Charlotte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Greensboro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Raleigh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Nickname: Tar Heel State; Old North State
Motto: Esse quam videri (To be rather than to seem)
Flower: Dogwood
Bird: Cardinal
Area: 53,818 square miles (2000, U.S. rank: 28th)
Elevation: Ranges from sea level to 6,684 feet above sea level
Climate: Warm and mild with abundant rainfall; subtropical in southeast, cooler in the mountains
Admitted to Union: November 21, 1789
Capital: Raleigh
Head Official: Governor Mike F. Easley (D) (until 2009)
Population
1980: 5,882,000
1990: 6,628,637
2000: 8,049,313
2004 estimate: 8,541,221
Percent change, 1990–2000: 21.4%
U.S. rank in 2004: 11th
Percent of residents born in state: 63.0% (2000)
Density: 165.2 people per square mile (2000)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 392,826
Racial and Ethnic Characteristics (2000)
White: 5,804,656
Black or African American: 1,737,545
American Indian and Alaska Native: 99,551
Asian: 113,689
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 3,983
Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 378,963
Other: 186,629
Age Characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 539,509
Population 5 to 19 years old: 1,653,851
Percent 65 years and older: 12.0%
Median age: 35.3 years (2000)
Vital Statistics
Total number of births (2003): 117,981
Total number of deaths (2003): 73,443 (infant deaths,931)
AIDS cases reported through 2003: 6,545
Economy
Major industries: Textiles, agriculture, tobacco, furniture, bricks, metalworking, chemicals, paper, tourism, manufacturing
Unemployment rate: 5.2% (December 2004)
Per capita income: $28,301 (2003; U.S. rank: 37th)
Median household income: $38,096 (3-year average,2001-2003)
Percentage of persons below poverty level: 14.2% (3-year average, 2001-2003)
Income tax rate: Ranges from 6.0% to 8.25%
Sales tax rate: 4.5% (food and prescription drugs are exempt; food sales are subject to local sales taxes)