Oklahoma is a state in the south-central region of the United States, located just north of Texas and roughly in the middle of the country.

Quick Scoop

Oklahoma sits in the South Central U.S., partly overlapping what’s often called the Southern Plains. It is landlocked and positioned between the Midwest and the American Southwest, which is why it often feels like a blend of both regions.

Surrounding states

Oklahoma’s borders make it easy to place on a mental map of the U.S.

  • South and west: Texas.
  • North: Kansas and a small section touching Colorado.
  • East: Arkansas and Missouri.
  • Far west (Panhandle area): New Mexico.

This layout means Oklahoma is a kind of crossroads between the Great Plains, the Midwest, and the South.

Key cities and landmarks

  • Capital and largest city: Oklahoma City, located near the center of the state.
  • Second-largest city: Tulsa, in the northeastern part of Oklahoma.
  • The Arkansas River and the Red River shape much of the state’s landscape and southern boundary.

If you’re picturing a map

  • Find the center of the continental U.S.; Oklahoma is just a bit south of that.
  • Draw a line up from central Texas: you land almost directly in Oklahoma.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.