town of Sparks. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Lincoln County is a County located in the US state of Oklahoma. Sparks is a town in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 137 at the 2000 census. ^[178]

The state's 2006 per capita personal income ranked 37th at $32,210, though it has the third-fastest growing per capita income in the nation^[6] and ranks consistently among the lowest states in cost of living index. ^[179] The Oklahoma City suburb Nichols Hills is first on Oklahoma locations by per capita income at $73,661, though Tulsa County holds the highest average. Nichols Hills is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Oklahoma is the 37th-richest state in the United States of America, with a Per capita income of $32210 in 2006 and the third fastest-growing per capita income in Tulsa County is a county located in the US state of Oklahoma. ^[173] In 2006, 6. 8% of Oklahomans were under the age of 5, 25. 9% under 18, and 13. 2% were 65 or older. Females made up 50. 9% of the population.

Religion

Oklahoma is part of a geographical region characterized by widespread beliefs in Biblical Christianity and Evangelical Protestantism known as the "Bible Belt". Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The Bible Belt is an informal term for an area of the United States of America in which socially conservative Evangelical Protestantism is a Spanning the Southeastern United States, the area is known for politically and socially conservative views. An ideology is a set of beliefs aims and Ideas especially in politics Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined Tulsa, the state's second largest city, home to Oral Roberts University, is considered an apex of the region and is known as one of the "buckles of the Bible Belt". Oral Roberts University or ORU, based in Tulsa Oklahoma, is a charismatic Christian Liberal arts University with an enrollment The Bible Belt is an informal term for an area of the United States of America in which socially conservative Evangelical Protestantism is a ^[180][181] According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of Oklahoma's religious adherents — 85 percent — are Christian, accounting for about 80 percent of the population. The Pew Research Center is a Think tank based in Washington D The percentage of Oklahomans affiliated with Catholicism is half of the national average, while the percentage affiliated with Evangelical Protestantism is more than twice the national average — tied with Arkansas for the largest percentage of any state. As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described ^[182]

Adherents participate in 73 major affiliations spread between 5,854 congregations, ranging from the Southern Baptist Convention, with 1578 churches and 967,223 members, to the Holy Orthodox Church in North America, with 1 church and 6 members. The Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC) is a United States -based mostly conservative Christian denomination The Holy Orthodox Church in North America or HOCNA is an Eastern Orthodox Christian Church located primarily in the United States The state's largest church memberships are in the Southern Baptist Convention, the United Methodist Church, with 322,794 members, the Roman Catholic Church, with 168,625, the Assemblies of God, with 88,301, and Churches of Christ, with 83,047. The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination and the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. The World Assemblies of God Fellowship, or Assemblies of God for short is the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with over 283413 churches and outstations The Churches of Christ discussed ^[183] In 2000, there were about 5,000 Jews and 6,000 Muslims, with 10 congregations to each group. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion ^[183]

Oklahoma religious makeup:^[183][A]

• Evangelical Protestant – 53%
• Mainline Protestant – 16%
• Catholic – 13%
• Other – 6%^[B]
• Unaffiliated – 12%

State symbols

See also: list of Oklahoma state symbols

Oklahoma's state emblems and honorary positions are codified by state law;^[185] the Oklahoma Senate or House of Representatives may adopt resolutions designating others for special events and to benefit organizations. This is a list of Oklahoma's state symbols including official and unofficial

State symbols:^[186]

• State bird: Scissortail flycatcher
• State tree: Eastern Redbud
• State mammal: American Bison
• State beverage: Milk
• State game bird: Wild Turkey
• State fish: Sandbass
• State floral emblem: Mistletoe
• State flower: Oklahoma Rose
• State wildflower: Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchellum)
• State grass: Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)
• State fossil: Saurophaganax maximus^[187]
• State rock: Rose rock
• State insect: Honeybee
• State soil: Port Silt Loam
• State reptile: Collared Lizard
• State amphibian: Bullfrog
• State meal: fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas. The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher ( Tyrannus forficatus) is a long-tailed insect-eating Bird closely related to the Kingbirds Adult birds have gray upper Cercis canadensis L ( Eastern Redbud) is a large Shrub or small Tree native to eastern North America from southern The American bison ( Bison bison) is a Bovine Mammal, also commonly known as the American buffalo. Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the Mammary glands of female Mammals (including Monotremes. The Wild Turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo) is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. The white bass or sand bass ( Morone chrysops) is a Freshwater fish of the temperate bass family Moronidae. Mistletoe is the common name for a group of hemi-parasitic Plants in the order Santalales that grow attached to and within the Oklahoma Rose is a hybrid tea rose developed in 1964 at Oklahoma State University by Herbert C Firewheel redirects here for the Garland Texas shopping center see Firewheel Town Center Gaillardia pulchella ( Firewheel Indiangrass ( Sorghastrum nutans) also called Indian grass is a North American Prairie grass and is the official State grass of both Saurophaganax ("lizard-eating master" is a Genus of Allosaurid Dinosaur from the Morrison Formation of Jurassic Rose rocks are aggregates of Barite (barium sulfate Crystals and Sand whose Iron content gives them a reddish hue This article refers collectively to all true honey bees for the "common" domesticated honey bee see European honey bee Honey bees Port Silt Loam is the state soil of Oklahoma. This type of Soil is reddish in color due to the weathering of reddish Sandstones, Siltstones The Oklahoma Collared Lizard or Collared Lizard, Crotaphytus collaris, is a North American lizard that can reach a foot (30 cm long in length (including The American Bullfrog ( Rana catesbeiana) is an aquatic Frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or "true frogs" native to much of North Okra ( American English:, British English,) also known as lady's finger, bhindi ( Hindustani) and gumbo, is a Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita native to the Mexico and Central America, also called marrows depending Cornbread is a generic name for any number of Quick breads (a bread leavened chemically rather than by Yeast) containing Cornmeal. barbeque block party Kansas cityjpg|thumb|right|275px|A barbecue on a trailer at a Block party in Kansas City. Pork' is the Culinary name for Meat from the domestic Pig ( Sus scrofa) often specifically the fresh meat but can be used as an all-inclusive A biscuit (ˈbɪskɨt is a small baked product the exact meaning varies markedly in different parts of the world Sausage and gravy is a traditional Southern breakfast dish After loose pork Sausage is cooked in a pan and removed a Roux is formed by browning GRITS is a Christian hip hop group from Nashville, Tennessee. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Garden strawberries are a common variety of strawberry cultivated worldwide Chicken fried steak (also known as country fried steak) is a piece of Beef Steak (tenderized Cube steak) coated with seasoned flour and Pecan pie is a sweet Custard Pie made primarily of Corn syrup and Pecan nuts The black-eyed pea, also called black-eyed bean, blackeye, 眉豆 (Cant
• State folk dance: Square Dance
• State percussive instrument: drum
• State waltz: Oklahoma Wind
• State butterfly: Black Swallowtail
• State song: "Oklahoma!"

See also

• List of Oklahoma-related topics

Notes

A. Square dance is a Folk dance with four couples (eight dancers arranged in a square with one couple on each side beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going The drum is a member of the percussion group technically classified as a Membranophone. The Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes, also called the American or Parsnip swallowtail is a Butterfly found throughout much of North America " Oklahoma " is the title song from and the finale to the Broadway musical Oklahoma! The music and lyrics were written by Richard See also Oklahoma The following is a list of topics about the U ^{^}  Determined by a survey by the Pew Research Center in 2008. Percentages represent claimed religious beliefs, not necessarily membership in any particular congregation. Figures have a ±5 percent margin of error. ^[182]

B. ^{^}  Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, other faiths each account for less than 1 percent. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Jehovah's Witness, Mormons, Orthodox Christianity, and other Christian traditions each compose less than . Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon 5% percent. 1% refused to answer the Pew Research Center's survey. ^[182]

References

Further reading

• Baird, W. David; and Danney Goble (1994). The Story of Oklahoma. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-2650-7.  
• Dale, Edward Everett; and Morris L. Wardell (1948). History of Oklahoma. New York: Prentice-Hall.  
• Gibson, Arrell Morgan (1981). Oklahoma: A History of Five Centuries, 2nd ed. , Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-1758-3.  
• Goble, Danney (1980). Progressive Oklahoma: The Making of a New Kind of State. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-1510-6.  
• Jones, Stephen (1974). Oklahoma Politics in State and Nation, vol. 1 (1907-62), Enid, Okla. : Haymaker Press.  
• Joyce, Davis D. (ed. ) (1994). An Oklahoma I Had Never Seen Before: Alternative Views of Oklahoma History. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-2599-3.  
• Morgan, Anne Hodges; and H. Wayne Morgan (eds. ) (1982). Oklahoma: New Views of the Forty-sixth State. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-1651-X.  
• Morgan, David R. ; Robert E. England, and George G. Humphreys (1991). Oklahoma Politics and Policies: Governing the Sooner State. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-3106-7.  
• Morris, John W. ; Charles R. Goins, and Edwin C. McReynolds (1986). Historical Atlas of Oklahoma, 3rd ed. , Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-1991-8.  
• Wishart, David J. (ed. ) (2004). Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-4787-7.  

External links

• Oklahoma travel guide from Wikitravel
• Oklahoma's official web site
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Oklahoma
• U.S. Census Bureau. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census
  • Oklahoma QuickFacts. Geographic and demographic information.
  • Oklahoma - Race and Hispanic Origin: 1890 to 1990 (PDF)
• Oklahoma facts
• Oklahoma Tourism Board
• United States Postal Service description of the Oklahoma Statehood Stamp
• Oklahoma tobacco policymaking
• Oklahoma Entertainment | Nightlife,Music,etc...

Preceded by Utah

List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on November 16, 1907 (46th)

Succeeded by New Mexico

The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of U Events 534 - A second and final revision of the Codex Justinianus is published Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America.

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