NC Facts & Figures
From the misty mountains to the sunny coast, North Carolina is the nation's variety vacationland, featuring natural beauty, history, arts, culture and adventure - something for everyone.
In the mountains, surround yourself with scenic beauty while picnicking, hiking, golfing or even whitewater rafting and rock climbing. In the winter, ride the slopes on skis, tubes or snowboards. Find serenity on snowshoes.
In central North Carolina, find one-of-a-kind shopping, tee off on one of the state's more than 400 golf courses and experience the "home" of NASCAR. Sample wine at one of North Carolina's wineries or step back in time at a Civil War battlefield.
Along the coast, dive into water sports like boating, swimming and saltwater fishing; climb historic lighthouses and bask in the warm sun on the Atlantic coastline. Savor Eastern Carolina BBQ and Calabash seafood.
State Stats:
|
Statehood State Capital State Colors State Motto State Nicknames Name Origin State Song |
November 21, 1789, the 12th state Raleigh (established 1792) Blue & Red Esse Quam Videri/To Be Rather Than to Seem The Tar Heel State, The Old North State From Latin Carolus in honor of King Charles I of England "The Old North State," lyrics by William Gaston, music collected and arranged by Mrs. E. E. Randolph |
|
| State Symbols |
Bird Flower Tree Insect Stone Rock Vegetable Reptile Fish |
Cardinal Dogwood Pine Honey Bee Emerald Granite Sweet Potato Eastern Box Turtle Red Drum |
Geography
The highest mountains in the eastern United States are located in western North Carolina. The state is home to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Smoky Mountains, all part of the 1,500 mile Appalachian Mountain Range. The rolling hills of central NC - famous for their golf resorts, historic towns, lively cities and great shopping - soften to the broad, lush fields of the coastal plain. More than 300 miles of sandy beaches form the eastern border of the state along the Atlantic Ocean.
| Area | 52,669 square miles 28th largest in the nation 3,954 square miles of inland water |
| Elevation | Highest - Mount Mitchell, 6,684 feet Lowest - Sea level along the Atlantic Ocean |
| Coastline | 301 miles |
| Greatest east-west distance | 543 miles (Manteo to Murphy) |
| Greatest north-south distance |
188 miles |
Climate
North Carolinians enjoy four distinct seasons, marked by warm summers and mild winters. Temperatures range from 22* F to 92* F. The state averages five to six inches of snow a year, with higher elevations in the mountains receiving 10 to 50 inches.
Population
Statewide:
|
Population Distribution Ranking |
9.1 million (2007 est.) 60% urban, 40% rural 11th among states |
Largest Cities:
|
Charlotte Raleigh Greensboro Winston-Salem Durham |
674,658 367,098 248,111 224,889 222,472 |
A Few North Carolina Firsts
- First English child born in America - Virginia Dare was born on Roanoke Island on August 18, 1587
- First state university in the United States - University of North Carolina opened in 1795 in Chapel Hill
- First gold nugget found in the United States - Reed Gold Mine in Cabarrus County in 1799
- First interstate railroad - opened in 1833 between Blakely (Northampton County) and Petersburg, Virginia
- First operating silver mine in the United States - opened in 1838 near Lexington
- First mint in the United States to coin a gold dollar - Bechtler Mint in Rutherford County
- First forestry school in the United States - opened in 1898 near Mount Pisgah
- First structure for which United States Congress appropriated money - Old Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
- First successful powered airplane flight - 1903 by the Wright Brothers, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk
- First state to establish a soil and water conservation district - 1937
A Few Famous North Carolinians
| Astronauts |
Mike Smith, Dr. William Thornton |
| Educators | Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Annie Wealthy Holland, W. L. Moore (Waccamaw-Siouan), N. C. Newbold, Oscar R. Sampson (Lumbee), Sequoyah (Cherokee) |
| Entertainers | Roberta Flack, Eileen Fulton, Ava Gardner, Andy Griffith, Ronnie Milsap, Doc Watson, Thelonious Monk, James Taylor, Rick Dees, John Coltrane, Randy Travis |
| Literature | Doris Betts, O. Henry, Guy Owen, Betty Smith, Thomas Wolfe, Maya Angelou |
| Media | David Brinkley, Charles Kuralt, Edward R. Murrow, Tom Wicker, Edwin Yoder, Sam Ragan, Charlie Rose, Howard Cosell |
| Presidents |
Andrew Jackson (7th), James K. Polk (11th), Andrew Johnson (17th) |
| Pulitzer winners | Paul Green, Hatcher Hughes, Reynolds Price, Vermont Royster |
| Religion | Billy Graham |
| Baseball | "Catfish" Hunter, Gaylord Perry, Jim Perry |
| Basketball | Phil Ford, Bobby Jones, Michael Jordan, Meadowlark Lemon, Danny Manning, Pete Maravich, Curley Neal, Dominique Wilkins, James Worthy, Antawn Jamison, Brendan Haywood |
| Boxing | Sugar Ray Leonard |
| Football | Kelvin Bryant, Roman Gabriel, Sonny Jergenson |
| Motorsports | Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Junior Johnson, and Lee, Richard and Kyle Petty |
added: December 17, 2008
updated: March 23, 2009
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