Introduction: North Carolina Download PDF
North Carolina lies on the Atlantic Coast, south of Virginia and north of South Carolina. Historically, it is known for its growth of tobacco as a cash crop and continues to be the nation’s leading producer of tobacco. The early twentieth century saw a proliferation of textile manufacturing in North Carolina as farmers left the fields and went to work in factories. Recently the state has been particularly hard-hit by low cost textiles from Asia, though the industry still plays a vital role in the state economy. Apart from textiles, North Carolina is still a leader in other manufacturing industries. It is the second largest industrial state in the South with chemicals, computers, and machinery comprising the top industries. North Carolina is also host to one of the nation’s oldest and largest science parks. The Research Triangle Park (RTP) is a 7,000 acre development that is currently home to 157 companies.
Government
Symbols
State Seal: |
State Quarter: |
Time Zones:
| Standard Time | GMT-5 | |
| Daylight-Saving Time | GMT-4 | |
Statistics
- Per Capita Real GDP :
- $37,053
- Population:
- 9,222,410
- Percent of People Under Poverty Level:
- 15.1%
- Per Capita Personal Income:
- $32,234
- Percent of Population with a Bachelor's Degree:
- 16.8%
- Total Exports:
- $23,346,800,000
Top 5 Export Partner Countries
Canada
Mexico
Japan
China
United Kingdom
Top 5 Export Merchandise
Textile Mills
Chemicals Sales
Computers and Electronic Products Manufacturing
Chemicals Manufacturing
Machinery Manufacturing
Major Cities
Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh
Major Airports
| Airport Name | City | |
| CLT | Charlotte/Douglas International | Charlotte |
| GSO | Piedmont Triad International | Greensboro |
| RDU | Raleigh-Durham International | Raleigh/Durham |
Main Ports:
Morehead City, Wilmington
Corporations
| Company | Fortune 1000 Rank: | Revenues ($millions) | Headquarter City |
| Bank of America Corp. | 9 | 117,017 | Charlotte |
| Lowe's | 45 | 46,927 | Mooresville |
| Wachovia Corp. | 46 | 46,810 | Charlotte |
| Duke Energy | 143 | 15,967 | Charlotte |
| Nucor | 161 | 14,751 | Charlotte |