Oklahoma has divided its diverse landscape into six regions or "countries," each with a distinct flavor and image. Central Oklahoma: "Frontier Country" is where the shortgrass and flatlands begin their dominance, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. It is a place of adventure and hard work, where city life bumps up against traditional country ways, a place where Victorian history is preserved in all its baroque beauty and the future looms ahead, looking bright. Northeast Oklahoma: Visitors to the area will understand immediately why it is called "Green Country." From towering monuments to architectural greatness to verdant green hills, Tallgrass prairie to classic Route 66 motels, northeastern Oklahoma illustrates human progress alongside natural drama. Tulsa, the "oil capital of the world," is the crown jewel of the region, and those who live and work there take pride in having a progressive, beautiful city. Northwest Oklahoma: Jagged buttes rise majestically above a bright, unbelievably red soil in the area known as "Red Carpet Country." Dinosaurs once roamed the area, leaving footprints that survive to this day, and buffalo herds created a sea of bushy fur and dust until the 1870s. Today, despite the encroachment of modern civilization, northwest Oklahoma still holds its natural beauty close to its heart. South Central Oklahoma: Residents of south central Oklahoma enjoy life on the water. Three major rivers -- the Red, the Blue and the Washita, were harnessed to create four beautiful, sprawling lakes, including Lake Texoma, the largest manmade lake in the U.S. Known as "Lake Country," the southcentral region is also home to the Chickasaw Nation, the rolling Arbuckle Mountain range and Ardmore, one of the fastest-growing cities in Oklahoma -- proof that more and more people are discovering the quality of life in this region. Southeast Oklahoma: The lush environs of "Kiamichi Country" contribute to the popularity of this region among vacationers. In the Beavers Bend area, where the fall colors truly are breathtaking, visitors rave about the gorgeous waters of the Mountain Fork River and its offspring, Broken Bow Lake. Whether visiting Robbers Cave State Park or the Museum of the Red River in Idabel, life is always interesting and intensely beautiful in southeast Oklahoma. Southwest Oklahoma: The view can be arresting: Dramatic, jagged towers of rock jutting upward from the prairie. Southwest Oklahoma, known as "Great Plains Country," is home to Quartz Mountain Resort Park near Altus, home of the Oklahoma Arts Institute's summer and fall workshops, and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, where North America's oldest mountains hold court amid herds of bison. This area also is home to some of the best preserved sections of Route 66, as well as the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, where the Mother Road is commemorated in all its glory.
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