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North Carolina, the "Tar Heel State" "Old North State"
Abbreviation:
NC

North Carolina Flag
State Flag
North Carolina Seal
State Seal

North Carolina is the northern portion of the original 1629 land grant made by England's King Charles I, which was named in his honor (Carolus is Latin for Charles). The first European settlement in North Carolina is the famous Lost Colony of Roanoke Island that vanished sometime after 1587. North Carolina joined the Union in 1789 and is the 12th of the original 13 states. One of its major industries is tourism, as many Americans travel to the state to enjoy its beautiful beaches. North Carolina has a long, attractive coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, characterized by many islands, reefs and sand bars. The state stretches westward from the coast across both swampland and fertile tobacco fields. Historic sites, battlefields, old mansions and beautiful gardens attract sightseers and students of American history.

North Carolina stellt den nördlichen Teil der Landzuteilung von 1629 durch den englischen König Charles I dar, zu dessen Ehren es benannt wurde (Carolus ist lateinisch für Charles). Bei der ersten europäischen Siedlung in North Carolina handelt es sich um die berühmte verlorene Kolonie Roanoke Island, die irgendwann nach 1587 verschwand. North Carolina schloss sich als zwölfter der ursprünglichen 13 Staaten 1789 dem Staatenverbund an. Einer der Haupteinnahmequellen ist der Tourismus, denn viele Amerikaner reisen in den Staat um die schönen Strände zu genießen. North Carolina besitzt einen langen, attraktiven Küstenstreifen entlang des Atlantiks, charakterisiert durch Inseln, Riffe und Sandbänke. In Richtung Westen findet man in diesem Bundesstaat Sumpfgebiete und ertragreiche Tabakfarmen. Historische Stätten, Schlachtfelder, alte Herrenhäuser und bezaubernde Gärten ziehen Touristen und Besucher mit Interesse an der amerikanischen Geschichte an.

GOVERNMENT
Capital:
Raleigh
Governor: Mike F. Easley, D (to Jan. 2009)
Senators: Richard Burr, R (to Jan. 2011); Kay R. Hagan, D (to Jan. 2015)
House of Representatives: 13 districts |
Search by zip code

STATISTICS
Population (July 2005):
8,683,000; National Rank: 11; Percent change since April 2000: 7.9%
Land Area: 48,718 sq mi. (126,180 sq km); National Rank:
28
10 largest cities (2000): Charlotte, 540,828; Raleigh, 276,093; Greensboro, 223,891; Durham, 187,035; Winston-Salem, 185,776; Fayetteville, 121,015; Cary town, 94,536; High Point, 85,839; Wilmington, 75,838; Asheville, 68,889

ECONOMY
Total Gross State Product 2005 prel. (billions of current dollars): 344.6
Per Capita Personal Income 2005:
$30,533; National Rank: 37
State Exports 2005 (millions of dollars):
19,463; National Rank: 14
Agriculture:
Poultry and eggs, tobacco, hogs, milk, nursery stock, cattle, soybeans.
Industry: Tobacco products, textile goods, chemical products, electric equipment, machinery, tourism.

Government
·
State of North Carolina Official Homepage
· Project VoteSmart
·
State and Local Government on the Internet

Statistics
· North Carolina Profile - Fedstats
· U.S. Census Bureau: 2000 Data for the State of North Carolina
· U.S. Census Bureau: State Data Centers: North Carolina

Economy
· North Carolina - Regional Accounts Data

Background
· 50States.com
·
InfoPlease
· State Symbols
·
Wikipedia: North Carolina

 

Travel
·
State of North Carolina Tourist Office
· Map (MapQuest)
· North Carolina: Division of Parks and Recreation

For High School Students
·
ClassBrain.com: State Report
·
Explore the States
· Secretary of State: Kids Page
·
Stately Knowledge

Teacher Resources
·
ProTeacher: Lessons by State: North Carolina

Link Lists
·
GovEngine.com: Federal, State & Local Government Site
·
Great Smoky Moutains Regional Project: Digital Collections (U. of Tennessee)
· North Carolina (Google)
· North Carolina (Yahoo)

 
Texts are abridged from U.S. State Department IIP publications and other U.S. government materials.
 
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Updated: January 2009