North Carolina
The Tar Heel State
Quick Stats
Map
Seal & Motto
"Esse Quam Videri"
Additional Information
Latin for "To be, rather than to seem."
Adopted 1893.
Population Growth
Overview
North Carolina, the 'Tar Heel State,' is one of the most geographically and economically diverse states in the nation. From the Atlantic's wild Outer Banks to the ancient peaks of the Blue Ridge, and from a booming finance hub in Charlotte to the global innovation engine of Research Triangle Park, it is the South's fastest-rising powerhouse.
Historical Significance
North Carolina officially joined the Union on November 21, 1789, as the 12th state. Its history stretches from the Lost Colony of Roanoke in 1587, through its pivotal Revolutionary War battles at Guilford Court House, to the moment on December 17, 1903, when Wilbur and Orville Wright lifted off at Kitty Hawk and changed human history forever.
Top Cities & Hubs
Charlotte
Population: ~880,000The state's largest city and a top-10 national financial center, the second-largest banking hub in the U.S. after New York City, home to Bank of America and Truist Bank headquarters.
Raleigh
Population: ~470,000The state capital and the tech heart of the South, anchoring Research Triangle Park — one of the largest research parks in the world alongside Durham and Chapel Hill.
Greensboro
Population: ~300,000A historically significant city that was a major site of the 1960 Civil Rights sit-in movement, now a growing hub for healthcare, logistics, and higher education in the Triad region.
Durham
Population: ~285,000Home to Duke University and its globally ranked medical center, a key vertex of Research Triangle Park and a nationally celebrated food and startup scene.
Winston-Salem
Population: ~250,000Once the tobacco and textile capital of the South, now a thriving center for biotechnology and regenerative medicine research anchored by Wake Forest University Medical Center.
Key Landmarks & Economy
Did You Know?
- North Carolina is "First in Flight" — the Wright Brothers chose Kitty Hawk for its steady winds, and this historic event is commemorated on the state's license plates.
- The state is home to more sweet potatoes than any other state, producing over 60% of the nation's supply in the sandy soils of the eastern coastal plain.
- Pepsi-Cola was invented in New Bern, North Carolina in 1893 by pharmacist Caleb Bradham, who originally called his creation "Brad's Drink."