Geography and Climate of Oklahoma
Oklahoma lies on the Frontier Strip, bordered to the north by Kansas, the south by Texas, the east by Missouri and Arkansas, the northwest by Colorado and the west by New Mexico. Centered in the Great Plains and the Ozark Plateau near the center of the contiguous U.S., Oklahoma is a land of high plains and low wetlands, following from high to low points in a west to east direction.
Most of the state lies in the drainage basins of the Arkansas and Red rivers. The northwest corner of the state has a few forests, with a flat landscape in the high plains. Oklahoma is one of the most ecologically diverse states, within reach of over 10 distinct ecological regions. There are 50 state parks and six national parks, as well as many various wildlife preserves and protected forests.
The Ouachita and Ozark Mountains, two of four mountain ranges within Oklahoma, are the only major mountainous regions between the Appalachians and the Rockies. Flint Hills stretches into the northern central part of Oklahoma. Cavanal Hill is the world’s tallest hill at nearly 2,000 feet, missing the mark of an official mountain by one foot.
The state’s highest peak is Black Mesa, at 4,973 feet in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The Wichita and Arbuckle Mountains also lie in the Oklahoma topography, along with over 500 creeks and rivers.
Oklahoma has a continental climate with occasional bouts of extreme weather. Summers are usually hot and somewhat humid, while winters tend to be cold. The eastern part of Oklahoma has a more humid subtropical climate, due to southerly winds from the Gulf of Mexico. The weather in the high plains of the Panhandle is more semi-arid.
There is some snowfall at the Colorado border. Yearly rainfall in Oklahoma is around 56 inches. Most of the state is squarely within Tornado Alley, characterized by warm and cold air masses that produce severe weather. Oklahoma has one of the highest tornado counts in the nation, averaging 54 annually.
History of Oklahoma
Quapaw and Osage Native Americans tribes, among others, inhabited the Oklahoma area before Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado traveled through in 1541. It was not until the 1700s that French explorers settled the area. The territory remained under French control until the Louisiana Purchase.
In order to provide more land to settlers and expand westward toward the Mississippi River, the Indian Removal Act of 1830 designated Oklahoma as Indian Territory. In the 1830s, the “Five Civilized Tribes,” including the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Cherokee and Seminole, were forced from their lands and pushed into Oklahoma. Called the Trail of Tears, the march to Oklahoma caused the death of nearly 4,000 Cherokee.
In the latter half of the 19th century, Texan ranchers moved to the Indian Territory in order to drive cattle north on the way to Kansas. As more white settlers moved to unassigned land, the government passed the Dawes Act in 1887, dividing land from tribes into lots for farming for Native Americans.
However, the government kept a surplus of the land, making almost half of the Indian Territory open to settlers or railroad purchase. The Land Run of 1889 led to the state’s nickname, the “Sooner State.” Settlers jumped the border for land “sooner” than allowed. In 1907, after successful campaigning from the Sequoyah Constitutional Convention, Oklahoma gained admittance to the Union.
Oklahoma’s discovery of oil pools led to population growth and a booming economy. Cyrus Avery began the plans for Route 66, which brought travelers through Oklahoma. Racial tension rose as African-Americans moved northward from the south. The Tulsa Race Riot in 1921 resulted in the death of 300 people and $1.8 million in city property damage.
Poor farming practices, high winds and drought were combined factors in the Dust Bowl, which happened at the same time as the Great Depression. Thousands of farmers were destitute, forced to relocate to other farming areas, such as California. Despite the lasting negative imagery from the term “Okie,” Oklahomans have since revived some small towns. The economy continues to diversify through finance and manufacturing.
Tragically, Oklahoma City became the site of one of the worst terrorist acts in the U.S. In 1995, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols set off an explosive outside of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people.
Demographics of Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s population as of 2007 is 3,617,316.
German, American, Irish and English make up the largest European ancestry groups. African-Americans are over eight percent of the population, while Native Americans are 11 percent, 7.9 percent of which are descendants of the Cherokee tribe. Thus, Oklahoma has the second highest number of Native Americans residing in the state.
The state lies in a region of the country known as the “Bible Belt” for its strong beliefs in Evangelical Protestantism. Oklahoma is the “buckle” of the Belt, with 85 percent of the population Christian and 53 percent of those aligned with Evangelicalism. Surprisingly, 12 percent of the population identifies themselves as unaffiliated with any religion.
Economy of Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s gross state product in 2006 was $134.6 billion, a 10 percent jump from the previous year’s $122.5 billion. Per capita income in the state during the same year was $32,210, but is quickly growing and has one of lowest costs of living in the U.S.
Energy is an important industry, considering the amount of oil found in the state. Oklahoma also ranks second in terms of natural gas production. In 2005, oil made up 17 percent of Oklahoma’s economy.
One of the most business-friendly states, Oklahoma is home to six Fortune 500 companies, including Semgroup, ONEOK and Devon Energy, all of which are related to oil. Renewable energy and wind energy are growing fields of industry in the state.
Agricultural outputs include wheat, cattle, hogs, poultry and dairy products. Aerospace is another one of Oklahoma’s strongest industries, serving as the engineering headquarters for American Airlines. Biotechnology, finance and telecommunications are rapidly growing industries, along with manufacturing industries such as electronics, food processing, transportation equipment and telecommunications.
Oklahoma Law and Government
Democrat Brad Henry is the current governor of Oklahoma, while James M. Inhofe and Thomas A. Coburn, both Republicans, serve as U.S. Senators. The Oklahoma Senate has 48 members and the House has 101 members. Oklahoma City is the state capital. Additionally, 39 Native American tribal governments holding limited powers within designated areas of Oklahoma.
Given the large number of Evangelicals, the state has a decidedly conservative viewpoint on political and social issues. Since 1968, Oklahoma has voted Republican in every presidential election. However, since 2007, the state has elected some Democratic officials, and the Democratic Party is still prominent. In terms of smaller political groups, the Libertarian Party, the Green Party and the Constitution Party wield some considerable influence in state politics.
Oklahoma Transportation
Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport both serve over three million passengers a year. In addition, there are over 150 public airports in different parts of the state.
In total, Oklahoma has over 12,000 miles of roads that comprise its highway system. I-35 goes from the Red River at the Texas border and passes through the Oklahoma City metro area. I-44 is a toll road designed to bypass former U.S. Route 66, linking Tulsa and Oklahoma City, while I-40 passes through many smaller towns and Oklahoma City.
Major Cities and Towns of Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the most populous city in the state and, founded during the 1889 Land Run. The Myriah Botanical Gardens and the I.M. Pei-designed Crystal Bridge lead visitors to an island-inspired conservatory. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art and Hall National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum are well worth viewing.
Tulsa, the center of the oil boom, is Oklahoma’s cultural center and a hotspot for Art Deco architecture. The Philbrook Museum is another fine arts institution, while the Tulsa Ballet ranks among the best ballet companies in the nation.
Oklahoma Educational System
The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University are the state’s largest public postsecondary educational institutions, featuring excellent business programs. Tulsa is home to Oral Roberts University, one of the most conservative religious private colleges. There are 11 other public regional universities scattered throughout the state.
Find out more from the Oklahoma Department of Education.
Oklahoma Sports Teams and Recreational Activities
Oklahoma has recently become a center for major professional sports teams. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the Hornets relocated to Oklahoma City for two seasons. As of July 2008, the Seattle Supersonics relocated to Oklahoma City under a new team name. Minor league teams based in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Enid or Lawton play football, arena football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer.
Due to the previous lack of professional sports, college sports are very popular. The University of Oklahoma’s Sooners and the Oklahoma State University’s Cowboys attract over 60,000 fans each year during football games. Both schools are NCAA Division I teams and are some of the top schools for athletics.
|
Del.icio.us
Digg
