Congaree River in the context of Cayce, South Carolina

Columbia is the capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the second-most populous city in the state, with a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, while the Columbia metropolitan area has an estimated 870,000 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and portions of the city extend into neighboring Lexington County and Kershaw County. The name "Columbia", a poetic term referring to the U.S., derives from the name of Christopher Columbus, who explored the Caribbean on behalf of the Spanish Empire. The name of the city is often abbreviated as "Cola", leading to its nickname "Soda City".

The city, located just northwest of the geographic center of South Carolina, was the center of population of South Carolina as of 2020. It is also the primary city of the Midlands region of the state. It lies at the confluence of the Saluda River and the Broad River, which merge at Columbia to form the Congaree River. As the state capital, Columbia is the site of the South Carolina State House, the center of government for the state. In 1860, the South Carolina Secession Convention took place in Columbia; delegates voted for secession, making South Carolina the first state to leave the Union in the events leading up to the Civil War.

The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi (320 km) long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree River, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Broad River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 150 miles (240 km) long, in western North Carolina and northern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Congaree, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean. It is called the Rocky Broad River in the Hickorynut Gorge in North Carolina near the communities of Bat Cave and Chimney Rock.