South Carolina Quick Facts
- Current Governor: Henry McMaster (Republican)
- Capital: Columbia
- Population: 5,148,714 (2019 est.)
- Land Area: 30,060.70 sq km
- Water Area: 1,959.79 sq km
- Total Area: 32,020.49 SQ KM
- Width: 200 mile
- Length: 260 mile long
- State Motto: “Animus Opibusque Parati (Prepared in Mind and Resources)”
- Nickname: Palmetto State
- Electoral votes: 9
- Seats in U.S. House of Representatives: 7 (of 435)
- State Song: “South Carolina on My Mind”
- Date of Statehood: May 23, 1788
- Time Zone: Eastern (GMT − 5 hours)
- Official Website of South Carolina: sc.gov
- State abbreviation/Postal code: SC
- Origin of name: South Carolina is named in honor of King Charles I of England, who first formed the English colony, with Carolus being Latin for “Charles
State Symbol of South Carolina
| 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 |
College & Universities
| Academy of Hair Technology | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North Augusta |
| Aiken Technical College | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Rock Hill |
| Allen University | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Spartanburg |
| Anderson University | Lacy Cosmetology School-Aiken |
| Benedict College | Lander University |
| Bob Jones University | LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc |
| Cathedral Bible College | Limestone College |
| Central Carolina Technical College | Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary |
| Centura College-Columbia | McLeod Regional Medical Center School of Medical Technology |
| Centura College-North Charleston | Medical University of South Carolina |
| Charleston Cosmetology Institute | Midlands Technical College |
| Charleston School of Massage | Morris College |
| Charleston Southern University | Newberry College |
| Charzanne Beauty College | North Greenville University |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Northeastern Technical College |
| Claflin University | Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College |
| Clemson University | Piedmont Technical College |
| Clinton Junior College | Presbyterian College |
| Coastal Carolina University | Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic |
| Coker College | South Carolina State University |
| College of Charleston | South University-Columbia |
| Columbia Beauty School | Southeastern Institute-Charleston |
| Columbia College | Southeastern Institute-Columbia |
| Columbia International University | Southern Methodist College |
| Converse College | Southern Wesleyan University |
| Conway School of Practical Nursing | Spartanburg Community College |
| Denmark Technical College | Spartanburg Methodist College |
| Erskine College and Seminary | Strand College of Hair Design |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College | Styletrends Barber and Hairstyling Academy |
| Forrest Junior College | Sumter Beauty College |
| Francis Marion University | Technical College of the Lowcountry |
| Furman University | Tri-County Technical College |
| Golf Academy of America-Myrtle Beach | Trident Technical College |
| Greenville Technical College | University of South Carolina-Aiken |
| Harley’s Beauty and Barber Career Institute | University of South Carolina-Beaufort |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College | University of South Carolina-Columbia |
| ITT Technical Institute-Greenville | University of South Carolina-Lancaster |
| Johnson & Wales University-Charleston | University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-Columbia | University of South Carolina-Sumter |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Columbia | University of South Carolina-Union |
| Williamsburg Technical College | University of South Carolina-Upstate |
| Winthrop University | Voorhees College |
| Wofford College | W L Bonner College |
| York Technical College |
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Fort Sumter
- Broadway at the Beach
- Hilton Head Island
- Riverbanks Zoo
- Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade
- Barefoot Landing
- Frankie’s Fun Park
- Middleton Place
- Brookgreen Gardens
- USS Yorktown
- Congaree National Park
- South Carolina Aquarium
- Family Kingdom Amusement Park
- Myrtle Waves
- Peace Center
- Greenville Zoo
- Patriots Point
- EdVenture Children’s Museum
Famous Natives and Residents
| Name | Profession |
| Bernard Baruch | statesman; |
| Mary McLeod Bethune | educator; |
| James F. Byrnes senator, | jurist and secretary of state; |
| John C. Calhoun | statesman; |
| Mark Clark | general; |
| Pat Conroy | writer; |
| Shepard Fairey | artist; |
| Joe Frazier | prize fighter; |
| Althea Gibson | tennis champion; |
| Dizzy Gillespie | jazz trumpeter; |
| DuBose Heyward | poet, playwright, and novelist; |
| Andrew Jackson | president; |
| Jesse Jackson | civil rights leader; |
| Eartha Kitt | singer; |
| Francis Marion (“Swamp Fox”) | Revolutionary general; |
| Mary-Louise Parker | actor; |
| John Rutledge | jurist; |
| Strom Thurmond | politician; |
| Charles Townes | physicist; |
| William Westmoreland | general; |
| Vanna White | TV personality |
