Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America.The state's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma, meaning "red people", and is known informally by its nickname, ''The Sooner State''. With small mountain ranges,prairie,mesas, and eastern forests, most of Oklahoma lies in theGreat Plains,Cross Timbers and theU.S. Interior Highlands—a region especially prone tosevere weather.In addition to having a prevalence of English, German,Scottish,Scotch-Irish, andNative Americanancestry, more than 25 Native American languages are spoken in Oklahoma,second only to California.
Oklahoma is located on a confluence of three major Americancultural regionsand historically served as a route forcattle drives, a destination for southern settlers, and a government-sanctionedterritoryfor Native Americans.