The West South Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by the United States Census Bureau. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ...
Four states comprise the division: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. The division is one of the three that together make up the broader region known as the South (the other two being the South Atlantic States and the East South Central States). Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area Ranked 29th - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,732 km²) - Width 239 miles (385 km) - Length 261 miles (420 km) - % water 2. ... This Article does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area Ranked 20th - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²) - Width 230 miles (370 km) - Length 298 miles (fBlack Mesa Mountain]][2] km) - % water 1. ... Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area Ranked 2nd - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²) - Width 773 miles (1,244 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The South Atlantic States form one of the nine divisions within the United States that are formally recognized by that countrys census bureau. ... The East South Central States constitute one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by that countrys census bureau. ...
Demographics
As of 2000, the West South Central States had a combined population of 31,444,850. This number was estimated to increase 7.21% to 33,710,634 by 2005. The West South Central region covers 426,094 square miles of land, and has an average population density of 73.80 people per square mile. This article is about the year 2000. ...
States shown as pink may or may not be included in the South, with their inclusion or exclusion varying from source to source.
For example, the Deep South is a cultural and geographic subregion of the American South which consists of the South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana (the six founding members of the Confederate States of America).
The easternmost tip of the state is close enough to Baltimore and Washington, DC that it too has started to become an exurb of these areas with a unique North-South "hybrid" culture (in fact, the two easternmost counties, Berkeley and Jefferson, are considered part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area by the Census Bureau).
West Virginia is a unique case since it seceded from Virginia out of reluctance to join the Confederacy and retains a sense of independence; whether it is culturally part of the South again depends on context and on what distinction is drawn between Appalachian and Southern culture.
The oldest university in the South, College of William and Mary, was founded in Virginia; it pioneered in the teaching of political economy and educated future U.S. Presidents Jefferson, Monroe and Tyler, all from Virginia.
The United States government refused to recognize the new country and kept in operation its second to last fort in the South, which the Confederacy captured in April 1861 at the Battle of Fort Sumter, in the port of Charleston, triggering the Civil War.