Initially colonized by French fur traders, Ohio became a British colonial possession after the French and Indian War in 1754. At the end of the American Revolution, Britain ceded control of the area to the newly formed United States, which took it into shooting the Northwest Territory.
Ohio became a state on March 1, 1803, although no formal declaration was made until 1953, when President Dwight Eisenhower officially signed the documents making it a state, backdated to the original date.
Ohio is sometimes referred to as the “mother of modern presidents” and has sent seven Ohio residents to the White House since 1869. Ohio is also known as the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, and the National Football League Hall of Fame in Canton.
Geography
Ohio is a state located in the Midwestern and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It is bordered by Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the west and Michigan across Lake Erie to the northwest. The Ohio River forms its border with Kentucky and West Virginia. Ohio is one of only four states (the other three being Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York) that has a coastline on an inland sea.
Ohio has a total area of 44,825 square miles (116,096 km2), making it slightly larger than Italy. Its land area consists mainly of flat plains with rolling hills in some areas. The Appalachian Mountains form a narrow band along its eastern edge, while most of its western border follows along rivers such as the Ohio River and Muskingum River. The highest point in Ohio is Campbell Hill at 1,550 feet (472 meters).
The climate in Ohio ranges from humid continental in northern parts of the state to humid subtropical in southern parts. Summers are typically hot and humid while winters are cold with occasional snowfall throughout much of the state. Average annual precipitation ranges from 36 inches (91 cm) in northern parts to 50 inches (127 cm) in southwestern parts; snowfall averages about 25 inches (64 cm) per year statewide.
Ohio’s population is primarily concentrated around urban areas such as Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton; these cities make up nearly two-thirds of all residents living within this state. In terms of agriculture production, corn remains king; soybeans are also important crops here as well as dairy products such as cheese and ice cream. Manufacturing dominates much of Ohio’s industrial landscape; automobiles and automotive products are particularly important here due to their location near Detroit’s auto industry hub.
Overall, Ohio offers many different landscapes for visitors or residents alike – from urban cities like Cleveland or Cincinnati all the way down south towards rural Appalachia – making this state an interesting place for anyone who visits or lives here.
Cities in Ohio
Below are the top 15 cities by population in Ohio. For all cities and towns in the state, please see Ohio cities list.
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus | 898,143 |
| 2 | Cleveland | 374,861 |
| 3 | Cincinnati | 308,664 |
| 4 | Toledo | 271,454 |
| 5 | Akron | 191,483 |
| 6 | Dayton | 138,416 |
| 7 | Parma | 80,880 |
| 8 | Canton | 71,097 |
| 9 | Lorain | 65,051 |
| 10 | Hamilton | 63,127 |
| 11 | Youngstown | 61,274 |
| 12 | Springfield | 58,992 |
| 13 | Kettering | 57,503 |
| 14 | Elyria | 52,853 |
| 15 | Cuyahoga Falls | 50,906 |
Counties in Ohio
The State of Ohio consists of 88 counties. They are:
- Adams County, Ohio
- Allen County, Ohio
- Ashland County, Ohio
- Ashtabula County, Ohio
- Athens County, Ohio
- Auglaize County, Ohio
- Belmont County, Ohio
- Brown County, Ohio
- Butler County, Ohio
- Carroll County, Ohio
- Champaign County, Ohio
- Clark County, Ohio
- Clermont County, Ohio
- Clinton County, Ohio
- Columbiana County, Ohio
- Coshocton County, Ohio
- Crawford County, Ohio
- Cuyahoga County, Ohio
- Darke County, Ohio
- Defiance County, Ohio
- Delaware County, Ohio
- Erie County, Ohio
- Fairfield County, Ohio
- Fayette County, Ohio
- Franklin County, Ohio
- Fulton County, Ohio
- Gallia County, Ohio
- Geauga County, Ohio
- Greene County, Ohio
- Guernsey County, Ohio
- Hamilton County, Ohio
- Hancock County, Ohio
- Hardin County, Ohio
- Harrison County, Ohio
- Henry County, Ohio
- Highland County, Ohio
- Hocking County, Ohio
- Holmes County, Ohio
- Huron County, Ohio
- Jackson County, Ohio
- Jefferson County, Ohio
- Knox County, Ohio
- Lake County, Ohio
- Lawrence County, Ohio
- Licking County, Ohio
- Logan County, Ohio
- Lorain County, Ohio
- Lucas County, Ohio
- Madison County, Ohio
- Mahoning County, Ohio
- Marion County, Ohio
- Medina County, Ohio
- Meigs County, Ohio
- Mercer County, Ohio
- Miami County, Ohio
- Monroe County, Ohio
- Montgomery County, Ohio
- Morgan County, Ohio
- Morrow County, Ohio
- Muskingum County, Ohio
- Noble County, Ohio
- Ottawa County, Ohio
- Paulding County, Ohio
- Perry County, Ohio
- Pickaway County, Ohio
- Pike County, Ohio
- Portage County, Ohio
- Preble County, Ohio
- Putnam County, Ohio
- Richland County, Ohio
- Ross County, Ohio
- Sandusky County, Ohio
- Scioto County, Ohio
- Seneca County, Ohio
- Shelby County, Ohio
- Stark County, Ohio
- Summit County, Ohio
- Trumbull County, Ohio
- Tuscarawas County, Ohio
- Union County, Ohio
- Van Wert County, Ohio
- Vinton County, Ohio
- Warren County, Ohio
- Washington County, Ohio
- Wayne County, Ohio
- Williams County, Ohio
- Wood County, Ohio
- Wyandot County, Ohio
