Demographic and Economic Information

Statistics about your state’s population and its economy are called its demographics. As of 2010, 3,751,351 people lived in Oklahoma.  This ranks the Sooner State twenty-eighth in population in the nation. Whites continue to make up the majority of Oklahoma�s population with 65.7 percent. African Americans comprise about 7.8 percent, Native Americans count for approximately 9.2 percent and Hispanicswere 10.6 percent.

Many ethnic groups have settled in Oklahoma in its long history. The state is home to more Native Americans than any other state in the Union. Of the Native Americans, the Five Civilized Tribes (or Nations) number the most. They account for about two-thirds of the overall total. The Five Civilized Tribes are the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole. They are called the "civilized tribes" because they tried to adapt their culture to the ways of the white Europeans or white Americans. Other tribes include the Comanche, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Ponca, Kaw, Osage, Shawnee, Apache and many more. In the 19th century, other groups who settled in Oklahoma included Italians, Germans, Russians, Poles, Czechs, African-Americans and white Americans. Today, a growing number of Hispanics and Asians also call Oklahoma their home.

During its early history, agriculture was the main component of the Oklahoma economy. Today, less than 3 percent of Oklahoma’s gross state product comes from agriculture. Beef production is the major agricultural activity. Pork production is also important as are the dairy and poultry industries. Leading crops include wheat, hay, peanuts, soybeans, corn, sorghum and cotton.

The oil, natural gas and mining industries have also been major contributors to the state economy since the early 1900s. Oil rigs can be seen in most counties of the state. The chief products of the mining industry include coal, salt, gypsum and limestone. Recently, these industries have become a smaller contributor to the overall state gross product. The services and manufacturing industries are now the largest components of the Oklahoma economy. Combined, they contributed more than 36% to the gross state product in 2000. Manufactured goods include industrial machinery, metals, electronics, plastic, rubber and glass.  Other key elements in the economy are government services, transportation and finance, insurance and real estate.

Additional Resources

Study Guide Questions:

1. List ten of the Indian tribes found in Oklahoma today.
2. What ethnic groups settled in your part of the state? How have they influenced the culture where you live?
3. What are the major Oklahoma industries today? What are the top industries in your part of the state?
4. What are the major agricultural products of the state today?
5. What are the chief products of the fuel production and mining industries in Oklahoma?

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