The Tar Heel State

In North Carolina, you’ll find Southern hospitality, friendly people and unique experiences that await you in each of our three regions.

In the west, discover adventure in the mountains. Ride horses and whitewater raft in the Appalachian countryside where American legend Daniel Boone once roamed. In the east, bask in the mild climate along the Atlantic coastline. Relax on the beach where the Wright brothers took that first flight over a century ago. In central North Carolina, take your pick of motorsports activities, from road rally to stock car racing. Sample wine in quaint farmland settings and even enjoy an official Krispy Kreme doughnut in Winston-Salem, the birthplace of the hot pastry.

With a population of over 8 million, North Carolina ranks as the eleventh-most-populous state among the fifty states in the USA. Named after King Charles I, North Carolina was one of the original thirteen colonies of the United States in the 1700's.

Where is North Carolina

North Carolina is just a short drive or flight away to many of the large metropolitan areas in the Eastern states.

North Carolina Today

The 21st century has seen the transformation of North Carolina from a predominately agricultural state to a major industrial center, with about 17% of the workforce now employed in manufacturing. Although North Carolina is the eleventh-most-populous state, it ranks eighth largest in the country in manufacturing.

Textiles are the top industry in the state, and its presence dates back to 1813 when North Carolina’s first cotton mill was built near Lincolnton. Today, North Carolina is the foremost textile manufacturer in the U.S., producing cotton and synthetic fabrics, yarns, threads, knitted goods, apparel and hosiery.

The Tar Heel State is also a leader in the production of wooden furniture. Some 60% of the furniture manufactured in the U.S. is made within a 200-mile radius of Hickory, home of a nationally known furniture outlet center and a furniture museum.

Metro Areas of North Carolina

Charlotte
North Carolina’s biggest city, Charlotte, is the second largest banking center in the U.S. Two of the country’s biggest banks, Bank of America and Wachovia, are headquartered there. The 60-story Bank of America Corporate Center is one of the largest buildings in the Southeast. Charlotte is also home to a branch of the Federal Reserve, which offers group tours.

Triangle: Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill
High tech industries are primarily located in Research Triangle Park, an important scientific think tank located between Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. With the resources and people available at North Carolina State University, Duke University and the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, the park has become an international center for research, development and cutting edge technology.

Wilmington and the Outer Banks
Warmed by the Gulf Stream, the North Carolina Coast is a sunny place filled with pristine beaches, giant sand dunes (including Jockey's Ridge, the highest along the East Coast) and wetlands filled with wildlife and a variety of plants. The defining characteristic of the area is the Outer Banks, a chain of fragile barrier islands - 130 miles of unspoiled coastline surrounded by 900 square miles of water.

The area is also full of history, dating back to the 16th century, when the first English settlement was built - and then vanished. There are also sites from pre-Revolutionary Days through the Civil War. Not to mention the historic lighthouses (including the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which at 208 feet is the tallest brick lighthouse in the nation). The city of Wilmington is a major US seaport. And, in 1903 the Wright Brothers ushered in the era of flight at Kitty Hawk. The average annual temperature here is 63 degrees. The growing season lasts 295 days.

Triad: Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point