North Carolina is named in
honor of King Charles I of England, from the Latin “Carolus.”
This area was originally inhabited by many different native nations,
including the Cherokee, Tuscarora, Cheraw, Pamlico, Meherrin, Coree,
Machapunga, Waxhaw, Saponi, Tutelo, Waccamaw, Coharie,
and Catawba. Today, the total population is just over 8 million.
On Apr 12, 1776, North Carolina became the
1st colony to instruct its Continental Congress delegates to vote
for independence from the British crown.
On Nov 21, 1789, North Carolina became
the 12th state to ratify the Constitution.
North Carolina is 560 miles long,
making it the longest state east of
the Mississippi.
It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east,
Tennessee on the west,
Virginia to the north,
and South Carolina and
Georgia to the south.
North Carolina's 52669 square mile area is divided into
3 geographic areas,
each with its own distinct features:
the Mountains in the west;
the Piedmont in the center;
and the Coast in the east.
The Appalachian mountain chain runs through the western part of
the state.
The highest peak is Mount Mitchell, at 6684 feet (2037 m),
making it the tallest on the eastern coast of the U.S.
Covering nearly 50% of North Carolina
in the central part of the state, the Piedmont is an area of
gently rolling foothills with the occasional boulder or rocky outcropping.
The Coastal plain, which occupies the eastern 45% of the state,
is North Carolina's most rural section, with few large towns or cities.
WEATHER
North Carolina
has 4 distinct seasons, and temperatures are mild year round.
The state enjoys sunshine for about 210 days a year.
The geographical divisions of North Carolina are useful
when discussing the climate,
which ranges from a warm, humid subtropical climate near the coast to a humid continental climate in the mountains.
The coastal plain is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean which keeps
temperatures mild in winter and moderate in the summer.
Daytime highs on the coast average less
than 89° F (312° C) during the summer.
In the winter, the coast has the mildest temperatures in the state,
with daytime temperatures rarely dropping below 40° F (4° C).
The average daytime winter temperature in the coastal plain is
usually in the mid~60's.
Temperatures in the coastal plain rarely drop below freezing, even overnight.
The coastal plain usually receives only 1 inch (2.5 cm) of
snow and/or ice annually, and in some years there may be no snow or
ice at all.
The Piedmont has hotter summers and colder winters than the coast.
Daytime highs in the Piedmont usually
average over 90° F (32° C) in the summer.
Temperatures in the Piedmont fluctuate more widely than the coast.
In the winter, daytime temperatures are usually in the mid~50's,
and temperatures often drop below freezing at night.
The Appalachian Mountains are the coolest area of the state.
The average wintertime temperature is just over 40°F.
Snowfall in the mountains is usually 14~20 in (36~51 cm) per year, but it is often greater in the higher elevations.
Some areas of the region see over 30 inches of snow a year.
In summer, it's 77° F, generally cool and refreshing with low humidity.
North Carolina receives a
direct hit from a hurricane about once every 10 years.
Tropical storms arrive every 3~4 years.
Tornadoes from thunderstorms are a risk,
especially in the eastern part of the state.
ECONOMY
The North Carolina Chamber of Commerce
fights at
the state capital for businesses of all sizes and sectors, to make sure that North Carolina is
and remains the best economic state in America,
and the most competitive for jobs.
Their vision and mission is to make North Carolina a
leading place in the world to do business.
The Chamber listens to members and takes their most pressing economic concerns directly to government decision~makers.
North Carolina is a national leader in agriculture,
financial services, and manufacturing.
The state has long been a major textile manufacturer,
producing cotton, synthetic, and silk goods, plus
various kinds of knit items.
Other leading products are electrical machinery, computers,
and chemicals.
The information and biotechnology industries have been steadily increasing.
Agriculture remains an important industry, especially on the Coastal plain.
Products include poultry, eggs, tobacco, hogs, milk, nursery stock, cattle, sweet potatoes, and soybeans.
Tobacco is one of North Carolina's
earliest sources of revenue, and remains vital to the local economy.
North Carolina is the leading producer of tobacco in the country.
It grows 40% of all U.S. tobacco.
Plentiful forests supply the thriving furniture and lumber industries,
as well as pulp & paper products.
The Piedmont region contains one of the most dynamic economies in the
United States and is home to the
North Carolina's
largest cities and biggest financial institutions.
It is the 2nd largest banking center in the United States
(after New York), and is home to Bank of America, Wachovia,
and Branch Banking & Trust, one of America's largest banks.
Renowned research facilities, textile & furniture factories,
tobacco farms, shopping meccas, top golf courses and
abundant historic sites are also part of the economy of the Piedmont.
North Carolina also has mineral resources.
It leads the nation in the production of feldspar, mica, and
lithium materials. It also produces substantial quantities
of olivine, crushed granite, talc, clays, and phosphate rock.
There are valuable coastal fisheries. Shrimp, menhaden, and crabs are the principal catches.
SCHOOLS
In 1795, North Carolina
opened the first public university in the United States -
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Today, more than 200 years later, the
system encompasses 16 public universities.
In addition to its public universities,
North Carolina has 58 public community colleges in
its community college system.
North Carolina has 115 public school systems,
each of which is governed by a local school board.
Elementary and secondary public schools are overseen by the
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction,
headed by the North Carolina Superintendent of
Public Instruction, who is also secretary of the
North Carolina State Board of Education.
This body holds most of the legal authority for making
public education policy.
The North Carolina State Board of Education
is
charged with supervising and administering
the free public school system and the educational funds provided for its support.
The guiding mission of the North Carolina
State Board of Education is that every public school student will graduate from high school,
globally competitive for work and post~secondary education and
prepared for life in the 21st Century.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
is the agency charged with implementing the State's public school
laws and the State Board of Education's policies and procedures
governing pre~kindergarten through 12th grade public education.
The Department of Public Instruction develops the
Standard Course of Study which describes the subjects and
course content that should be taught in North Carolina
public schools and develops the assessments and accountability
model used to evaluate school and district success.
For more details please contact the
North Carolina Department of Education.
HOSPITALITY
North Carolina
has it all - diverse geographic regions of Mountains, Piedmont, Coast and Beaches.
Get a taste of the unique experiences that North Carolina has to offer.
The state is full of history, dating back to the 16th century.
Visit sites from pre~Revolutionary Days through the Civil War,
exciting destinations and attractions, plus an impressive list of activities.
The Great Smoky Mountains make North Carolina one of the country’s top scenic attractions.
Visitors can enjoy grand vistas of magnificent beauty driving through the mountain ranges on the world famous, 250~mile Blue Ridge Parkway.
Warmed by the Gulf Stream, the North Carolina Coast is a sunny place filled with pristine beaches,
giant sand dunes (highest on the East Coast) and wetlands filled with a huge variety of wildlife and plants.
Along the coast you will find beautiful historic lighthouses, including the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, tallest brick lighthouse in the United States (208 feet).
North Carolina offers a wide range of choices for places to rest your head during your vacation.
Whether seeking a spa sabbatical, going for a golf getaway or aspiring to an all~inclusive escape, luxury vacation opportunities abound in North Carolina.
For those travellers on a tighter budget, there are many affordable accomodations.
For more details please contact
North Carolina State Tourism.
NEWS
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