North Carolina is known for:
- First flight by Wright Brothers
- College basketball
- Biltmore Estate - The largest private residence in the United States
- Beaches
- Tobacco production
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
NC |
| State Capital |
Raleigh |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 53,819 sq miles; Land Only: 48,711 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
100 |
| Time Zone |
Eastern Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia |
| Highest Point | Mount Mitchell, 6,684 feet |
| Tallest Building | Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, 871 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, capacity 75,419 |
| National Parks | Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
| State Population (2020) | 10,439,388 |
| State Population Density | 214.3 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
252, 336, 704, 743, 828, 910, 919, 980, 984 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Charlotte (900,350)
Raleigh (474,414)
Greensboro (297,878)
Durham (285,897)
Winston-Salem (248,112)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Berry | Blueberry and strawberry |
| State Bird |
Cardinal |
| State Beverage | Milk |
| State Boat | Shad Boat |
| State Butterfly | Eastern tiger swallowtail |
| State Carnivorous Plant | Venus flytrap |
| State Christmas Tree | Fraser fir |
| State Colors | Red and blue |
| State Dog | Plott hound |
| State Fish | Channel bass |
| State Flower |
Dogwood |
| State Folk Dance | Clogging |
| State Freshwater Trout | Southern Appalachian brook trout |
| State Frog | Pine barrens treefrog |
| State Fruit | Grape |
| State Horse | Colonial Spanish mustang |
| State Insect | Honeybee |
| State Mammal | Gray squirrel |
| State Marsupial | Virginia opossom |
| State Mineral | Gold |
| State Motto |
Esse quam videri (To be, rather than to seem) |
| State Nickname |
Tar Heel State |
| State Popular Dance | Shag |
| State Pottery Birthplace | Seagrove area |
| State Reptile | Eastern box turtle |
| State Rock | Granite |
| State Salamander | Marbled salamander |
| State Shell | Scotch bonnet |
| State Song | "The Old North State" |
| State Stone | Emerald |
| State Tree |
Pine |
| State Toast | The Tar Heel toast |
| State Vegetable | Sweet potato |
| State Wildflower | Carolina lily |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Biltmore Estate: 8000-acre estate in Asheville, North Carolina.
- Blue Ridge Parkway: Scenic drive that goes through Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
- Cape Hatteras: Cape on the eastern coast of North Carolina.
- Carowinds: Amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Charlotte Motor Speedway: Car racing track in Concord, North Carolina.
- Clingmans Dome: Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.
- Discovery Place: Science museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center: Theater in Durham, North Carolina.
- Outer Banks: Barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina.
- Grandfather Mountain: Mountain and state park near Linville, North Carolina.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park: National park on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee.
- NASCAR Hall of Fame: Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- North Carolina Museum of Art: Art museum in Raleigh, North Carolina.
- North Carolina Zoo: Zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina.
- Pisgah National Forest: National forest in Nebo, North Carolina.
- Sliding Rock: Waterfall in Nebo, North Carolina.
- Tweetsie Railroad: Theme park in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
UNESCO Heritage Sites
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in North Carolina. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
Popular Iconic North Carolina Foods
North Carolina is famous for the following foods:
- Barbecue
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Krispy Kreme Cheerwine Doughnut
- Cookout
- Shrimp N' Grits
- Bojangles
- Calabash Seafood
- Cheerwine
- Texas Pete
- Biscuits and Gravy
- Sweet Potato Pie
Famous People Born In North Carolina
Nobel Prize Winners
United States Presidents
- James K. Polk (11th President)
- Andrew Johnson (17th President)
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- Bobby Bell (Linebacker, Defensive End. Inducted in 1983)
- Sonny Jurgensen (Quarterback. Inducted in 1983)
- Joe Gibbs (Coach. Inducted in 1996)
- Dwight Stephenson (Center. Inducted in 1998)
- Carl Eller (Defensive End. Inducted in 2004)
- Bruce Matthews (Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 2007)
- Charlie Sanders (Tight End. Inducted in 2007)
- Chris Hanburger (Linebacker. Inducted in 2011)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Luke Appling (Shortstop. Inducted in 1964)
- Buck Leonard (First Baseman. Inducted in 1972)
- Rick Ferrell (Catcher. Inducted in 1984)
- Hoyt Wilhelm (Pitcher. Inducted in 1985)
- Enos Slaughter (Right Fielder. Inducted in 1985)
- Catfish Hunter (Pitcher. Inducted in 1987)
- Gaylord Perry (Pitcher. Inducted in 1991)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- Sam Jones (Guard. Inducted in 1984)
- Walt Bellamy (Center. Inducted in 1993)
- David Thompson (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 1996)
- Bob McAdoo (Center-Forward. Inducted in 2000)
- James Worthy (Forward. Inducted in 2003)
- Bobby Jones (Forward. Inducted in 2019)
- Lou Hudson (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 2022)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Andy Griffith
- Julianne Moore
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Famous Singers
- Tori Amos
- Alicia Bridges
- Nina Simone
- Randy Travis
North Carolina Fun Facts
- The Carolina colony was established by British and it was split in 1729 into North and South Carolina as it was deemed too big to govern effectively. Carolina is named after King Charles I of England. Carolus is Latin for Charles.
- The Wright brothers completed the first successful flight of a mechanically propelled airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on December 17, 1903.
- Pepsi was developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as "Brad's Drink" in New Bern, North Carolina. It was renamed Pepsi in 1898, named after the digestive enzyme pepsin and kola nuts used in the recipe.
- The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, North Carolina, is the tallest lighthouse in the United States at 193 feet.
- North Carolina is the largest producer of sweet potatoes in the United States.
- The first English child born in America, Virginia Dare, was born in Roanoke Island, North Carolina, in 1587.
- High Point is known as the Furniture Capital of the World.
- Krispy Kreme Doughnut was founded in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on July 13, 1937.
- North Carolina is the only state with an official State Christmas Tree: Fraser fir.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2024.
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