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.
