NCNorth Carolina
Tar Heel State · Capital: Raleigh · South (Upland South)
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Quick stats
Capital
Raleigh
Largest city
Charlotte
Population
Over 10 million
Area rank
#28 of 50
Admitted
1789
Time zone
Eastern Time
Region
South
Letters
13
Bordering states: Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina.
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.
- The state is home to Pepsi (New Bern) and Mountain Dew (Knoxville-area) — both Carolina inventions.
Learn more
→ How to learn the 50 states (full guide)