South Carolina Lowcountry

"Lowcountry" redirects here. For the geographical region in and around the Netherlands, see Low Countries. For other uses, see Low Country (disambiguation).

A scenic vista from an observation area at Hunting Island State Park near Beaufort. Such salt marshes are emblematic of the Lowcountry and its landscapes, but are also vulnerable to climate change caused sea level rise and development of tourism and housing.

The Lowcountry (sometimes Low Country or just low country) is a geographic and cultural region along South Carolina's coast, including the Sea Islands. The region includes significant salt marshes and other coastal waterways, making it an important source of biodiversity in South Carolina.

Once known for its slave-based agricultural wealth in rice and indigo, crops that flourished in the hot subtropical climate, the Lowcountry today is known for its historic cities and communities, natural environment, cultural heritage, and tourism industry. Demographically, the Lowcountry is still heavily dominated by African American communities, such as the Gullah/Geechee people.[1]

As of the 2020 census, the population of the Lowcountry was 1,167,139.

  1. ^ Moore, Dasia (September 3, 2020). "The environmental racism threatening South Carolina's Black communities". Quartz. Retrieved March 27, 2022.