South Carolina is a state in the southeast United States. Its capital and largest city is Columbia. The population of the state is about 4.2 million people, ranked 24th in the United States. The state is relatively small in land area, ranked 40th largest. Other important cities in South Carolina are Charleston, Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Sumter, and Florence. Major landforms include beaches, "barrier islands", salt marsh, sand hills, rolling piedmont, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Due to its natural beauty, the state attracts many tourists, especially to Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Hilton Head Island.

South Carolina became a state in 1788. The economy was agriculture-based, known for cotton, rice, indigo, and tobacco. After the U.S. Civil War, the state lost much of its political and economic power. Towards the end of the 20th Century, the state began to strengthen its economy and add population. Today, the major industries are tourism, textiles (clothing materials), and manufacturing. South Carolina has the second highest number of workers employed by international companies per capita in the United States. South Carolina is bounded to the north by North Carolina, to the south and west by Georgia, located across the Savannah River, and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean.