Cherokee Nation

This article is about the nation of Cherokee in Oklahoma. For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). For the former independent Cherokee Nation, see Cherokee Nation (1794–1907).

Cherokee Nation
ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ (Cherokee)
Tsalagihi Ayeli
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
Indian reservation
Flag of Cherokee Nation
Flag
Official seal of Cherokee Nation
Seal
Location (red) in the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Location (red) in the U.S. state of Oklahoma
Cherokee Nation is located in the United States
Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 35°51′8″N 94°59′27″W / 35.85222°N 94.99083°W / 35.85222; -94.99083
Pre-1794 CherokeesPre-Columbian era
Cherokee Nation (1794-1907)1794–1907
Constitution RatifiedSeptember 6, 1839; 185 years ago (1839-09-06)
Tribal General Convention convenedAugust 8, 1938; 86 years ago (1938-08-08)
2nd Constitution RatifiedJune 26, 1976; 48 years ago (1976-06-26)
1999 Constitution Ratified2003; 21 years ago (2003)
Reservation RecognizedMarch 11, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-03-11)
CapitalTahlequah
Government
 • TypeRepublic
 • BodyCherokee Nation Tribal Council
 • Principal ChiefChuck Hoskin Jr. (D)
 • Deputy Principal ChiefBryan Warner (D)
 • U.S. House Delegate-designeeKimberly Teehee (D)
Area
[1]
 • Total6,963 sq mi (18,030 km2)
 • Land6,694 sq mi (17,340 km2)
 • Water269 sq mi (700 km2)
Population
 (2024)[2]
 • Total466,181
DemonymCherokee
Time zoneUTC–06:00 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC–05:00 (CDT)
Area code(s)918 and 539
Websitecherokee.org

The Cherokee Nation (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ Tsalagihi Ayeli or ᏣᎳᎩᏰᎵ Tsalagiyehli), formerly known as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is the largest of three federally recognized tribes of Cherokees in the United States. It includes people descended from members of the Old Cherokee Nation who relocated, due to increasing pressure, from the Southeast to Indian Territory and Cherokees who were forced to relocate on the Trail of Tears. The tribe also includes descendants of Cherokee Freedmen and Natchez Nation. As of 2024, over 466,000 people were enrolled in the Cherokee Nation.

Headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the Cherokee Nation has a reservation spanning 14 counties in the northeastern corner of Oklahoma. These are Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Nowata, Ottawa, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner, and Washington counties.

  1. ^ "U.S. Census website". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2024Demographics was invoked but never defined (see the help page).