North Carolina
Tar Heel State · Capital: Raleigh · South (Upland South)
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Bordering states: Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina.
About North Carolina
North Carolina runs about 500 miles from its barrier islands to the Tennessee line in three belts: the Blue Ridge mountains in the west, the red-clay Piedmont in the middle and the sandy Coastal Plain in the east, separated from the Piedmont by the fall line, where rivers stop being navigable. Mount Mitchell, 6,684 feet, is the highest summit in the United States east of the Mississippi. The Outer Banks stand as much as 30 miles off the mainland and shift with the storms; in 1999 the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was rolled 2,900 feet inland.
The Cherokee held the mountains and the Catawba the Piedmont. In 1587 an English colony settled on Roanoke Island, where Virginia Dare was born; by 1590 it had vanished, leaving CROATOAN carved on a post. On 12 April 1776 the Halifax Resolves made North Carolina the first colony to instruct its delegates to vote for independence, yet it held back from the Constitution for lack of a bill of rights and joined only on 21 November 1789, as the twelfth state. It seceded in 1861, and in April 1865 the largest surrender of the Civil War took place at Bennett Place near Durham. The first powered flight followed at Kill Devil Hills on 17 December 1903.
The 2020 census counted 10,439,388 residents, up 9.5% from 2010, enough to gain a fourteenth House seat. Raleigh is the capital, and Charlotte is both the largest city and the country's second banking center after New York. Since 1959 Research Triangle Park, between Duke, the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State, has drawn research employers to a state once built on tobacco, textiles and furniture. North Carolina grows roughly 60 percent of the nation's sweet potatoes. On 1 February 1960 four students began the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in, and the state produced the jazz musicians John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk.
4 fun facts about North Carolina
- The first powered airplane flight took place at Kitty Hawk in 1903.
- NC produces more sweet potatoes than any other state (over 60% of US output).
- Krispy Kreme started in Winston-Salem in 1937, selling at first to local grocery stores, not retail.
- Pepsi was invented in New Bern in 1893 by pharmacist Caleb Bradham.
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More fun facts about North Carolina
Frequently asked questions about North Carolina
Is North Carolina a US state?
Yes, North Carolina is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1789, making it the 12th state. Its capital is Raleigh and its largest city is Charlotte.
What is the capital of North Carolina?
The capital of North Carolina is Raleigh. Note that the largest city in North Carolina is Charlotte, not the capital, a common point of confusion.
When did North Carolina become a state?
North Carolina became a US state in 1789. It is the 12th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for North Carolina?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for North Carolina is NC.
How big is North Carolina?
North Carolina ranks #28 of 50 US states by area. With 214.7 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 15th most densely populated state.
What is the population of North Carolina?
North Carolina had 10,439,388 residents at the 2020 census, the 9th largest population of the 50 states, up 9.5% since 2010. That count gives it 14 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is North Carolina in?
North Carolina is in the South region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is North Carolina in?
North Carolina observes Eastern Time.
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How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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