North Carolina
The Tar Heel State
Climate
Mild and pleasant, with warm summers and cool winters. Average highs are about 88F (31C) in summer and 50F (10C) in winter, with more snow in the mountains.
Main industries
Known for banking in Charlotte, high-tech and research in the Research Triangle, plus furniture making, tobacco, and sweet potatoes.
Top places for tourists
The Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains for hiking, the sandy Outer Banks islands, and the Biltmore Estate, a giant mansion in Asheville.
Places of interest
Kitty Hawk on the Outer Banks, where the Wright brothers flew the first airplane in 1903; and the historic Blue Ridge Parkway winding through the mountains.
A little history
North Carolina was one of the original 13 colonies and became the 12th state in 1789. It grew with farming and later with textiles, furniture, and technology.
Fun fact
The Wright brothers made the world's first powered airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903, so the state calls itself First in Flight.