Capital: Columbia.

Governor: Jim Hodges (D, to January 2003).

Population: 4,012,012

Land area: 30,110 (square miles).

Entered the Union: May 23, 1788 as the 8th state.

Motto: Animis opibusque parati (Prepared in mind and resources) and Dum spiro spero (While I breathe, I hope).

Nicknames: Palmetto State.

Flower: Carolina yellow jessamine.

Bird: Carolina wren.

Song: "Carolina".

Sports Teams: None.

Origin of Name: In honor of Charles I of England.

Major Industries: Textile mill products, chemicals and allied products, and agriculture.

Historical Sites: Fort Sumter National Monument.

Points of Interest: Aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in Charleston Harbor; the Middleton, Magnolia, and Cypress Gardens in Charleston.

Bordering States: North Carolina and Georgia.