North Carolina is a state in the eastern United States, one of the so-called South Atlantic states. The capital is the city of Raleigh. The official nickname is Tarheel State.
STATE NAME
The name of the state of North Carolina comes from the name of the province of Carolina, a British colony in North America, which in 1712 was divided into North Carolina and South Carolina. In turn, the province of Carolina was named by the English king Charles II in honor of his father, King Charles I (in Latin – Carolus).
GEOGRAPHY
The state of North Carolina is located in the South of the United States and belongs to the South Atlantic States of the United States. The territory of the state is 139,390 km2 (twenty-eighth place among the US states). North Carolina borders the states of Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, Georgia and South Carolina to the south. In the east, the coast of the state is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. North Carolina is located in the Eastern Time Zone of the United States. Three main physiographic regions are distinguished on the territory of North Carolina: the Appalachian ranges in the west, the Piedmont Plateau in the central part of the state, and the coastal lowland in the east.
The western counties of North Carolina are often referred to as the “Land in the Clouds”, and several ranges of the Appalachian mountain system stretch across their territory, including the Great Smoky Mountains (here, as well as in neighboring Tennessee, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States – Great Forest National Park). Smoky Mountains), Blue Ridge (“Blue Ridge”), Brushy Mountains and others. In the Black Mountains (Black Mountains), Mount Mitchell rises at 2,037 meters above sea level – the highest mountain of the Appalachians (and the highest point in the United States east of the Mississippi). The mountains of North Carolina are covered with dense forests, both deciduous (oak, birch, beech, hickory, maple) and conifers (pines, spruces and firs). Black bears, white-tailed deer, elks, lynxes, raccoons, otters, minks,
CLIMATE
Most of North Carolina has a humid subtropical climate, which is significantly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. The islands and coastline have very mild winters and warm summers (average January temperature on Hatteras Island is between 4°C and 12°C, and in July between 23°C and 30°C); there is practically no snow here, and the rains fall relatively evenly all year round. In the Piedmont Plateau region, the seasons are more pronounced, with colder winters and hotter summers. Temperatures during the coldest winter month range from -1°C to 10°C in the state capital, Raleigh, and from 0°C to 11°C in North Carolina’s largest city, Charlotte. In summer, in July, in both these cities the average temperature is usually between 21°C and 32°C. In winter, sleet and hail often fall here. In the west, in the Appalachians (which protect the lands of the state from cold air masses, coming from the west), the climate is slightly cooler. In Asheville, January is typically -3°C to 9°C and July is 18°C to 29°C, with snow falling every winter. North Carolina, and especially its coastal regions and the Outer Banks, often affected by hurricanes and tropical storms. In the central regions of the state, snowstorms are not uncommon in winter, tornadoes occur in spring, and severe thunderstorms occur in summer.
ECONOMY
North Carolina is one of the ten most economically developed states in the United States, it is characterized by a well-developed financial sector, agriculture, tourism and industry. North Carolina’s largest city, Charlotte, is the second largest banking center in the United States of America (after New York). The headquarters of a number of financial companies are located here, including one of the largest US banks Bank of America, the regional (covering the territory of the East Coast of the USA) office of Wells Fargo Bank and many others.
In addition to these banks, several other Fortune 500 companies (the largest companies in the United States) are based in Charlotte, including Lowe’s, a retail chain that sells various household goods; one of the leading steel producers in the US, Nucor; energy company Duke Energy; major car dealer Sonic Automotive; aerospace parts and equipment manufacturer Goodrich; SPX Corporation, which produces hydraulic equipment, power supply systems and other industrial products; manufacturer of pulp and paper products Domtar. Other major North Carolina companies include nuclear equipment maker Babcock & Wilcox, automotive parts maker (primarily radiators) Radiator Specialty Company, cable television operator Time Warner Cable,
TOURISM
Tourism is very important to North Carolina’s economy, especially to its western (mountainous) regions and to the coast and islands of the Outer Banks. The state ranks sixth in the United States (after Florida, California, New York, Nevada and Pennsylvania) in terms of the number of tourists visiting it. Among the most famous and popular attractions are Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway Scenic Highway, National the Wright Brothers Memorial, the Old Salem area and Hatteras Island. Tens of thousands of fans attract NASCAR series competitions, extremely popular stock car racing in the United States, to the state. North Carolina is the birthplace of NASCAR, and these days the Charlotte area is home to most of the series’ drivers and staff. NASCAR not only greatly increases the number of tourists, but also creates many jobs in the state.
In the city of Concord, there is a huge (140,000 spectators) Charlotte Motor Speedway, which annually hosts one of the most prestigious Coca-Cola 600 and Sprint All-Star Race races. In Charlotte in 2010, the NASCAR Hall of Fame was opened, a kind of museum dedicated to the most famous and titled racers.
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill School of Education
Education School Admissions Application Director of admissions Anne Bryan Application deadline rolling Application fee $77 TOEFL TOEFL required for international students Yes Minimum TOEFL score required 550 paper test 79 internet-based test Post-baccalaureate certificate programs Applications 48 Acceptance rate 72.9%…
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