North Carolina

Introduction

North Carolina's beginnings were tied closely to the earliest attempts at English colonization of North America. Roanoke Island in the northeast, a part of the heavily indented and island-fringed coast, was the site of the famous “lost colony” that vanished sometime after the original landing in 1587. This eastern region retains some of the flavour of colonial life, while the Piedmont region, centred at Charlotte and Raleigh, has become the state's hub of industry and population. The mountains of the west remain the focus of a lively rural culture, including that of an indigenous Cherokee community that has lived in the region for centuries.

Beginning in the mid-20th century, North Carolina experienced population growth at a much higher rate than the national average. This was largely attributable to its vibrant economy, which featured one of the strongest manufacturing sectors in the country—and the strongest in the South. At the same time, the state's service sector also expanded, keeping pace with the trend of the national economy. North Carolina's prosperity, natural beauty, and reputation for stable government have given it an image of progress and opportunity, even as it maintains its strong Southern identity.

Area 52,671 square miles (136,417 square km).

Pop. (2000) 8,049,313; (2007 est.) 9,061,032.

Land

Relief

North Carolina extends across three major physiographic regions of the United States—the Coastal Plain (or tidewater area), the Piedmont, and the Appalachian Mountains. In addition to producing a spectacular landscape, this regional variation has influenced the state's climate, soils, plant life, and human geography.

As the land reaches westward from sea level, it rises gradually to the fall line, a zone some 30 miles (50 km) in width that separates the Coastal Plain from the Piedmont. In the latter region, the topography becomes irregular, and the land rises about 5 feet (1.5 metres) per mile to the base of the Appalachians, a distance of about 140 miles (225 km). The mountains have a worn, rounded appearance, reflecting a geologic origin earlier than that of the rugged peaks of the American West. Mount Mitchell, rising to 6,684 feet (2,037 metres), is the highest peak east of the Mississippi.

Composing nearly half the state, the Coastal Plain consists of a gently rolling, well-drained interior and a swampy tidewater area close to the coastline. The latter region was the first to be explored and settled. A long chain of islands, the Outer Banks, extends from Virginia to South Carolina, generally consisting of sand dunes that can reach 100 feet (30 metres) or more in height. Three capes—Hatteras, Lookout, and Fear, the first two within national seashores—jut into the ocean in an area known as the “graveyard of the Atlantic,” a reference to the many ships that have sunk in its dangerous waters. The elevation of the entire area averages less than 20 feet (6 metres) above sea level. Only small-craft navigation is possible, because of silting and the shallow sounds and estuaries.

The inner Coastal Plain extends 120 to 140 miles (190 to 225 km) westward to the Piedmont, which is a region of rolling, forested hills. The prominent ridges and hills of the eastern Piedmont may be the remains of an ancient mountain chain that paralleled the Appalachians, from which spurs extend into the western Piedmont. The area is well drained by rivers flowing into the Coastal Plain or South Carolina. Dams on the Catawba and Yadkin rivers are important sources of hydroelectric power.

The mountain region comprises a plateau broken by two ranges of the southern Appalachians. On the east are the Blue Ridge Mountains, which rise steeply from the Piedmont to peaks of 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 metres), with several reaching above 6,000 feet (1,800 metres). In the far west the Unaka Mountains contain the Great Smoky Mountains, which roll westward into Tennessee. This region is divided into several cross ridges and a number of smaller plateaus and basins. One of the chief ridges is made up of the Black Mountain group. Some 100 peaks rise above 5,000 feet (1,500 metres) in the western part of the state.

Drainage and soils

North Carolina has some 3,820 square miles (9,890 square km) of inland water, the third largest such area of any state. Lake Mattamuskeet, covering some 63 square miles (162 square km) in the state's eastern tidewater area, is North Carolina's largest natural lake. Lakes are especially abundant in the Catawaba River basin of the state's southwest Piedmont and Appalachian region; the river itself is largely a chain of man-made reservoirs. The Catawba is the most densely populated river basin in the state. The Cape Fear River basin, which occupies much of North Carolina's southeastern quadrant, is the largest. The Roanoke River drains the state's northeastern corner, flowing southeast from Virginia into the ocean at Albermarle Sound. Bisecting North Carolina from north to south is the Yadkin–Pee Dee River. The Little Tennessee and French Broad rivers flow northwest from the mountains of North Carolina into Tennessee. Raleigh is drained by the Neuse River, which empties into the Atlantic at New Bern.

Soils in North Carolina are commonly grouped according to regional variations. Coastal soils are rich and humus-laden, while farther to the west the hills consist mostly of sand and have almost no organic materials. The Piedmont region is predominately clayey, and mountain soils are a combination of clay, sand, and silt, commonly called loam. All of North Carolina's soils are affected by excessive leaching, which causes high mineral loss, and successful agriculture depends on large additions of lime and fertilizers.

Climate

North Carolina's climate ranges from medium continental conditions in the mountain region, though summers are cooler and rainfall heavier, to the subtropical conditions of the state's southeastern corner. The growing season ranges from 275 days along the coast to 175 days in the mountains. Average annual temperatures range from 66 °F (19 °C) in the eastern region to 60 °F (16 °C) in the central region and 55 °F (13 °C) in the mountains. July and August are the wettest months, and October and November are the driest. Annual precipitation varies from 46 to 54 inches (1,170 to 1,370 mm) on the coast, 44 to 50 inches (1,120 to 1,270 mm) in the Piedmont, and 40 to 80 inches (1,015 to 2,030 mm) in the mountains. Severe storms are rare and heavy snow infrequent. Hurricanes occasionally occur along the coast, and there have been tornadoes inland.

Plant and animal life

Vegetation varies greatly throughout the state, primarily because of the geographic and climatic differences between the three main regions. However, changes effected by human habitation are perhaps becoming an equally significant determinant of the state's biodiversity. Although more than half the state is still covered with forests, many trees have been cut and burned, not only affecting animal life by changing important habitats but also contributing to soil erosion and leaching.

A broad spectrum of plant life is found in North Carolina, including many species of hardwood trees. Red spruces and balsam firs are found in the mountains, and the subtropical palmetto and the carnivorous pitcher plant (genus Sarracenia) and Venus's-flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula) grow in the southern coastal area.

The common fauna of North America, including rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, deer, and also bears and wildcats, are found within the state. Since the late 1980s, efforts have been under way to reintroduce the nearly extinct red wolf to North Carolina. The commonest birds are cardinals, wrens, mockingbirds, chickadees, and many varieties of woodpeckers and warblers. Freshwater fishes such as bluegills, crappie, bass, and sunfish are common in the inland areas. Brook and rainbow trout are found in the mountains.