Oklahoma
The Sooner State
Quick Stats
Map
Seal & Motto
"Labor Omnia Vincit"
Additional Information
Latin for "Labor conquers all things."
Adopted 1907.
Population Growth
Overview
Oklahoma, the 'Sooner State,' is a land of extraordinary contrasts — from the rolling Ozark Plateau and ancient Cross Timbers forests to the windswept Great Plains and the panhandle's rugged mesa country. Home to 39 federally recognized tribal nations, it is a state where Native American heritage is woven into every aspect of its culture and identity.
Historical Significance
Oklahoma officially joined the Union on November 16, 1907, as the 46th state. Its path to statehood is uniquely dramatic — from being designated "Indian Territory" and home to the Five Civilized Tribes forcibly relocated on the Trail of Tears, through the chaotic 1889 Land Runs that opened the territory to 50,000 settlers in a single afternoon, to the dust storms of the 1930s.
Top Cities & Hubs
Oklahoma City
Population: ~690,000The state capital and largest city, a modern Western metropolis known for its iconic Bricktown entertainment district, world-class National Cowboy Museum, and the hauntingly powerful Oklahoma City National Memorial.
Tulsa
Population: ~410,000Once the undisputed "Oil Capital of the World," now a thriving center for aerospace and energy technology, famous globally for its extraordinary collection of Art Deco architecture and the vibrant Greenwood District.
Norman
Population: ~128,000Home to the University of Oklahoma and the National Weather Center, the leading institution for tornado and severe weather research in the most active storm region on Earth.
Broken Arrow
Population: ~115,000A thriving and rapidly growing suburb of Tulsa recognized consistently as one of the safest and most livable cities in America, with a strong aerospace manufacturing sector.
Edmond
Population: ~95,000A premier upscale residential community north of Oklahoma City, consistently ranked among the nation's best cities for families, with excellent schools and the University of Central Oklahoma.
Key Landmarks & Economy
Did You Know?
- Oklahoma has more Native American tribal nations (39) than any other state, and the state's name literally means "red people" in the Choctaw language (okla + humma).
- The world's first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City on July 16, 1935 — the "Black Maria" on Park Avenue revolutionized urban parking management worldwide.
- Tornado Alley's bull's-eye: Oklahoma averages more tornadoes per square mile than any other state, and the May 3, 1999 tornado reached a record wind speed of 301 mph near Bridge Creek.