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South Carolina
The Palmetto State, from the Blue Ridge to the Lowcountry
South Carolina slopes steadily from mountains to sea across a compact, roughly triangular state. The northwestern corner, the "Upstate," reaches into the Blue Ridge Mountains, where Sassafras Mountain tops the state at 3,560 feet (1,085 m). From there the rolling Piedmont descends to the fall line and then to the broad, flat Coastal Plain, which makes up most of the state and runs out to a famous, marsh-laced shoreline. The whole tilt of the land carries its rivers southeast toward the Atlantic.
The coast is the Lowcountry — a maze of salt marsh, tidal creeks, and Sea Islands fringed with beaches, where Charleston has stood at the center of Southern life since colonial days. The warm, humid coastal climate and the sandy soils shaped the rice and cotton plantations that defined the region's history and gave rise to the distinct Gullah culture of the islands. The Grand Strand around Myrtle Beach now draws millions to the shore. From mountain to marsh, South Carolina compresses the Southern landscape into a single short drive.
Economy
South Carolina has staged a manufacturing renaissance, drawing major foreign investment: BMW builds cars in Spartanburg, Boeing assembles jets in Charleston, and Michelin makes tires in the state. Tourism along the coast at Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Hilton Head, agriculture, and the busy Port of Charleston round out the economy.
Politics
South Carolina carries 9 electoral votes and votes reliably Republican in presidential elections. It holds an influential early presidential primary that has often shaped both parties' nomination contests, giving a small state outsized weight in national politics.