Columbia is the capital of and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, with a population of 129,272 as of the 2010 United States Census. As of July 1, 2013, the city’s population was estimated to be 133,358 (U.S. Census Bureau, July 2014 release). The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. It is the center of the Columbia metropolitan statistical area, which had a population of 767,598 as of the 2010 United States Census, growing to 800,495 by July 1, 2013, according to 2014 U.S. Census estimates. The name Columbia was a poetic term used for the United States, originating from the name of Christopher Columbus.
