State Information
South Carolina has a colorful history, and is full of the most friendly, patriotic and hard-working people you will find anywhere. I was born and raised in our great state, and am truly honored to represent my fellow South Carolinians in the U.S. Senate.
I began serving the people of South Carolina on Charleston County Council almost 20 years ago, and I am continually amazed by their energy and passion. From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, from Rock Hill to Aiken, there is truly no place like it.
Below are a few facts about South Carolina from the state Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.
State Capital: Columbia
Motto: Dum Spiro Spero (While I breathe, I hope)
Nickname: The Palmetto State
Admitted to the Union: May 23, 1788 - the 8th State
Land Area: 31,113 square miles - ranked 40th
Coastline: 187 miles of coastline
Highest Point: Sassafras Mountain - 3,560 feet above sea level
Lowest Point: Sea level on the coastline
Highest Waterfall: Raven Cliff Falls - 400 feet
Population: About 4 million - according to the 2000 Census
South Carolina Borders: Atlantic Ocean, Georgia, North Carolina
Longest River: Savannah River - 238 miles
Oldest College: College of Charleston, est. 1770
Counties: 46 counties
State Parks: 47 state parks
The State Amphibian: Spotted Salamander
Largest Counties by Area:
Horry County - 1,133 square miles
Orangeburg County - 1,105 square miles
Berkeley County - 1,099 square miles
Largest County by Population (2010 census):
Greenville County - 451,225
Richland County - 389,116
Charleston County - 357,704
Largest South Carolina Cities by Population (2010 census):
Columbia - 129,272
Charleston - 120,083
North Charleston - 97,471
Mount Pleasant - 67,843
Rock Hill - 66,154
Greenville - 58,409
Top Agricultural Crops:
Tobacco
Cotton
Soybeans
Annual Visitation: 30 million visitors (2002 estimate)
How South Carolina Got Its Name: King Charles I of England granted the land on which South Carolina is located to Sir Robert Heath in 1629. The region was named Carolus, a word derived from the Latin form of Charles, in reference to King Charles. His son, King Charles II, changed the spelling of the regions name to Carolina in 1663, when he gave the land to the eight Lords Proprietors. During the 17th century the land to the south, in this grant, came to be called South Carolina and the area to the north, North Carolina . The two sections remained a single colony until they separated in 1710. The name of the land located to the south remained South Carolina.
