North Carolina is located in the southeastern United States. The state is considered to be the financial centre of the USA, and several well-known research and development companies are headquartered there. North Carolina is interesting because of its wide topographic range, with beaches on the Atlantic coast alternating with mountains in the west.
Table of Contents
Basic Information About North Carolina
- State Name: North Carolina
- State Abbreviation: NC
- Capital: Raleigh
- Largest City: Charlotte
- Area: 139,390 km2 (28th largest U.S. state)
- Population: 10,488,084 (9th highest in the U.S.)
- Time Zone: EST (UTC-5), summer EDT (UTC-4)
- More Information: Speed Limits in North Carolina, Current Time in North Carolina, Minimum Wage in North Carolina
What to See in the State of North Carolina
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Biltmore Estate
- Chimney Rock State Park
- Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington
- Dry Falls at Highlands
- Wheels Through Time Transportation Museum in Maggie Valley
- Grandfather Mountain
- Jockey’s Ridge State Park
- Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton
For tips on other sights and places of interest in North Carolina, post them in the discussion.
North Carolina
Fun Facts about North Carolina
Date of North Carolina’s Entry into the Union
November 21, 1789 (12th in order)
North Carolina state nickname
The Old North State
The Highest Mountain in North Carolina
Mount Mitchell (2,037 metres)
North Carolina Rivers
- Roanoke River (660 km)
- New River (510 km)
- Neuse River (443 km)
- Pee Dee River (373 km)
- Catawba River (350 km)
Airports in North Carolina
- Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport
- Greensboro – Piedmont Triad International Airport
- Wilmington International Airport
- Asheville Regional Airport
North Carolina Sports Teams
- NFL (American football): Carolina Panthers
- MLB (baseball): no team
- MLS (soccer): Charlotte FC
- NHL (ice hockey): Carolina Hurricanes
- NBA (basketball): Charlotte Hornets
Universities in North Carolina
- Duke University
- University of North Carolina
- North Carolina State University
- Wake Forest University
ZIP Codes
27006-28909
North Carolina Weather
North Carolina is very diverse in terms of climate. The east of the state is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, which makes the winters quite warm, but on the other hand, the summers are not very hot. Winter temperatures in this area are around a pleasant 12 °C during the day. At night, temperatures rarely drop below freezing.
In the Piedmont region, summer temperatures reach around 32 °C. Winters are colder, with average daytime temperatures of 10 °C and frost at night not uncommon. Frosty thunderstorms are characteristic of the Piedmont.
The coldest part of the state of North Carolina is the Appalachian Mountains. The daytime temperature in winter is only +5 °C and at night it drops several degrees below zero. Abundant snowfall and occasional snowstorms are other hallmarks of this region.
Tornadoes of varying intensity strike North Carolina a few times a year, while hurricanes are not as frequent but are a force to be reckoned with.
Current Forecasts:
North Carolina’s Largest Cities
| # | City | Population | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte | 885,708 | Show on Map |
| 2 | Raleigh | 474,069 | Show on Map |
| 3 | Greensboro | 296,710 | Show on Map |
| 4 | Durham | 278,993 | Show on Map |
| 5 | Winston-Salem | 247,945 | Show on Map |
| 6 | Fayetteville | 211,657 | Show on Map |
| 7 | Cary | 170,282 | Show on Map |
| 8 | Wilmington | 123,784 | Show on Map |
| 9 | High Point | 112,791 | Show on Map |
| 10 | Concord | 96,341 | Show on Map |
North Carolina Food Prices
- McDonalds Restaurant McMeal prices: $7.75
- Restaurant Draft Beer (0.5L): $4.75
- Cappuccino in restaurant: $4.35
- Coca-Cola in restaurant (0.33 l): $1.85
- Milk (1 l): $0.78
- Bread (500 g): $2.77
- Rice (1 kg): $3.73
- Egg (12 pcs): $2.01
- Cheese (1 kg): $10.95
- Boneless chicken breast (1 kg): $7.30
- Beef Loin (1 kg): $13.52
- Apple (1 kg): $5.65
- Bananas (1 kg): $1.31
- Oranges (1 kg): $5.40
- Tomatoes (1 kg): $4.72
- Potatoes (1 kg): $3.11
- Water (1.5 l bottle): $1.76
- Bottle beer (0.5 l bottle): $2.38
- Pack of Marlboro cigarettes: $7.49
Grocery prices in the City of Charlotte effective January 2021. Take these as a guide, prices vary widely from store to store. Tax is included in the price.
State Symbols of North Carolina
- Colors: red, blue
- Wildflower: Carolina lily
- Gemstone: emerald
- Insect: bee
- Stone: granite
- Flower: flower tree
- Carnivorous Plant: Strange Flycatcher
- Mineral: gold
- Marine fish: red fly
- Drink: milk
- Fruit: berries, grapes, strawberries
- Dog: Plott Hound
- Song: The Old North State
- Snake: The Carolingian Wife
- Bird: Red Cardinal
- Savannah: gray squirrel
- Freshwater fish: American whitefish from southern Appalachia
- Sport: automobile oval racing
- Tree: pines
- Dance: Shag Dance, Clogging
- Christmas Tree: Fraser’s Tree
- Vegetable: Sweet Potato
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