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	1.8
- 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.)[1]
- Density	50.3[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. 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. Formed from Indian Territory on November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was the 46th state to enter the union. Its citizens are known as Oklahomans, and the state's capital and largest city is Oklahoma City. The article about the State of Oklahoma is at Oklahoma For the musical comedy Oklahoma! see Oklahoma! For the movie Oklahoma (no exclamation mark) see Oklahoma (1979 movie) For the movies Oklahoma! (with exclamation mark) Oklahoma! (1955) and Oklahoma! (1999) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... Image File history File links Flag_of_Oklahoma. ... Oklahoma state seal Source http://usa. ... The flag of Oklahoma consists of a traditional Osage Nation buffalo-skin shield with seven eagle feathers on a sky blue field. ... All informaton herein is from the website of the Oklahoma Secretary of State. ... This is a list of U.S. state nicknames -- both official and traditional (official state nicknames are in bold). ... Here is a list of state mottos for the states of the United States. ... Labor omnia vincit is a common Latin phrase and the state motto of Oklahoma. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Map_of_USA_OK.svg‎ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Oklahoma Tulsa County, Oklahoma Osage County, Oklahoma Oklahoma County, Oklahoma McClain County, Oklahoma Marshall County, Oklahoma Comanche County, Oklahoma Cleveland County, Oklahoma Cimarron... The United States does not have an official language, but English is spoken by about 82% of the population as a native language. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ... Nickname: Location in Oklahoma County and the state of Oklahoma. ... Nickname: Location in Oklahoma County and the state of Oklahoma. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... This is a complete list of the states of the United States ordered by total area, land area, and water area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... “km” redirects here. ... Map of states populations (2007) 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 2007 estimates of the United States Census Bureau. ... Map of states showing population density This is a list of the 50 U.S. states, ordered by population density. ... This is a list of United States states by elevation. ... Black Mesa extends from Mesa de Maya in Colorado southeasterly 28 miles along the north bank of the Cimarron River, crossing the northeast corner of New Mexico to end at the confluence of the Cimmaron and Carrizo Creek near Kenton in the Oklahoma panhandle. ... The Little River near Sasakwa, Oklahoma The Little River near Tecumseh, Oklahoma The Little River is a tributary of the Canadian River, 90 mi (145 km) long, in central Oklahoma in the United States. ... The order which the original 13 states ratified the constitution, then the order that the others were admitted to the union This is a list of U.S. states by date of statehood, that is, the date when each U.S. state joined the Union. ... is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Charles Bradford Brad Henry (born June 10, 1963) is the Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. ... 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. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... James Mountain Inhofe (born November 17, 1934) is an American politician from Oklahoma. ... Thomas Allen Coburn (March 14, 1948) is a politician and U.S. Senator from the state of Oklahoma. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... These are tables of congressional delegations from Oklahoma to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... Map of U.S. time zones with new CST and EST areas displayed This is a list of United States of America States by time zone. ...  CST or UTC-6 The Central Standard Time Zone (CST) is a geographic region in the Americas that keeps time by subtracting six hours from UTC (UTC-6). ... ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... Kenton is a small community in Cimarron County, Oklahoma. ... MST is UTC-7 The Mountain Standard Time Zone (MST) is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), resulting in UTC-7. ... ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... The following is a list of abbreviations used by the United States Postal Service. ... U.S. states This is a list of traditional abbreviations for U.S. states and territorries, which were in wide use prior to the U.S. postal abbreviations. ... ISO 3166-2 codes for the United States of America cover 50 states, 1 district, 6 outlying areas (including 9 minor outlying islands under separate ISO 3166-1 country code UM). ... A website (alternatively, web site or Web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or more web servers, usually accessible via the Internet. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... Red states show the core of the South Central, states shown as pink may or may not be included in the South Central, and thus their inclusion or exclusion varies from source to source. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... For other uses, see Choctaw (disambiguation). ... Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Country redirects here. ... is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Downtown Oklahoma City The State Capitol of Oklahoma From The South Motto: Nickname: Capital of the New Century Founded 1889 Incorporated County Oklahoma County Cleveland County Canadian County Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Mick Cornett Area  - Total  - Water 1,608. ...

A major producer of natural gas, oil and food, Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation, energy, telecommunications, and biotechnology.^[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.^[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.^[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.^[9][10] For other uses, see Natural gas (disambiguation). ... Petro redirects here. ... Insulin crystals Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. ... Look up Per capita in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... GDP redirects here. ... Downtown Tulsa Tulsa is the second-largest city in Oklahoma. ... In the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has produced a formal definition of metropolitan areas, which are organized around county boundaries. ... The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, often said NC-Double-A) is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletics programs of many colleges and universities in the United States. ... NAIA is an acronym (or an initialism) that can refer to the following: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in the United States. ...

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.^[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.^[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. 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.^[13] For other uses, see Prairie (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Great Plains (disambiguation). ... The Talimena Scenic Drive traverses the Ouachita Mountains in Oklahoma, part of the U.S. Interior Highlands region. ... NOAA scientists observe severe weather using a mobile doppler radar and a helicopter (in the distance) Severe weather phenomena are weather conditions that are hazardous. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... Cultural region is a term used mainly in the study of geography. ... Cattle drives started in the late 1800s in the United States. ... Political divisions of the United States as they were from 1868 to 1876, including 9 organized territories and 2 unorganized territories Territories of the United States are one type of political division of the United States, administered by the U.S. government but not any part of a U.S... The approximate extent of the Bible Belt, indicated in red The Bible Belt is an informal term for an area of the United States of America in which socially conservative Christian Evangelical Protestantism is a dominant part of the culture. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Evangelicalism is a theological perspective in Protestant Christianity which identifies with the gospel. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Conservative may refer to: Conservatism, political philosophy A member of a Conservative Party Conservative extension, premise of deductive logic Conservativity theorem, mathematical proof of conservative extension Conservative Judaism britney spears Category: ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic...

Etymology

The name Oklahoma comes from the Choctaw phrase okla humma, literally meaning red people. 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. 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.^[4][14][15] For other uses, see Choctaw (disambiguation). ... Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Country redirects here. ... Look up De facto in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Oklahoma Territory was an organized territory of the United States from May 2, 1890 until November 16, 1907, when Oklahoma became the 46th state. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Oklahoma

The state's high plains stretch behind a greeting sign in the Oklahoma Panhandle.

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. 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. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 653 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) welcome sign for Oklahoma along highway 412 in the Oklahoma Panhandle. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 653 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) welcome sign for Oklahoma along highway 412 in the Oklahoma Panhandle. ... The Oklahoma Panhandle is the extreme western region of the state of Oklahoma, comprising Cimarron County, Texas County, and Beaver County. ... Frontier Strip refers to the American six states from North Dakota south to Texas. ... For other uses, see Great Plains (disambiguation). ... The continental United States is a term referring to the United States situated on the North American continent. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Official language(s) English Demonym Coloradan Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th in the US  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) None Spoken language(s) English 68. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ...

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.^[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. 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] Lakes Arcadia Lake Bellcow Lake Canton Lake Lake Dahlgren Lake Stanley Draper Eufaula Lake Grand Lake Great Salt Plains Lake Lake Hefner Keystone Lake Lake Murray Lake Overholser Tenkiller Ferry Lake Lake Texoma Lake Thunderbird Reservoirs Arbuckle Reservoir Fort Cobb Reservoir Konawa Reservoir McGee Creek Reservoir Tom Steed Reservoir Wes... For other uses, see Great Plains (disambiguation). ... Ozark redirects here. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Black Mesa extends from Mesa de Maya in Colorado southeasterly 28 miles along the north bank of the Cimarron River, crossing the northeast corner of New Mexico to end at the confluence of the Cimmaron and Carrizo Creek near Kenton in the Oklahoma panhandle. ... The Oklahoma Panhandle is the extreme western region of the state of Oklahoma, comprising Cimarron County, Texas County, and Beaver County. ...

A river carves a canyon in the Wichita Mountains.

The state has four primary mountain ranges: the Ouachita Mountains, the Arbuckle Mountains, the Wichita Mountains, and the Ozark Mountains.^[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.^[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.^[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] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1891 KB) View through a small canyon in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1891 KB) View through a small canyon in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. ... View from Mount Scott The Wichita Mountains are an ancient mountain range located in southwestern Oklahoma. ... Ouachita Mountains The Ouachita Mountains are a mountain range located in west central Arkansas and east central Oklahoma. ... Travertine Creek, in the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, located in the foothills of the Arbuckles near Sulphur. ... View from Mount Scott The Wichita Mountains are an ancient mountain range located in southwestern Oklahoma. ... This article is about the Ozark Plateau. ... For individual mountains named Rocky Mountain, see Rocky Mountain (disambiguation). ... The Appalachian Mountains are a system of North American mountains running from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada to Alabama in the United States, although the northernmost mainland portion ends at the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. ... The Flint Hills are a group of hills in eastern Kansas, extending from Marshall County in the north, to Cowley County in the south. ... Cavanal Hill located at Poteau, Oklahoma is, by definition, the tallest hill in the world at 1,999 feet. ...

The Ouachita Mountains cover much of southeastern Oklahoma.

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.^[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] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 670 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) View from a scenic vista along the Talimena Scenic Drive in Oklahoma. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 670 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) View from a scenic vista along the Talimena Scenic Drive in Oklahoma. ... Ouachita Mountains The Ouachita Mountains are a mountain range located in west central Arkansas and east central Oklahoma. ... Turner Falls, nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains of Kiamichi Country. ... An ecoregion, sometimes called a bioregion, is a relatively large area of land or water that contains a geographically distinct assemblage of natural communities. ...

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.^[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. 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. 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] A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... The Red River is one of several rivers with that name, and of two rivers with that name in the United States. ... The Arkansas River flows through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. ... The Glass Mountains are a series of mesas south of the Cimarron River. ... Semi-arid generally describes regions that receive low annual rainfall (25 to 50 cm /10 to 20 in) and generally have scrub or grass vegetation. ... The High Plains are a subregion of the Great Plains in the central United States, located in eastern Colorado, western Kansas, western Nebraska, central and eastern Montana, eastern New Mexico, western Oklahoma, northwestern Texas, and southeastern Wyoming. ... Grand Canyon, Arizona A canyon, or gorge, is a valley walled by cliffs. ... For other uses, see Mesa (disambiguation). ... The Glass Mountains are a series of low mesas south of the Cimarron River. ... Antelope Hills may refer to several places or geographic features in the United States. ... View from Mount Scott The Wichita Mountains are an ancient mountain range located in southwestern Oklahoma. ... The Antelope Hills of Southwest Oklahoma in the distance 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 the Texas border to a line roughly from Weatherford, to Anadarko, to Duncan. ... Central Oklahoma is a geographical name for the central region of the state. ...

Flora and fauna

Populations of American Bison inhabit the state's prairie ecosystems.

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.^[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.^[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.^[24][23][25] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 546 pixelsFull resolution (1493 × 1019 pixel, file size: 104 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This is a photo of the Tallgrass Prairie Nature Preserve in Osage County, Oklahoma that I took myself that I am putting into Public Doamin. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 546 pixelsFull resolution (1493 × 1019 pixel, file size: 104 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This is a photo of the Tallgrass Prairie Nature Preserve in Osage County, Oklahoma that I took myself that I am putting into Public Doamin. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies B. b. ... For other uses, see Prairie (disambiguation). ... Prairie grasses The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. ... Bales of hay on a farm near Ames, Iowa A farm is the basic unit in agriculture. ... Shrubland is a habitat type dominated by woody shrubs. ... Species Section Cembroides     Pinus cembroides     Pinus orizabensis     Pinus johannis     Pinus culminicola     Pinus remota     Pinus edulis     Pinus monophylla     Pinus quadrifolia Section Rzedowskiae     Pinus rzedowskii     Pinus pinceana     Pinus maximartinezii Section Nelsoniae     Pinus nelsonii The pinyon (or piñon) pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. ... Species Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. ... Binomial name Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) is a widespread and very variable pine native to western North America. ... This article is about marsh, a type of wetland. ... Monterey Cypresses (Cupressus macrocarpa) planted in Melbourne, Australia Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the conifer family Cupressaceae (cypress family). ... Binomial name Pinus echinata Mill. ... Binomial name Pinus taeda L. The Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) is one of the pines native to the southeastern United States. ... Turner Falls, nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains of Kiamichi Country. ... Binomial name Quercus stellata Wangenh. ... Species See Elm species, varieties, cultivars and hybrids Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees making up the genus Ulmus, family Ulmaceae, found throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Siberia to Indonesia, Mexico to Japan. ... For other uses, see Cedar (disambiguation). ... This article deals with the tree; for the e-mail client see Pine email client Species About 115. ... Located in Northeast Oklahoma, Green Country is an area of the state with a relatively high amount of rolling hills, mountains and foliage as opposed to Central and Western Oklahoma (which have geography similar to the Great Plains region of the U.S.). Average rainfall totals in Green Country are...

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. 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 Cross Timbers, a region transitioning from prairie to woodlands in Central Oklahoma, harbors 351 vertebrate species. 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.^[24] Binomial name Zimmermann, 1780 The White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer, or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America, northern portions of South America as far south as Peru, and... Binomial name Canis latrans Say, 1823 A coyote (Canis latrans) is a member of the Canidae (the dog family) and a relative of the domestic dog. ... For other uses, see Bobcat (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Elk (disambiguation). ... This article is about the bird. ... Subfamilies see article text Feral Rock Pigeon beside Weiming Lake, Peking University Dove redirects here. ... Genera Periporphyrus Saltator Caryothraustes Parkerthraustes Rhodothraupis Cardinalis Pheucticus Cyanocompsa Guiraca Passerina Spiza The Cardinals or Cardinalidae are a family of passerine birds found in North and South America. ... Binomial name Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Linnaeus, 1766) The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a raptor that is indigenous to North America, and is the national symbol of the United States of America. ... Binomial name Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1788) The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a large Buteo which breeds from western Alaska and northern Canada to Panama and the West Indies. ... Genera Ithaginis Catreus Rheinartia Crossoptilon Lophura Argusianus Pucrasia Syrmaticus Chrysolophus Phasianus † See also partridge, quail Pheasants are a group of large birds from the order Galliformes. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies B. b. ... Binomial name Tymphanucus cupido (Linnaeus, 1758) The Greater Prairie Chicken, Tymphanucus cupido, is a large bird in the grouse family. ... For other uses, see Badger (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Armadillo (disambiguation). ... Species Cynomys gunnisoni Cynomys leucurus Cynomys ludovicianus Cynomys mexicanus Cynomys parvidens The prairie dog (Cynomys) is a small, burrowing rodent native to the grasslands of North America. ... The Cross Timbers is a savanna on the southern Great Plains running from southeastern Kansas, across central Oklahoma, into central Texas. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Binomial name Pallas, 1780 Synonyms Euarctos americanus The American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) is the most common bear species native to North America. ... For the American comedian, see Redd Foxx. ... Gray Fox may also refer to a special forces unit of the United States; see Gray Fox. ... Binomial name Lontra canadensis (Schreber, 1777) The Northern River Otter, Lontra canadensis, is a North American member of the Mustelidae or weasel family. ...

Protected lands

Mesas rise above one of Oklahoma's state parks.

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. 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.^[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.^[30] In addition, the Black Kettle National Grassland covers 31,300 acres (127 km²) of prairie in southwestern Oklahoma.^[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 (238.8 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).^[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.^[27] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 676 KB) Author is myslef I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 676 KB) Author is myslef I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The Glass Mountains are a series of low mesas south of the Cimarron River. ... 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, or other reason, and under the administration of the government of a U.S. state or one of the states of Mexico. ... This article is about national parks. ... This article is on national forests in the United States. ... An Inner Mongolia Grassland. ... The Ouachita National Forest is a National Forest that lies in the western portion of Arkansas and portions of eastern Oklahoma. ... Photo of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. ... Prairie grasses The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. ... A coral reef near the Hawaiian islands is an example of a complex marine ecosystem. ... The Cibola National Forest stretches from western Oklahoma to western New Mexico. ... Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, located in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton, has protected unique wildlife habitats since 1901. ... National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. ... Chickasaw National Recreation Area is a unit of the National Park Service near Sulphur, Oklahoma. ... The Santa Fe Trail was an important route in the western United States, leading from Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico. ... For other uses, see Trail of Tears (disambiguation). ... At Fort Smith National Historic Site you can walk where soldiers drilled, pause along the Trail of Tears, and stand where justice was served. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Oklahoma City National Memorial is the largest memorial of its kind in the United States. ...

Climate

Oklahoma is located in a climate prime for thunderstorm development.

Oklahoma is located in a temperate region and experiences occasional extremes of temperature and precipitation typical in a continental climate.^[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.^[20] An average 54 tornadoes strike the state per year—one of the highest rates in the world.^[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] Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... A shelf cloud associated with a heavy or severe thunderstorm over Enschede, The Netherlands. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... Regions containing a continental climate exist in portions of Northern Hemisphere continents, and also at higher elevations in certain other parts of the world. ... An outline of Significant Tornado Alley in the United States, where the highest percentage of violent tornadoes occur Tornado Alley is a colloquial term most often used in reference to the area of the United States in which tornadoes are most frequent. ... NOAA scientists observe severe weather using a mobile doppler radar and a helicopter (in the distance) Severe weather phenomena are weather conditions that are hazardous. ... For other uses of Tornado, see Tornado (disambiguation). ...

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.^[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).^[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.^[20] The state is home to the National Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service located at Norman.^[37] The humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and chilly to mild winters. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Semi-arid generally describes regions that receive low annual rainfall (25 to 50 cm /10 to 20 in) and generally have scrub or grass vegetation. ... Lawton is a city in Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. ... Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the German physicist Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), who proposed it in 1724. ... The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed a similar system in 1742. ... Official language(s) English Demonym Coloradan Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th in the US  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... The Storm Prediction Center, located in Norman, Oklahoma, is part of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), operating under the control of the National Weather Service, which in turn is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S. government. ... The National Weather Service (NWS) is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States government. ... Norman, Oklahoma, is the county seat and largest city in Cleveland County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area. ...

History

Main article: History of Oklahoma

Land runs opened much of the state to white settlers.

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.^[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.^[43] This article is about the History of Oklahoma. ... Cherokee Strip land run (1893 photo) This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Cherokee Strip land run (1893 photo) This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Cherokee Strip land run Land run (sometimes land rush) usually refers to a historical event in which previously-restricted land of the Indian people was stolen for homesteading on a first arrival basis. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... 80. ... Coronado Sets Out to the North, by Frederic Remington, 1861-1909 Francisco Vázquez de Coronado (c. ... The Louisiana Purchase (French: Vente de la Louisiane) was the acquisition by the United States of America of 828,000 square miles (2,140,000 km²) of French territory (Louisiana) in 1803. ...

Cowboys drove cattle across the state in the late 19th century.

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 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.^[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] Cowboy circa 1887 Free Public Domain Image from http://www. ... Cowboy circa 1887 Free Public Domain Image from http://www. ... For other uses, see Cowboy (disambiguation). ... The Five Civilized Tribes is the term applied to five Native American nations, the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole, considered civilized by white Anais because they had adopted many of the colonists customs (including the ownership of plantations and black slaves) and had generally good relations with their neighbors. ... Indian Removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States that sought to relocate American Indian (or Native American) tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river. ... For other uses, see Trail of Tears (disambiguation). ... The Osage Nation is a Native American tribe in the United States, which is mainly based in Osage County, Oklahoma, but can still 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. ... Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Country redirects here. ... The Indian Removal Act, part of a U.S. government policy known as Indian Removal, was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830. ... The Indian Intercourse Acts were several acts passed by the United States Congress regulating commerce between American Indians and non-Indians and restricting travel by non-Indians onto Indian land. ...

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.^[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. 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] Cattle drives started in the late 1800s in the United States. ... For other uses, see Cowboy (disambiguation). ... The General Allotment Act of 1887 (also known as the Dawes Act or the Dawes Severalty Act) authorized the President of the United States to survey Native American tribal lands and divide the areas into allotments for individual Native American families. ...

The Dust Bowl sent thousands of farmers into poverty during the 1930s.

Major land runs, including the Land Run of 1889, were held for settlers on the hour that certain territories were opened to settlement. 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] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 612 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (952 × 933 pixel, file size: 182 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Date April 1936 Author Arthur Rothstein, for the Farm Security Administration Permission (Reusing this image) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 612 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (952 × 933 pixel, file size: 182 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Date April 1936 Author Arthur Rothstein, for the Farm Security Administration Permission (Reusing this image) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as...