Oklahoma


 * OKLAHOMA **

Created by: Zach Conner, Period 3, February 4, 2011

**Location:**
Oklahoma is in the Southwest region of the United States, west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains. It is bordered by Texas to the south, New Mexico to the west, Colorado to the northwest, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northeast and Arkansas to the east.

**Physical Geography:**
Oklahoma is mostly grassland and broadleaf forest with some cropland. The western part of Oklahoma lies within the Great Plains.

Oklahoma has four major mountain ranges: the Ouachitas, Arbuckles, Wichitas and the Kiamichis. The three major rivers in Oklahoma are the Arkansas River, the Canadian River and the Red River. Oklahoma also has more man-made lakes than any other state.

The highest point in Oklahoma is Black Mesa at 4,973 feet above sea level and the lowest point is Little River at 289 feet above sea level. The mean elevation of Oklahoma is 1300 feet above sea level.

**Climate:**
Oklahoma has a humid continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. The average temperature in January is 37 degrees Fahrenheit and the average temperature in July is 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

The average rainfall each year varies throughout the state. The west part of Oklahoma averages 10 to 20 inches of rain per year, whereas the most eastern part of the state averages 40 to 80 inches per year. But the majority of the state is in the middle, with an average of 20 to 40 inches of rain per year.

Oklahoma is prone to tornadoes.

Economy:
Oklahoma's economy is based on manufacturing, oil and natural gas production, and agriculture. Oklahoma's manufacturing is mostly nonelectrical machinery and fabricated metal products. Oklahoma's natural resources include coal, natural gas and oil. Oklahoma is the third largest gas producing state in the country. In agriculture, Oklahoma ranks fourth in the country's production of wheat and cattle, fifth in pecans, sixth in peanuts and eighth in peaches.

People:
The three most populated cities in Oklahoma are: Oklahoma City (531,324), Tulsa (382,457), and Norman (101,719). The population density is 50 people per square mile. Approximately 68% of Oklahomans lives in urban areas and 32% live in rural areas. Oklahoma has the 2nd largest Native American population (after California).

Because of Oklahoma's diverse geography, there is lots to do. There are many state parks and museums, as well as casinos, festivals and rodeos. There is also much American Indian culture.

Additional Facts:
Oklahoma's nickname is the "Sooner State".

Oklahoma has produced more astronauts than any other state.

The exact size of Oklahoma is 69,919 square miles.

The state song is "Oklahoma!

The state poem is "Howdy Folks".

The state tree is the Redbud.

Works Cited:
" Oklahoma Political Map from Maps.com -- World's Largest Map Store.." //Maps.com :: World's largest map store :: wall maps, travel maps, atlases, digital maps and more.//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . "Facts about Oklahoma." //ThingsToDo.com - Things to do and places to go in each state//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. . <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Oklahoma (USA): State & Major Cities - Statistics & Maps on City Population." //City Population - Statistics & Maps of the Major Cities, Agglomerations & Administrative Divisions for all Countries of the World//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. <http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Oklahoma.html>. <span style="line-height: 27.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 40pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: -40pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Oklahoma - LOCATION, SIZE, AND EXTENT, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, FLORA AND FAUNA." //Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, house prices, home value estimator, recent sales, cost of living, crime, race, income, photos, education, maps, weather, houses, schools, neighborhoods, and more//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. <http://www.city-data.com/states/Oklahoma.html>. <span style="line-height: 27.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 40pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: -40pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Oklahoma Geography from NETSTATE." //50 States - Capitals, Maps, Geography, State Symbols, State Facts, Songs, History, Famous People from NETSTATE.COM//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. <http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ok_geography.htm>. <span style="line-height: 27.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 40pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: -40pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Oklahoma Physical Map (raster image version) - World Sites Atlas." //World Sites Atlas - maps, hotels, destination guides, facts, links, photos, and more.//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. <http://www.sitesatlas.com/Flash/USCan/static/OKFF.htm>. <span style="line-height: 27.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 40pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: -40pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"Oklahoma: History, Geography, Population, and State Facts â€” Infoplease.com." //Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. â€” Infoplease.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108260.html>. <span style="line-height: 27.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 40pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: -40pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">"TravelOK.com Homepage | TravelOK.com - Oklahoma's Official Travel & Tourism Site." //TravelOK.com Homepage | TravelOK.com - Oklahoma's Official Travel & Tourism Site//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. <http://www.travelok.com/>.