Many beautiful landscapes can be found in Oklahoma. Trees like oak, hickory, and pine cover the rolling hills of the east. The southern section has mountain ranges, as well as swampy lowlands along the Red and Arkansas rivers. Much of the state is made up of high, flat, and treeless plains that are good for farming and ranching. Red canyons and tall sand dunes also dot the western part of the state. Oklahoma is shaped like a big frying pan, and the skinny part of western Oklahoma is called the Panhandle. Oklahoma's 69,903 square miles (181,048 sq km) make it the 20th largest state.
Since the early years of Oklahoma's statehood, oil has been the most important resource. Other products like natural gas and coal also come out of Oklahoma's rich ground. These resources help fuel people's cars and heat their homes. Oklahoma has also developed other industries so that sudden drops in oil prices don't badly damage the state's economy. For example, Oklahomans manufacture cars and military airplanes. Oklahoma City has become a center for banking and insurance. The state's forests produce timber, which is used to build furniture and homes. Agriculture has always played a big role in the economy. Cattle ranchers first drove their herds through Oklahoma more than a hundred years ago, and cattle still brings a lot of money to the state. Crops are grown throughout Oklahoma. Wheat is grown mostly in the west, peanuts in the southwest, and corn and peaches in the east.
3,617,316
Capital:
State Abbreviation: OK
Governor: Brad Henry (Democrat)
U.S. Senators: 2
Tom Coburn (Republican)
James Inhofe (Republican)
U.S. Representatives: 5
Republicans: 4
Democrats 1
State Senators: 48
State Representatives: 101
Counties: 77