CAROLINA, SOUTH, an Atlantic state of the American union, of a triangular form, with North Carolina and Georgia on its inland sides. It extends between 32° and 35° 10' n. lat., and 78' 25' and 83° 20' w. long., having an area of 34,000 sq. miles. In 1870, the total pop. of South C. was 705,606; of whom 289,667 were whites, 415,814 negroes, and 124 civilized Indians; in 1875, the population was 923,447. The total population in 1800 was 345,591. South C. formerly differed from all the other stases in appointing its presidential electors, and its executive, not by the popular suffrage, but by the joint vote of the two branches of the local legislature, being thus pre-eminent in the aristocracy of its constitution. Iu 1868, however, in the reconstruction of the southern states, South C. was restored to a place in the union, with a new constitution adopted by a majority of voters, and approved by congress. It is represented in congress by 5 members in the lower house, besides the 2 senators which each state possesses alike. Physically a contin uation of its northern neighbor, South C., behind a breast-work of islets, presents a low belt, generally swampy, of about 100 m. in depth, rising backward through au undulat ing region to a height of 4000 ft. in the Alleghanies. With such a range of soil and climate, the productions are very various—cotton, rice, tobacco, indigo, sugar, silk, maize, and wheat. In the first two articles, South C. stands pre-eminent, yielding nearly as much
rice as all the other states together, and more cotton, in proportion to area, than any other state. Its mineral treasures are chiefly granite, sienite, marble, and gneiss, from the primitive formations of the state, for building; along with gold, lead, and iron: it is probable that no coal will be found. The public indebtedness of South C. in 1874 was 17,017,651 dollars, and the assessed value of property in 1873 was 176,956,502 dollars. Since the reconstruction of the state, public institutions have made great progress. With not much more than 50 m. of canal, South C. has 1400 of railway. The chief rivers, each the receptacle of considerable affluents, are the Great Pedee, Santee, and Edisto, and also the Savannah, as common to Georgia and South C., the whole being said to furnish an inland navigation of 2400 miles. The cotton product of South C. in 1866 amounted to 112,273 bales; in 1868, to 240,225; and in 1873-74, to 438,194 bales. The value of the cotton brought to the shipping ports of South C. in 1876 was £4,320,568. The chief towns are Charleston. Columbia (the capital), Georgetown, and Greenville.