South Carolina is known for:
- Beaches
- Fishing and hunting
- Golf courses
- Historic districts
- Lowcountry cuisine
- The first state to sucede from the Union, leading to the Civil War
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
SC |
| State Capital |
Columbia |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 32,020 sq miles; Land Only: 30,110 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
46 |
| Time Zone |
Eastern Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Georgia, North Carolina |
| Highest Point | Sassafras Mountain, 3,560 feet |
| Tallest Building | Capitol Center in Columbia, 349 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Memorial Stadium in Clemson, capacity 81,500 |
| National Parks | Congaree National Park |
| State Population (2020) | 5,118,425 |
| State Population Density | 170.0 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
803, 839, 843, 864 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Charleston (139,714)
Columbia (132,130)
North Charleston (118,752)
Mount Pleasant (92,799)
Rock Hill (76,318)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State American Folk Dance | Square dance |
| State Animal | White-tailed deer |
| State Beverage | Milk |
| State Bird |
Great Carolina wren |
| State Butterfly | Eastern tiger swallowtail |
| State Colors | Indigo blue |
| State Craft | Sweetgrass basket weaving |
| State Dance | Shag |
| State Dog | Boykin spaniel |
| State Duck | Wood duck |
| State Fish | Striped bass |
| State Flower |
Carolina yellow jessamine |
| State Fossil | Columbian mammoth |
| State Fruit | Peach |
| State Gemstone | Amethyst |
| State Grass | Indian grass |
| State Heritage Horse | Carolina march tacky |
| State Heritage Work Animal | Mule |
| State Hospitality Beverage | Tea |
| State Insect | Carolina mantid |
| State Marine Mammal | Bottlenose dolphin |
| State Migratory Marine Mammal | Northern right whale |
| State Motto |
Dum spiro spero Animis opibusque parati (While I breathe, I hope Ready in soul and resource) |
| State Music | Spiritual |
| State Nickname |
Palmetto State |
| State Popular Music | Beach music |
| State Reptile | Loggerhead sea turtle |
| State Shell | Lettered olive |
| State Snack | Boiled peanuts |
| State Song | "Carolina" and "South Carolina On My Mind" |
| State Spider | Carolina wolf spider |
| State Stone | Blue granite |
| State Tapestry | "From the Mountains to the Sea" |
| State Tree |
Sabal palmetto (also called cabbage palm tree) |
| State Waltz | "Richardson Waltz" |
| State Wild Game Bird | Wild turkey |
| State Wildflower | Goldenrod |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Barefoot Landing: Shopping complex in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
- Broadway at the Beach: Shopping center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
- Brookgreen Gardens: Sculpture garden and zoo in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
- Congaree National Park: National park in central South Carolina.
- EdVenture Children's Museum: Museum in Columbia, South Carolina.
- Family Kingdom Amusement Park: Amusement park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
- Fort Sumter: Sea port in Charleston, South Carolina, known for two battles of the American Civil War.
- Frankie's Fun Park: Amusement park in Greenville, Charleston, and Columbia, South Carolina.
- Greenville Zoo: Zoo in Greenville, South Carolina.
- Hilton Head Island: City and island in Beaufort County, South Carolina.
- Middleton Place: Historical landscaped gardens, located in Charleston, South Carolina.
- Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade: Beachfront shopping and entertainment district in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
- Myrtle Waves: Water park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
- Patriots Point: Museum in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
- Peace Center: Theater in Greenville, South Carolina.
- Riverbanks Zoo: Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina.
- South Carolina Aquarium: Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina.
- USS Yorktown: Historic aircraft carrier, located in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in South Carolina. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
Popular Iconic South Carolina Foods
South Carolina is famous for the following foods:
- South Carolina-Style Barbecue
- Boiled Peanuts
- Frogmore Stew
- Oyster Roast
- Collard Greens
- Shrimp and Grits
- Pimento Cheese
- Okra
- Hoppin' John
- She-Crab Soup
Famous People Born In South Carolina
Nobel Prize Winners
United States Presidents
- Andrew Jackson (7th President)
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Art Shell (Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 1989)
- Harry Carson (Linebacker. Inducted in 2006)
- Donnie Shell (Safety. Inducted in 2020)
- Richard Seymour (Defensive Tackle / Defensive End. Inducted in 2022)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Larry Doby (Center Fielder. Inducted in 1998)
- Ben Taylor (First Baseman. Inducted in 2006)
- Jim Rice (Left Fielder. Inducted in 2009)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Alex English (Forward. Inducted in 1997)
- Katrina McClain (Forward. Inducted in 2012)
- Kevin Garnett (Forward. Inducted in 2020)
- Pearl Moore (Guard. Inducted in 2021)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Thomas Gibson
- Chris Rock
- Jessica Stroup
Famous Singers
- Lee Brice
- James Brown
- Darius Rucker
South Carolina Fun Facts
- The Carolina colony was established by British and it was split in 1729 into North and South Carolina as it was deemed to big to govern effectively. Carolina is named after King Charles I. Carolus is the Latin word for Charles.
- The first opera performed in the United States, a comic ballad opera called Flora, opened in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1735.
- The Charleston Tea Plantation, located on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, is the only working tea plantation in the United States.
- Morgan Island in South Carolina houses the only colony of free-ranging rhesus monkeys in the United States. Morgan Island is also known as Monkey Island. There are about 3,500 monkeys in the colony.
- The Charleston Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, is the first museum in America. It was founded in 1773 and opened to the public in 1824.
- Johnston, South Carolina, is known as the Peach Capital of the World.
- The largest Gingko farm in the world is located in Sumter, South Carolina.
- The first battle of the Civil War took place at Fort Sumter, South Carolina.
- On November 2, 1954, Strom Thurmond became the first US senator elected by write-in vote. Thurmond received 63.1% of the votes to win the election.
- In South Carolina, a person must be 18 years old to legally play a pinball machine.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2024.
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