Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a  located in the  of the. With 3,579,212 residents in 2006, it is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state by land area. Its name is derived from the words okla and humma, meaning "red people," and is known informally by its nickname, The Sooner State. Formed from on, , it was the 46th state to enter the union. Its people are known as Oklahomans, and its capital and largest city is.

A major producer of, and food, Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation, energy, telecommunications, and. It has one of the fastest growing economies in the nation, leading states in growth and ranking third in  income growth. Oklahoma City and serve as Oklahoma's primary economic anchors, with nearly 60 percent of Oklahomans living in their s. The state holds a mixed record in education and healthcare, and its largest universities participate in the  and  athletic associations, while two house athletic departments rated among the most successful in American history.

With small mountain ranges,, and eastern forests, most of Oklahoma lies in the and the —a region especially prone to. With a prevalence of, , and  ancestry, more than 25 native languages are spoken in Oklahoma, the most of any state. It is located on a confluence of three major American s and historically served as a route for, a destination for southern settlers, and a government-sanctioned for Native Americans. Part of the, widespread beliefs in  make Oklahoma one of the most politically  states, though voter registration is largest in the.

Etymology
The name Oklahoma comes from the phrase okla humma, literally meaning red people. Choctaw Chief Allen Wright suggested the name in 1866 during treaty negotiations with the federal government regarding the use of, in which he envisioned an all-Indian state controlled by the United States Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Equivalent to the English word Indian, okla humma was a phrase in the Choctaw language used to describe the Native American race as a whole. Oklahoma later became the name for Oklahoma Territory, and it was officially approved in 1890, two years after the area was opened to white settlers.

Geography
Oklahoma is the 20th-largest state in the United States, covering an area of 69,898 square miles (181,196 km²), with 68,667 square miles (110,508.8 km²) of land and 1,231 square miles (1,981.1 km²) of water. It is one of six states on the, and lies partly in the near the geographical center of the 48. It is bounded on the east by and, on the north by , on the northwest by , on the far west by , and on the south and near-west by.

Topography
Oklahoma is situated between the and the  in the  watershed, generally sloping from the high plains of its western boundary to the low wetlands of its southeastern boundary. Its highest and lowest points follow this trend, with its highest peak,, at 4,973 feet (1,516 m) above sea level, situated near its far northwest corner in the. The state's lowest point is on the Little River near its far southeastern boundary, which dips to 289 feet (280 m) above sea level. The state has four primary mountain ranges: the, the , the , and the. The U.S. Interior Highlands Region, which contains the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, is the only major mountainous region between the and the. A portion of the stretches into north-central Oklahoma, and in the state's southeastern corner,  is officially regarded as the world's tallest hill; at 1,999 feet (609 m), it fails the definition of a mountain by one foot. More than 500 named creeks and rivers make up Oklahoma's waterways, and with 200 lakes created by dams, it holds the highest number of artificial resevoirs in the nation. Among the most ecologically diverse states, Oklahoma is one of four to harbor more than 10 distinct, containing eleven within its borders, more per square mile than in any other state. Marked by differences in geographical diversity between its western and eastern halves, eastern Oklahoma touches eight ecological regions, while its western half holds three.

Most of the state lies in two primary drainage basins belonging to the and  rivers, though the Lee and Little rivers also contain significant drainage basins. In the state’s,  harbor few natural forests and rolling to flat landscape with intermittent  and  ranges like the. Partial plains interrupted by small mountain ranges like the and the  dot, and transitional prairie and woodlands cover the  of the state. The Ozark and Ouachita Mountains rise from west to east over the state's eastern third, gradually increasing in elevation in an eastward direction.

Flora and fauna
Forests cover 24 percent of Oklahoma, and, composed of shortgrass, mixed-grass, and , harbor expansive ecosystems in the state's central and western portions. Where rainfall is sparse in the western regions of the state, shortgrass prairie and s are the most prominent ecosystems, though s, s, and s grow near rivers and creek beds in the far western reaches of the panhandle. , forests and mixtures of  and deciduous forests dominate the state's, while mixtures of largely , ,  and  forests cover the Ozark Mountains in.

The state holds large populations of, , , , and migrating birds such as , s, , , , and. In prairie ecosystems,, s, , and are common, and some of the nation's largest  towns inhabit shortgrass prairie in the state's. In the Ouachita Mountains, the state's most biologically diverse ecosystem,, , , and populations coexist with nearly 330 other vertebrate species.

Protected lands
Oklahoma has 50, six or protected regions, two  or , and a network of wildlife preserves and conservation areas. Six percent of the state's 10 million acres (40,000 km²) of forest is public land, including the western portions of the, the largest and oldest national forest in the southern United States. With 39,000 acres (158 km²), the in north-central Oklahoma is the largest protected area of  in the world and is part of an  that encompasses only 10 percent of its former land area, once covering 14 states. In addition, the covers 31,300 acres (127 km²) of prairie in southwestern Oklahoma. The is the oldest and largest of nine  in the state and was founded in 1901, encompassing 59,020 acres (238 km²). Of Oklahoma's federally protected park or recreational sites, the is the largest, with 4,500 acres (18 km²). Other federal protected sites include the and  national historic trails, the  and  national historic sites, and the.

Climate
Oklahoma is located in a region and experiences occasional extremes of temperature and precipitation typical in a. Most of the state lies in an area known as characterized by frequent interaction between cold and warm air masses producing. An average 54 strike the state per year—one of the highest rates in the world. Because of its position between zones of differing prevailing temperature and winds, weather patterns within the state can vary widely between relatively short distances. A along the state's southeastern border is influenced heavily by southerly winds bringing moisture from the, but transitions progressively to a  zone in the  of the panhandle rarely touched by southern moisture. Precipitation and temperatures fall from east to west accordingly, with areas near the Texas border averaging an annual temperature of 62 (17) and an annual rainfall of 56 in, while areas of the panhandle average 58°F (14°C), with an annual rainfall under 17 in. All of the state frequently experiences temperatures above 100°F (38°C) or below 0°F (&minus;18°C), and snowfall ranges from an average of less than 4 in near the Texas border to just over 20 in on the border of in the panhandle. The state is home to the of the  located at.

History
Evidence exists that native peoples traveled through Oklahoma as early as the last, but the state's first permanent inhabitants settled in communities accentuated with near the Arkansas border between 850 and 1450 AD. Spaniard traveled through the state in 1541, but French explorers claimed the area in the 1700s and it remained under French rule until 1803, when all the French territory west of the Mississippi River was purchased by the United States in the. Thousands of Native Americans, including those making up the "", were in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee and transported to Oklahoma in the 1830s. The area, already occupied by and  tribes, was designated  by the  of 1830 and the  of 1834. Fifteen tribes were given land within the territory in 1830, but by 1890, more than 30 tribes had been allocated federal land.

In the period between 1866 and 1899, cattle ranches in Texas strived to meet the demands for food in eastern cities, and railroads in Kansas promised to deliver in a timely manner. and cattle ranches developed as cowboys either drove their product north or settled illegally in Indian Territory. In 1881, four of five major cattle trails on the western frontier traveled through Indian Territory. Increased presence of white settlers in Indian Territory prompted the United States Government to establish the in 1887, which divided the lands of individual tribes into allotments for individual families, encouraging farming and private land ownership, but giving excess land to the federal government. In the process, nearly half of Indian-held land within the territory was made open to outside settlers and for purchase by railroad companies. Major s, including the, were held for settlers on the hour that certain territories were opened to settlement. Usually, land was allocated to settlers on a first come, first served basis. Those who broke the rules by crossing the border into the territory before it was allowed were said to have been crossing the border sooner, leading to the term , which eventually became the state's official nickname. Delegations to make the territory into a state began near the turn of the 20th century, when the Curius Act abolished all tribal jurisdiction in Indian Territory. Failed attempts to create an all-Indian state named Oklahoma, and a later attempt to create an all-Indian state named  failed, but the Sequoyah Statehood Convention of 1905 eventually laid the groundwork for the Oklahoma Statehood Convention, which took place two years later. On, , Oklahoma was established as the 46th state in the Union. The new state became a focal point for the emerging, as discoveries of oil pools prompted towns to grow rapidly in population and wealth. Tulsa eventually became known as the "" for most of the 20th century, and oil investments fueled much of the state's early economy. In 1927, Oklahoma businessman, known the "Father of Route 66," began a campaign to create. Using an existing stretch of highway from to Tulsa, Oklahoma to form the original portion of Highway 66, Avery spearheaded the creation of the  to oversee the planning of Route 66, based in his hometown of Tulsa.

During the 1930s, parts of the state began feeling the consequences of poor farming practices, drought, and high winds. Known as the, areas of Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma were hampered by long periods of little rainfall and abnormally high temperatures, sending thousands of farmers into poverty. Over a twenty-year period ending in 1950, the state saw its only decline in population, dropping 6.9 percent. In response, dramatic efforts in and  led to massive flood control systems and dams, creating hundreds of  and man-made lakes. By the 1960s, more than 200 man-made lakes had been created, the most in the nation.

In 1995, Oklahoma City became the scene of one of the worst acts of terrorism ever committed in American history. The of, , in which  and  detonated an explosive outside of the , killed 168 people, including 19 children. Timothy McVeigh was later sentenced to death by lethal injection, while his partner, Terry Nichols, was convicted of 161 counts of first degree murder and received life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Economy
Based in the sectors of, energy, transportation equipment, , , and , Oklahoma is an important producer of , , and. The state ranks second in the nation for production of natural gas, and is the 27th-most agriculturally productive state, ranking 5th in production of wheat. Six companies and one additional  company are headquartered in Oklahoma, and it has been rated one of the most business-friendly states in the nation, with the 7th-lowest tax burden in 2007. From 2000 to 2006, Oklahoma's grew 50 percent, the fifth-highest rate in the nation. It had the fastest-growing GDP between 2005 and 2006, increasing from $122.5 to $134.6 billion, a jump of 10.8 percent, and its gross domestic product per capita grew 9.7 percent from $34,305 in 2005 to $37,620 in 2006, the second-highest rate in the nation. Though oil has historically dominated the state's economy, a collapse in the energy industry during the 1980s led to the loss of nearly 90,000 energy-related jobs between 1980 and 2000, severely damaging the local economy. Oil accounted for 17 percent of Oklahoma's economic impact in 2005, and employment in the state's oil industry was outpaced by five other industries in 2007.

Industry
In early 2007, Oklahoma had a civilian labor force of 1.7 million and total non-farm employment fluctuated around 1.6 million. The government sector provides the most jobs, with 326,000 in 2007, followed by the transportation and sector, providing 285,000 jobs, and the sectors of education, business, and, providing 191,000, 178,000, and 151,000 jobs, respectively. Among the state's largest industries, the aerospace sector generates $11 billion annually. Tulsa is home to the largest airline maintenance base in the world, which serves as the global maintenance and engineering headquarters for. In total, aerospace accounts for more than 10 percent of Oklahoma's industrial output, and it is one of the top 10 states in aircraft manufacturing. Due to its position in the center of the United States, Oklahoma is also among the top states for logistic centers, and a major contributor to weather-related research. The state is the top manufacturer of tires in North America and contains one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation. In 2005, international exports from Oklahoma's manufacturing industry totaled $4.3 billion, accounting for 3.6 percent of its economic impact. Tire manufacturing, meat processing, oil and gas equipment manufacturing, and air conditioner manufacturing are the state's largest manufacturing industries.

Energy
Oklahoma is the nation's second-largest producer of natural gas, fifth-largest producer of crude oil, has the second-greatest number of active s, and ranks fifth in crude oil reserves. While the state ranked fifth for installed capacity in 2005, it is at the bottom of states in usage of, with 96 percent of its electricity being generated by  sources in 2002, including 64 percent from  and 32 percent from natural gas. Ranking 11th for total energy consumption per capita in 2006, the state's energy costs were 10th lowest in the nation. As a whole, the oil energy industry contributes $23 billion to Oklahoma's gross domestic product, and employees of Oklahoma oil-related companies earn an average of twice the state's typical yearly income. In 2004, the state had 83,750 commercial oil wells and as many as 750,000 total wells, churning 178 thousand barrels of crude oil a day. Ten percent of the nation's natural gas supply is held in Oklahoma, with 1.662 trillion cubic feet.

Three of the largest private oil companies in the nation are located in the state, and all six of Oklahoma's Fortune 500 companies are oil-related. In 2006, Tulsa-based ranked 5th on 's list of largest private companies, Tulsa-based  ranked 46th, and Oklahoma City-based Love's Travel Shops ranked 132nd. Tulsa's and  are the state's largest and second largest companies respectively, also ranking as the nation's second and third-largest companies in the field of energy. Oklahoma City's is the second-largest crude oil company in the nation, while  and  rank sixth and seventh respectively in that sector, and  ranks as the 25th-largest gas and electric utility company.

Agriculture
The 27th-most agriculturally productive state, Oklahoma is fifth in cattle production and fifth in production of wheat. Approximately 5.5 percent of American beef comes from Oklahoma, while the state produces 6.1 percent of American wheat, 4.2 percent of American pig products, and 2.2 percent of dairy products. The state had 83,500 farms in 2005, collectively producing $4.3 billion in animal products and under one billion dollars in crop output with more than $6.1 billion added to the state's gross domestic product. Poultry and swine are its second and third-largest agricultural industries.

Culture
Oklahoma is placed geographically in the by the, but lies fully or partially in the , , and southern s by varying definitions, and partially in the  and  by definitions of abstract geographical-cultural regions. Oklahomans have a high rate of German or native American ancestry, with 25 different native languages spoken, more than in any other state. Six governments have claimed the area at different times, and 67 native American tribes are represented in Oklahoma, including 39 tribal headquarters, the most in the nation. Western ranchers, native American tribes, southern settlers, and eastern oil barons have shaped the state's cultural predisposition, while its citizens stereotypically display traits of friendliness and generosity, with the Catalogue for Philanthropy ranking Oklahomans 4th in the nation for overall generosity. The state bears the brunt of a negative cultural first introduced by 's novel , which described the plight of uneducated, poverty-stricken -era farmers from the Midwest deemed "Okies." The stereotype has shaped cultural perceptions of the state and its largest cities have been named among the most underrated travel and cultural destinations in the United States.

Arts and theater
In the state's largest urban areas, pockets of culture flourish, and Native American,, and  enclaves produce music and art of their respective cultures. The Oklahoma Mozart Festival in is one of the largest  festivals in the southern United States, and Oklahoma City's Festival of the Arts has been named one of the top fine arts festivals in the nation. The, one of the state's five major city ballet companies, is rated as one of the top ballet companies in the United States by the . In, an outdoor amphitheater called "Discoveryland!" is the official performance headquarters for the musical  Historically, the state has produced musical styles such as and, which was popularized at  in Tulsa. The building, known as the "Carnegie Hall of Western Swing," served as the performance headquarters of and the  during the 1930s.

Oklahoma is in the nation's middle percentile in per capita spending on the arts, ranking 17th, and contains more than 300 museums. The of Tulsa is considered one of the top 50  museums in the United States, and the  in Norman, one of the largest university-based art and history museums in the country, documents the natural history of the region. The collections of are housed in the  of Tulsa, which also holds the world's largest, most comprehensive collection of art and artifacts of the American West. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art contains the most comprehensive collection of glass sculptures by artist in the world, and Oklahoma City's  documents the heritage of the American Western frontier. With remnants of the and artifacts relevant to Judaism, the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art of Tulsa preserves the largest collection of  art in the.

Festivals and events
Oklahoma's centennial celebration was named the top event in the United States for 2007 by the American Bus Association, and consists of multiple celebrations ending with the 100th anniversary of on,. Annual ethnic festivals and events take place throughout the state, and include festivals in, , , , Native American, and communities depicting cultural heritage or traditions. During a 10-day run in Oklahoma City, the attracts close to one million people, and large s,  festivals, and  celebrations are held in the city each year. The attracts over one million people during its 10-day run, and the city's Mayfest festival entertained more than 375,000 people in four days during 2007. In 2006, Tulsa's was named one of the top 10 in the world by ' and one of the top German food festivals in the nation by ' magazine.

Education
With an educational system made up of districts and independent, Oklahoma had 631,337 students enrolled in 1,849 public , , and  schools in 540  as of 2006. Ranked near the bottom of states in expenditures per student, Oklahoma spent $6,614 for each student in 2005, 47th in the nation, though its growth of total education expenditures between 1992 and 2002 ranked 22nd. The state is among the best in education, and the National Institute for Early Education Research rated it first in the United States with regard to standards, quality, and access to pre-kindergarten education in 2004, calling it a model for. While dropout rates decreased 29 percent between 2005 and 2006, Oklahoma ranked in the bottom three states in the nation for retaining high school seniors, with a 3.2 percent dropout rate. In 2004, the state ranked 36th in the nation for the relative number of adults with s, though at 85.2 percent, it had the highest rate among southern states.

The and  are the largest public institutions of  in Oklahoma, both operating through one primary campus and satellite campuses throughout the state. The two colleges, along with the, rank among the country's best in undergraduate business programs, and the University of Oklahoma and University of Tulsa are in the top percentage of universities nationally for academic ratings. Six of the state's universities were placed in the 's list of best 122 regional colleges in 2007, and three made the list of top colleges for best value. The state has 54 post-secondary technical institutions for training in specific fields of industry or trade.

Sports
Oklahoma has minor league professional sports teams in, , , , , and , located in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Enid, and Lawton. at the, hockey in the , and arena football in the league are hosted by Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Oklahoma City also hosts the playing in the, and Tulsa serves as the base for the  of the  and the , playing in the. Enid and Lawton host professional basketball teams in the and the.

The 's became the first  based in Oklahoma when it was forced to relocate to Oklahoma City's  for two seasons following  in 2005. Though the team returned to in 2007, Oklahoma has been named one of the prime locations for any future permanent relocation of a NBA team.

In July 2006, a group of Oklahoma City businessmen, led by, purchased the. When a year of negotiations for a new arena in the area did not produce results, the group requested permission from the NBA to. The request has yet to be reviewed by the NBA and the ownership group has left open the possibility of the team remaining in the Seattle area if financing for a new arena can be arranged before completion of the relocation process.

are a popular draw in the state. The and the  average well over 60,000 fans attending their football games, and the University of Oklahoma's  program ranked 13th in attendance among American colleges in 2006, with an average of 84,561 people attending its home games. Sports programs from 11 Oklahoma colleges and universities compete within the, with four participating at the association’s highest level, : University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, University of Tulsa, and Oral Roberts University.  magazine rates the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University among the top colleges for athletics in the nation. In addition, 12 of the state's smaller colleges or universities participate in the, mostly within the.

Regular tournaments are held at Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa, and  for the  or  have been played at  in Tulsa, Oak Tree Country Club in Oklahoma City, and Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa. Rated one of the top golf courses in the nation, Southern Hills has hosted four s, including one in 2007, and three s, the most recent in 2001. s are popular throughout the state, and, in the state's panhandle, hosts one of the largest in the nation.

Health
The state was the 21st-largest recipient of medical funding from the federal government in 2005, with health-related federal expenditures in the state totaling $75,801,364;, preparedness, and health education were the top three most funded medical items. Instances of major diseases are near the national average in Oklahoma, and the state ranks at or slightly above the rest of the country in percentage of people with, , , and.

In 2000, Oklahoma ranked 45th in physicians per capita and slightly below the national average in nurses per capita, but was slightly over the national average in hospital beds per 100,000 people and above the national average in net growth of health services over a 12-year period. One of the worst states for percentage of insured people, nearly 25 percent of Oklahomans between the age of 18 and 64 did not have health insurance in 2005, the fifth-highest rate in the nation. Oklahomans are in the upper half of Americans in terms of prevalence, and the state is the 14th most obese in the nation, with 24 percent of its adults at or near obesity. It ranks 16th in terms of teenage obesity, with 11.1 percent of high school students at or near obesity, and is one of two states that do not have requirements for in public schools.

The OU Medical Center, Oklahoma's largest hospital, is the only hospital in the state designated a by the, and is located on the grounds of the Oklahoma Health Center, the state's largest concentration of medical research facilities. The Regional Medical Center of the in Tulsa is one of four such regional facilities nationwide, offering cancer treatment to the entire southwestern United States, and is one of the largest cancer treatment hospitals in the country. The largest teaching facility in the nation,  at Tulsa, also rates as one of the largest facilities in the field of.

Media
Oklahoma City and Tulsa are the 45th and 61st-largest s in the United States as ranked by. The state's third-largest media market, Lawton-, is ranked 144th nationally by the agency. in Oklahoma began in 1949 when (then WKY-TV) in Oklahoma City and  in Tulsa began broadcasting a few months apart. Currently, all major American have affiliated television stations in the state.

The state has two primary. , based in Oklahoma City, is the largest newspaper in the state and 48th-largest in the nation by circulation, with a weekday readership of 215,102 and a Sunday readership of 287,505. The , the second most widely circulated newspaper in Oklahoma and 77th in the nation, holds a Sunday circulation of 189,789 and a weekday readership of 138,262. Oklahoma's first newspaper was established in 1844, called the Cherokee Advocate, and was written in both and English. In 2006, there were more than 220 newspapers located in the state, including 177 with weekly publications and 48 with daily publications.

Two large networks are broadcast in Oklahoma: Oklahoma Public Radio and. First launched in 1955, Oklahoma Public Radio was the first public radio network in Oklahoma, and has won 271 awards for outstanding programming. Public Radio International broadcasts on 10 stations throughout the state, and provides more than 400 hours of programming. The state's first radio station, KRFU in, moved to Tulsa and became in 1927. In 2006, there were more than 500 radio stations in Oklahoma broadcasting with various local or nationally owned networks.

Transportation
Transportation in Oklahoma is generated by an anchor system of, , , , and networks. Situated along an integral point in the United States Interstate network, Oklahoma contains three and four. In Oklahoma City, intersects with  and, forming one of the most important intersections along the United States highway system. More than 12,000 miles of roads make up the state's major highway skeleton, including state-operated highways, ten or major toll roads, and the longest drivable stretch of Route 66 in the nation. In 2005, Interstate 44 in Oklahoma City was Oklahoma's busiest highway, with a daily traffic volume of 131,800 cars. In 2007, the state had the nation's highest number of bridges classified as structurally deficient, with nearly 6,300 bridges in disrepair, including 127 along its primary highway system. Oklahoma's largest commercial airport is in Oklahoma City, averaging a yearly passenger count of more than 3.5 million in 2005. , the state's second largest commercial airport, serves more than three million travelers annually. Between the two, thirteen major airlines operate in Oklahoma. In terms of traffic, Riverside-Jones airport in Tulsa is the state's busiest airport, with 235,039 takeoffs and landings in 2006. In total, Oklahoma has over 150 public-use airports.

Oklahoma is connected to the nation's rail network via 's, its only regional passenger rail line. It currently stretches from to, though lawmakers began seeking funding in early 2007 to connect the Heartland Flyer to. Two seaports on rivers serve Oklahoma: the and the. The only port handling international cargo in the state, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa is the most inland ocean-going port in the nation and ships over two million tons of cargo each year. Both ports are located on the, which connects traffic from Tulsa and Muskogee to the  via the  and  rivers, contributing to one of the busiest waterways in the world.

Law and government
The government of Oklahoma is a modeled after the, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The state has 77 with jurisdiction over most local government functions within each respective domain,, and a voting base with a  majority in the. State officials are elected by.

Branches
The consists of the  and the. As the lawmaking branch of the state government, it is responsible for raising and distributing the money necessary to run the government. The Senate has 48 members serving four-year terms, while the House has 101 members with two year terms. The state has a term limit for its legislature that restricts any one person to a total of twelve cumulative years service between both legislative branches.

Oklahoma's judicial branch consists of the, the , and 77 District Courts that each serves one county. The Oklahoma judiciary also contains two independent courts: a Court of and the. Oklahoma has two courts of last resort: the state Supreme Court hears civil cases, and the state Court of Criminal Appeals hears criminal cases. Judges of those two courts, as well as the Court of Civil Appeals are appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the state Judicial Nominating Commission, and are subject to a retention vote on a six-year rotating schedule. The executive branch consists of the, his staff, and other elected officials. The principle head of government, the Governor is the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, serving as the  of the  when not called into  use and reserving the power to  bills passed through the Legislature. The responsibilities of the Executive branch include submitting the budget, ensuring that state laws are enforced, and ensuring peace within the state is preserved.

Local government
The state is divided into 77 that govern locally, each headed by a three member council of elected commissioners, a tax assessor, clerk,, , and. While each operates as a separate and independent local government with legislative and judicial power, county governments maintain jurisdiction over both incorporated cities and non-incorporated areas within their boundaries, but have no legislative or judicial power. Both county and municipal governments collect taxes, employ a separate police force, hold elections, and operate emergency response services within their jurisdiction. Other local government units include, technology center districts, community college districts, rural fire departments, rural water districts, and other special use districts.

Thirty-nine Native American tribal governments are based in Oklahoma, each holding limited powers within designated areas. While typical in most of the United States are not present in Oklahoma, tribal governments hold land granted during the Indian Territory era, but with limited jurisdiction and no control over state governing bodies such as municipalities and counties. Tribal governments are recognized by the United States as quasi-sovereign entities with executive, judicial, and legislative powers over tribal members and functions, but are subject to the authority of the to revoke or withhold certain powers. The tribal governments are required to submit a constitution and any subsequent amendments to the United States Congress for approval.

National politics
Oklahoma has a voter demographic weighted towards the as of 2007. Though there are 11.6 percent more registered Democrats in Oklahoma than registered Republicans, the state has voted for a Republican in every presidential election from 1968 forward, and in 2004, carried every county in the state and 65.6 percent of the statewide vote. Three have substantial influence in state politics:, ,.

Following the, the Oklahoma delegation to the was reduced from six to five representatives, each serving one. For the (2007–2009), there are no changes in party strength, and the delegation has four Republicans and one Democrat. Oklahoma's U.S. senators are Republicans and, and its U.S. Representatives are  (R-OK-1),  (D-OK-2),  (R-OK-3),  (R-OK-4), and  (R-OK-5).

Cities and towns
Oklahoma had 549 incorporated places in 2006, including three cities over 100,000 in population and 40 over 10,000. Two of the in the United States are located in Oklahoma,  and, and 58 percent of Oklahomans live within their , or spheres of economic and social influence defined by the  as a. Oklahoma City, the state's capital and largest city, had the in 2006, with 1,172,339 people, and the  had 897,752 residents. Between 2005 and 2006, the Tulsa of, , and  led the state in population growth, showing percentage growths of 47.9, 44.56, and 34.31, respectively.

In descending order of population, Oklahoma's largest cities in 2007 were: (537,730),  (382,870),  (102,830),  (88,310),  (87,540),  (76,640),  (55,160),  (49,280),  (46,510), and  (44,820). Of the state's ten largest cities, three are outside the metropolitan areas of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and only Lawton has a metropolitan statistical area of its own as designated by the United States Census Bureau, though the metropolitan statistical area of extends into the state.

Under Oklahoma law, municipalities are divided into two categories: cities, defined as having more than 1,000 residents, and towns, with under 1,000 residents. Both have, , and public power within their boundaries, but cities can choose between a , , or form of government, while towns operate through an elected officer system.

Demographics


As of 2005, Oklahoma had an estimated population of 3,579,212, with an ancestral makeup of 14.5%, 13.1% , 11.8% , 9.6% , 8.1% , and 11.4% , including 7.9%. though the percentage of people claiming American Indian as their only race was 8.1%. The state had the second highest number of Native Americans, estimated at 395,219 in 2002, as well as the second highest percentage among all states. As of 2006, 4.5% of Oklahoma's residents were foreign born, compared to 12.4% for the nation. The of Oklahoma is located in  near the town of.

The state's 2006 per capita personal income ranked 37th at $32,210, though it has the third-fastest growing per capita income in the nation and ranks consistently among the lowest states in cost of living index. The Oklahoma City suburb is first on  at $73,661, though  holds the highest average. In 2006, 6.8% of Oklahomans were under the age of 5, 25.9% under 18, and 13.2% were 65 or older. Females made up 50.9% of the population.

Religion
Oklahoma is part of a geographical region characterized by widespread beliefs in Biblical and   known as the "." Spanning the Southeast and Midwest states, the area is known for  views. Tulsa, the state's second largest city, home to, is considered an apex of the region and is known as one of the "." The people of Oklahoma participate in 73 major religious affiliations ranging from the, with 1578 churches and 967,223 members, to the , with 1 church and 6 members. The state's largest church memberships are in the Southern Baptist Convention, the, with 322,794 members, the , with 168,625, the , with 88,301, and , with 83,047.

Oklahoma religious makeup:


 * – 40.06%
 * – 28.03%
 * – 2.56%


 * – 12.1%
 * – 9.35%
 * – 2.41%


 * – 4.89%
 * Other – 1.11%
 * Unclaimed – 39.24%

State symbols


Oklahoma's state emblems and honorary positions are codified by state law; the Oklahoma Senate or House of Representatives may adopt resolutions designating others for special events and to benefit organizations.

State symbols:


 * State bird:
 * State tree:
 * State mammal:
 * State beverage:
 * State game bird:
 * State fish:
 * State floral emblem:
 * State flower:
 * State wildflower: (Gaillardia pulchellum)
 * State grass: (Sorghastrum nutans)
 * State fossil: Saurophaganax maximus (An Allosaurid Dinosaur)
 * State insect:
 * State soil:
 * State reptile:
 * State amphibian:
 * State meal: fried, , , , s, , , , , , , and.
 * State folk dance:
 * State percussive instrument:
 * State waltz: Oklahoma Wind
 * State butterfly:
 * State song: ""