South Carolina

South Carolina, is a state located in the coastal Southeastern United States. It is bordered to the north by North Carolina, to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the southwest by Georgia across the Savannah River. According to the 2020 census, South Carolina is the nation’s 40th largest and 23rd most populous state. It has a population of 5,124 712 people. In 2019, its GDP was $213.45 billion. South Carolina is made up of 46 counties. Columbia is the capital with a population estimate of 137,300. Charleston is the largest city with a population estimate of 150,277 in 2020. The Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson metropolitan area is the most populous in the state, with a 2020 population estimate of 1,455,892.

South Carolina was named after King Charles I of England. He founded the English colony in 1712. Carolus is Latin for “Charles”. In 1712 the Province of South Carolina was formed. One of the original Thirteen Colonies, South Carolina became a royal colony in 1719. South Carolina was a major hub of activity during the American Revolutionary War. There were more than 200 battles, skirmishes, and other activities within the state. South Carolina ratified the U.S. Constitution May 23, 1788. A slave state, it was the first state to vote in favor of secession from the Union on December 20, 1860. After the American Civil War, it was readmitted into the United States on July 9, 1868. The state saw economic progress in the early-to mid 20th century as many textile mills were built throughout the state. The civil rights movement of the mid-20th century helped in ending segregation and legal discrimination policies within the state. Economic diversification in South Carolina continued to pick up speed during and in the ensuing decades after World War II. South Carolina’s economy was based on a variety of industries, including aerospace, agribusiness and automotive manufacturing. It is now in the 21st century.

Within South Carolina from east to west are three main geographic regions, the Atlantic coastal plain, the Piedmont, and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwestern corner of Upstate South Carolina. South Carolina has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot humid summers. The Upstate has a subtropical highland environment. Many salt marshes are found along South Carolina’s eastern coast plain. South Carolina’s southeastern Lowcountry contains portions of the Sea Islands, a chain of barrier islands along the Atlantic Ocean.