A coastal state bordered by South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, North Carolina is a state of contrasts.On the one hand you have a state that is very much part of the South, with all the charm, conservatism and rural pride you’d expect.On the other you have a state which is one of the fastest growing and intellectually sophisticated in the US.Charlotte, its largest city, for instance, can now lay claim to being second only to New York in terms of financial services, and is nothing if not a thriving metropolis.Capital city Raleigh and the surrounding area can boast the highest concentration of PhDs in the country and the small city of Asheville enjoys a celebrated cultural and countercultural scenes which belie its small size.If you were looking for the best of both worlds: the relaxed pace of life, the subtropical climate and the manners of the South, served up in combination with thriving, intellectual and cultural cities that don’t adhere to stereotypes at all, then North Carolina could be the place for you.The state is also known for its rich musical heritage – jazz and folk music, in particular, run through its veins, and the Raleigh area has become known for rock in recent years.Finally, like many states in this region, it has natural beauty to spare. With the Great Smoky Mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Great Balsam Mountains and the Black Mountains all running through this Appalachian state, as well 17 major river basins and country’s two largest landlocked sounds, there’s more than enough to please to eye when you tire of the city.
North Carolina: Fast facts
• North Carolina’s population of 9.6 million is the country’s 10th biggest
• The state has many famous sons and daughters, including musicians John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and Nina Simone; boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, wrestling magnate Vince McMahon; and actress Pam Grier
• Famous brands Krispy Kreme and Pepsi started in North Carolina
• North Carolina leads the country in tobacco production, and is second only to Texas in brick production (it is also known for furniture)
• The world’s first powered flight took place in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
• North Carolina is believed to be the first state to declare independence from Britain in 1775
• The Cape Hatteras Light on Hatteras Island, North Carolina is the tallest lighthouse in the United States, standing at 61m
• There is a still a law in North Carolina saying that unmarried couples cannot live together , though it has been declared unconstitutional by a Superior Court judge
