North Carolina

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search State of North Carolina Flag Seal Nickname(s): Tar Heel State; Old North State Motto(s): Esse quam videri (official); First in Flight Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English (90.70%) Spanish (6.18%) Demonym North Carolinian (official); Tar Heel (colloquial) Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro Charlotte metro area Area Ranked 28th in the U.S.  - Total 53,819 sq mi (139,390 km2)  - Width 150 miles (241 km)  - Length 560 miles (901 km)  - % water 9.5  - Latitude 33° 50′ N to 36° 35′ N  - Longitude 75° 28′ W to 84° 19′ W Population Ranked 10th in the U.S.  - Total 9,752,073(2012 est)  - Density 212.2/sq mi  (82.7/km2) Ranked 15th in the U.S.  - Median household income $54,082 (38th) Elevation  - Highest point Mount Mitchell 6,684 ft (2037 m)  - Mean 700 ft  (210 m)  - Lowest point Atlantic Ocean sea level Before statehood Province of North Carolina Admission to Union November 21, 1789 (12th) Governor Pat McCrory (R) Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest (R) Legislature General Assembly  - Upper house Senate  - Lower house House of Representatives U.S. Senators Richard Burr (R) Kay Hagan (D) U.S. House delegation 4 Democrats, 9 Republicans (list) Time zone Eastern: UTC -5/-4 Abbreviations NC, US-NC Website www.nc.gov

North Carolina (i/ˌnɔrθ kærəˈlaɪnə/) is a state in Southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west, Virginia to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 10th most populous of the 50 United States. North Carolina is known as the Tar Heel State and the Old North State.

North Carolina is composed of 100 counties. North Carolina's two largest metropolitan areas are among the top ten fastest growing in the country. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte. In the past five decades, North Carolina's economy has undergone a transition from heavy reliance upon tobacco, textiles, and furniture making to a more diversified economy with engineering, energy, biotechnology, and finance sectors.

North Carolina has a wide range of elevations, from sea level on the coast to 6,684 feet (2,037 m) at Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern US. The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone. More than 300 miles (500 km) from the coast, the western, mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate.