Welcome to South Carolina
"The Palmetto State" The first state to secede from the Union before the start of the Civil War, South Carolina has a rich, often controversial history. Politically conservative, the state was the last in the South to remove the Confederate flag from its statehouse, which it did in 2000, and has struggled with issues of disenfranchisement and integration over the years. However, modern South Carolina is surprisingly diverse: between 2000 and 2005, its foreign-born population grew faster than any other state's, and some estimates put its Hispanic population at more than 400,000 (of a total population of about 4.2 million). As well, African Americans represent about 30 percent of the population. Fully 92 percent of South Carolinians identify as Christian, but until 1830, the state also had the largest Jewish population in North America. (Today, however, Jews account for less than one percent of residents.) Charleston, known as "the Holy City," features a preponderance of churches, and it was also one of the few cities in the original colonies to accept the French Huguenot Church. Famous South Carolinians include Rev. Jesse Jackson, legendary singer James Brown, and popular comedian and political talk show host Stephen Colbert. State Name: South Carolina State Nickname: "The Palmetto State" State Motto:     Dum spiro spero ("While I breathe, I hope")     Quis separabit? ("Who will separate?") Name for Residents: South Carolinian Abbreviation: SC Time Zone: Eastern, GMT/UTC -5 / -4 (Daylight Savings Time) Capital City: Columbia Date of Statehood: May 23, 1788 Statehood Rank: 8th State Area: 32,020 square miles (82,931 km²) Area Rank: 40 of 50 Number of Counties: 46 State Population: 4,479,800 (2008 estimate) Largest Cities:     Columbia - 125,000 (2008)     Charleston - 110,000 (2008)     North Charleston - 91,000 (2008) Major Rivers:     Savannah River - Length: 350 mi (560 km)     Saluda River - Length: 200 mi (320 km)     Santee River - Length: 143 mi (230 km) Highest Point: Sassafras Mountain, 3,560 ft (1,085 m) Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean (sea level) Bordering States and Countries:     North Carolina (North)     Georgia (Southwest) Record High Temperature:     111°F (44°C)     June 28, 1954 at Camden Record Low Temperature:     -19°F (-28°C)     January 21, 1985 at Caesars Head
	South Carolina State Flag South Carolina State Seal South Carolina Location Map South Carolina
	Author: World Trade Press