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North Carolina: State Flag, Bird and Facts

North Carolina's state bird is the northern cardinal, and its state flower is the flowering dogwood.

Capital
Raleigh
Nickname
Old North State; Tar Heel State
State bird
Northern cardinal
State flower
Flowering dogwood
State tree
Pine
Admitted
November 21, 1789
Population
10,439,388 (2020 census)
Mottos and slogans
To be, rather than to seem; Esse quam videri
Region
South
Area
139,390 km² (53,819 sq mi)
Highest point
Mount Mitchell (6,684 ft)

About North Carolina

The Wright Flyer made the first airplane flight near Kitty Hawk, which is why North Carolina license plates say First in Flight. The state lies on the Atlantic coast between Virginia to the north and South Carolina to the south, with Georgia and Tennessee to the west. The 2020 census counted 10,439,388 residents, ranking it ninth in population. Raleigh is the capital.

Charlotte is the biggest city and one of the fastest growing in the nation. Its metro area, with an estimated 2,883,370 people, trails only New York City as a banking center. The Research Triangle ranks second in the state and contains Research Triangle Park, the biggest park of its kind in the nation. The state flag even has a nickname of its own: the North Star.

Did you know?

  • Mount Mitchell is the highest point in North Carolina, at 6,684 feet.
  • Esse quam videri, the state motto, means To be, rather than to seem.
  • North Carolina goes by two official nicknames, the Old North State and the Tar Heel State.

Questions about North Carolina

Why do North Carolina plates say First in Flight?

The Wright Flyer made the first airplane flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

When did North Carolina become a state?

North Carolina ratified the Constitution on November 21, 1789.

Other South states

Sources

Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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