North Carolina

North Carolina is a southeastern US state stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Appalachian Mountains, blending tradition with a fast-growing technology and research economy. Its capital is Raleigh, while Charlotte is the largest city and a major banking center. Nicknamed the Tar Heel State, it is known for basketball and the birthplace of powered flight.

North Carolina spans the Outer Banks and coastal plain in the east, the rolling Piedmont in the center where its biggest cities sit, and the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains in the west. The climate is humid subtropical, cooler in the mountains.

North Carolina culture mixes Southern heritage with a booming high-tech corridor in the Research Triangle. College basketball rivalries, barbecue, bluegrass and a strong university tradition are central to its identity.

One of the original Thirteen Colonies, North Carolina became the 12th state in 1789. The Wright brothers achieved the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903, and the state grew through tobacco, textiles, furniture and, more recently, technology and finance.