50 state - North Carolina

North Carolina . . .

North Carolina's official flag was adopted in 1885. This red, white, and blue flag has a white star, the letters N C around the star which stands for North Carolina, and two yellow scrolls, above and below, bearing dates. The upper date, May 20th, 1775, commemorates the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence which was named for Mecklenburg County, where North Carolina citizens met to declare their freedom from Great Britain. The lower date, April 12th, 1776, commemorates the adoption of the Halifax Resolves which was the first official action by a colony calling for independence from Britain.

North Carolina became a state on November 12, 1789 as the the 12th state. The capital city is Raleigh and largest city is Charlotte. North Carolina is located in the southeastern United States and borders Virginia to the north, Tennessee on the west and Georgia and South Carolina on the south.

North Carolina is an important agricultural state and a leading producer of tobacco. Other major industries are textiles, chemicals and furniture. The coastal areas are high in shrimp production and also blue crabs and other shellfish such as sea and bay scallops and oysters. North Carolina is also one of the leading states in lumber production. Other important industries are cattle raising, sheep, broiler and laying hens. Corn, oats and barley are also important agriculture.

North Carolina is known for a moderate climate with long summers and mild winters. Conditions here vary based on elevation, and from the upper reaches of the Piedmont Plateau, and the high peaks of the western mountains, temperatures can change dramatically. January is the coldest month, with average high temperatures near 40 degrees, and much colder condition in the mountainous west. July is the warmest month, with average temperatures near 80 degrees, central and east. Temperatures are lower in the mountains. Annual precipitation averages near 50 inches, with considerably higher amounts in the mountains. The state also does experience hurricanes and tropical storms mainly late summer to early fall.

North Carolina has 100 counties:
Alamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell
Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck
Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax
Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln McDowell Macon
Madison Martin Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico
Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes
Wilson Yadkin Yancey