Charleston is a city in the counties of Berkeley and Charleston in the U.S. state of South Carolina; the city serves as the county seat of Charleston County. The city was founded as Charlestown or Charles Towne, Carolina in 1670, and moved to its present location in 1680. Up until 1800, Charleston was the fifth largest city in North America, behind Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, and Quebec City. It adopted its present name in 1783. Also known as The Holy City (due to the numerous steeples which dot the city's skyline), Charleston brims with the culturally unique, such as the joggling board.

As of 2004, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of the city proper as 115,540; making it the second most populous city in South Carolina behind Columbia. Current trends put Charleston as the fastest growing central city in South Carolina. The metropolitan area population of Charleston and North Charleston was estimated at 594,899 in 2005 by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The city of Charleston is located roughly at the mid-point of South Carolina's coastline, at the junction of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. Charleston's name is derived from Charles Town, named after King Charles II of England.

America's most-published etiquette expert, Marjabelle Young Stewart, has recognized the city since 1995 as the "best-mannered" city in the U.S, a claim that lent credence by the fact that it has the only Livability Court in the country.