Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is the capital Oklahoma State with nearly 600,000 residents. Oklahoma City also serves as the county seat of Oklahoma County. The suburban and rural areas of Oklahoma City extend into three nearby counties. The bigger metro-area population is about 1,252,990. In terms of total land area, the city is the 8th-biggest within the country. The city of Oklahoma is occasionally called "OKC".
The city of Oklahoma is rich in oil. As a matter of fact, the city itself is situated in the middle of an oil field. Oil derricks are a common sight. Petroleum, oil and natural gas form the primary sector of the economy. The city is also among the top livestock markets in the globe. The Tinker Air Force Base and the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center hire many local residents.
Homesteaders started to settle in the region during the year 1889. In a single day, the population grew by 10,000 people. During 1910, the city was named state capital. The population rapidly grew again during the 1920s with oil discovery. Oklahoma City became a regional power center of government and energy exploration. The oil industry has been Oklahoma's dominant sector up to the present day. Oklahoma City is where the parking meter and the traffic signal were invented.
The city of Oklahoma has diversified economically to comprise services, information technology, health services and administration sectors. Fortune 500 companies Devon Energy Corporation and Chesapeake Energy Corporation are situated within Oklahoma City. There are several Fortune 1000 companies located here as well. The city of Oklahoma is home to the corporate restaurants and corporate head office of Sonic Drive-In. Devon Energy has plans for a huge skyscraper within downtown Oklahoma City, expected to open in 2013. Continental Resources plans to base its new head office downtown in the year 2012.
Many of Oklahoma's inhabitants are working at state and federal government agencies like for instance the Tinker Air Force Base, the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma. Significant companies comprise AAA, AT&T, American Fidelity, Bank of America, The Boeing Company, Bank of Oklahoma, Dell, Braum's, Farmer's Insurance, The Hertz Corporation, The Hartford, Integris Health JP Morgan Chase, St. Anthony Health System, Mercy Health System, Sprint/Nextel, Williams-Sonoma, Xerox and United Parcel Service.