State of Oklahoma general data
- Time zone: 7 hours less than Italy
- Capital: Oklahoma City
- Main towns: Broken Arrow, Edmond, Lawton, Norman, Tulsa.
- Area: 181.035 km²
- Population: Approximately 3,950,000 inhabitants.
- Population density: 21,8 residents / km²
- State abbreviation: OK
- Entry into the United States: It joins the United States on November 16, 1907, it is the 46th state to join the union.
According to thembaprograms.com, Oklahoma is a state of great physical variety. With an average height of 396m, the highest point is located in the north-west, on the summit of Black Mesa, at 1,516m above sea level, and the lowest in the south-east of the state, in the bed of the Little River., at 87 m.
Observing a map of Oklahoma highlights at a glance, the narrow strip of land that extends from Texas, Colorado and Kansas, and which forms a short border with New Mexico. This strip, known as the Panhandle, is part of the Great Plains region. Most of Oklahoma’s territory lies in the Central Plains region of the North American continent. This area is divided into three major geophysical areas: a region of hills, a flat region, and the Sandstone Hills region, a region of low mountains covered by forests.
The eastern section of Oklahoma, near the Arkansas border, can be divided into three sectors: the forest region, part of the Ozark Plateau, the rugged area of the Ouchita Mountains, a range it shares with Arkansas; and the region between the Red River and Lake Texoma which has the best agricultural land in the state. The two major watersheds of Oklahoma are those of the Arkansas River and the Red River. In Oklahoma, the Arkansas River receives waters from the Verdigris, Neosho, Illinois, Cimarron, and Canadian Rivers. The tributaries of the Red River which forms most of the border with the state of Texas are the Washita, Blue, Kiamichi, Elm Fork, North Fork, Prairie Dog, Town Fork and Salt Fork. On the courses of these rivers, numerous lakes were created during the 20th century with the intention of controlling floods, facilitating irrigation and producing electricity. The most important lakes are the Eufaula reservoir, the Grand Lake and Lake Texoma.
Flora and fauna – Herbaceous plants dominate the Oklahoma grasslands, while the central part of the state is covered with oak forests; trees of the same species are also found in mountainous areas. Wildlife is also common here, such as deer, coyotes, hares, and other small animals. The Wichita range is one of the last refuges for small herds of bison, wild cattle and prairie dogs.
The climate – Oklahoma is mild with an average annual temperature of 16 ° C; 4 ° C in January and 28 ° C in July. The rainfall pattern varies enormously according to the region. In fact, in the south-east of the state, rainfall is more abundant, an annual average of 1,270 mm, than in the region bordering New Mexico, 380 mm. Droughts are common, as are storms, tornadoes, hailstorms and storms.
Oklahoma City: capital of Oklahoma
City of the United States, capital of the state of Oklahoma, since it was admitted to the Union. Founded in 1889, it stands out as an oil and livestock center.
According to countryaah.com, Oklahoma City is located in the center of the state, in a flat area, on the banks of the Canadian and North Canadian rivers, 390m above sea level. Its climate is mild in winter, hot in summer, and like the rest of the great prairie region, it is prone to tornadoes and strong winds. The average annual temperature is 15’5 ° C, 2’7 ° C in January and 27 ° C in August.
History– According to topschoolsoflaw.com, the region where Oklahoma City is located was under the administration of France and Spain, as part of the territory of Louisiana, a province that Napoleon sold to the United States in 1803. Beginning in 1830, the federal government took charge of reorganizing the territories under his administration, and began to expropriate the lands from the Indian tribes of the southwest, (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole), and to transfer them to the newborn territory. Indian covering the current state of Oklahoma. Although at first in agreement with the Indian tribes these territories were forbidden to colonization.
Thus, in 1890 Oklahoma City was officially founded as the capital of the Oklahoma Territory, an entity that initially embraced the western region of the ancient Indian Territory. In 1907, the territory of the United States was reconfigured again. Three years later, Oklahoma became a new state of the union; Oklahoma City replaced Guthrie as the capital.
The city prospered quickly thanks to the oil resources of the region (oil discovered in the same city in 1928) and the railway, which immediately attracted thousands of settlers. Oil production has marked much of the city’s history, although other industries, such as agriculture, aviation, and public administration have managed to keep the city’s economic growth high in recent decades.
In 1995 the city suffered its worst terrorist attack on American soil so far, when a bomb placed in the parking lot of the Federal Building Alfred P. Murrah devastated much of the building and caused 167 victims.
What to see and education – The city is home to several higher education institutions: the Center for Health Sciences at the University of Oklahoma, the University Technical Institute, Langston University, the Oklahoma City Community College, the Oklahoma Christian College and the University of Oklahoma City.
Museums that are worth a visit include the Kirkpatrick Center, the Aerospace Museum, the Omniplex Museum of Arts and Sciences, the Sanamu African Gallery, and the American Indian Center. The Oklahoma History Center traces this region’s connection to oil and the area’s history prior to settler settlements. The National Cowboy Museum has one of the largest collections of Western art in the United States.
The city paid tribute to the 168 people killed in the tragic 1995 Federal Building bombing with the Oklahoma City National Memorial. The state capital has various points of interest, such as the Capitol, the seat of the Oklahoma Congress, near which there is an oil well, the Martin Natural Park, where botanical gardens are preserved; and the Kirkpatrick Planetarium. In the city you can also visit the largest market dedicated to the cattle trade in the United States.
Economy– The economy of the city is dominated by oil production, and by public administration, as the capital of the state. The activities have diversified thanks to a development plan drawn up by the architect IM Pei. Close to the oil sector, the most relevant are the aeronautics, metallurgical, textile and electronics industries. The United States Air Force, AT&T, General Motors, Firestone and Coca-Cola are among the major companies and institutions that have moved to the city using the land’s resources, its tax advantages.
