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South Carolina sits right on the Atlantic Ocean, its sunny beaches and salt marshes gradually giving way to hills and mountains in the western part of the state. Blessed with warm temperatures and gentle breezes, the Palmetto State lives at a relaxed pace, both proud of its history and poised for future growth.
The first Europeans to settle in the Carolinas were Englishmen from Barbados and French Huguenots, primarily sticking to the coast. The interior was mostly settled by Scots-Irish folk from other colonies. After the American Revolution, South Carolina developed a plantation economy similar to that of many other southern states. With the shelling of Fort Sumter in 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union, sparking the Civil War. South Carolina has been proud of this legacy ever since.
The Palmetto State can be divided into four geographical areas. The Coastal Plain (or Low Country) is a flat, often swampy area of sand, silt and clay. Natural harbors, bays and salt marshes are all characteristic of the state’s Atlantic coast. Pastel-hued, historic Charleston is the most important city in this region.
West of the Coastal Plain lies the Sand Hills region, an area of rolling hills that were once sand dunes. Next, the Piedmont region is characterized by thin, stony soil ill-suited for agriculture. Much of this area was farmed with little success and has returned to forestland. Columbia, the state capital, is located in the Piedmont section of the state. Furthest West and highest in elevation is upstate South Carolina, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
South Carolina features a humid subtropical climate, with some variation due to the state’s differences in elevation. Summers are hot and humid across the state, while winters are milder along the coast than inland. Light snowfall is an annual occurrence in most of the state, with the mountainous interior regions often receiving greater and more persistent snowfalls.
Long a leader in the textile sector, South Carolina has in recent years become an increasingly popular tourist destination; it’s also a great place to raise a family. From beach resorts like Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island to mountainous Greenville, South Carolina marches to its own lilting beat.
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