Oklahoma, located on 68,667 square miles in south central Unites States, is the 28th most populous state in the nation with 3.6 million residents. Oklahoma City is the state’s largest city and its capital.
Twenty-four percent of Oklahoma is covered with forests and grasslands and is home to the Ouachita Mountains. There are fifty state parks, six national parks, and two nationally-protected conservation areas.
The climate in Oklahoma is temperate, with occasional extreme temperatures and rain. Because of these extremes, the state earned the nickname “Tornado Alley.”
The city’s economy is supported by aviation, energy and transportation, among others. The state is the second highest in the nation for producing natural gas. Oklahoma is also the fifth largest producer of crude oil and the engineering headquarters for American Airlines.
Oklahoma celebrated its 100th year of statehood in 2007, which multiple celebrations. The annual Oklahoma State Fair attracts upwards of 1 million people, the Tulsa State Fair attracts about the same, and the Tulsa Mayfest brings in nearly 400,000 people in 4 days. Tulsa’s Oktoberfest is also a highly rated festival by USA Today and Bon Appetit magazine.
There are two major airports servicing the state: Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport. Between these two airports, there are thirteen major airlines providing flights.
Oklahoma is part of the geographical region known as the “Bible Belt”, which is enhanced by Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. The largest church affiliation in the state is Southern Baptist with nearly 1600 churches and over 950,000 members.