General Features
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, and Georgia to the southwest. The geographic center of the state is located in Chatham County. The state is home to a number of national forests. The landscape of North Carolina is made up of three geographical divisions: the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, and the Mountains.
Coastal Plain: It is a low, flat land along the Atlantic Ocean, divided into two parts: the outer Coastal Plain and the Inner Coastal Plain. The region occupies the eastern forty-five percent of the state and is rich in soils ideal for the growth of crops like melons, tobacco, soya beans and cotton. The Neuse, Pamlico, Tar, and Cape Fear are the major rivers flowing in the region.
Piedmont: Located between the Coastal Plain and the Mountain regions, the Piedmont is the middle region of the state. It extends from Virginia to Alabama. Because it is mostly flat and high, it is called a plateau. The area is distinguished by hilly, rolling land.
Mountains: Smaller than the Piedmont and the Coastal Plains, it occupies the western part of the state. The Bald, Balsom, Great Smoky, Brushy, Pisgah, Iron, Stone and Unaka are the major mountain ranges found in the region. The Appalachian Mountain Range stretch from Canada to northern Alabama and are the largest range in the eastern United States.
Geographical Facts About North Carolina
| Area | 53,819 square miles |
| Land area | 48,708 square miles |
| Water area | 5,103 square miles |
| Highest point | Mount Mitchell (2,038 meters) |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean |
| Geographic Center | Chatham County |
| Mean elevation | 700 feet above sea level |
Climate of North Carolina
North Carolina generally has a mild climate, with abundant and well distributed rainfall. The beautiful mountains, beaches and a pleasant climate attract a number of tourists each year to the state. The average monthly temperatures of North Carolina range from 88.3 degrees to 27.3 degrees. The highest temperature recorded in North Carolina is 110° F, on August 21, 1983 at Fayetteville. The lowest temperature in North Carolina recorded in the state was -34° on January 21, 1985 on Mount Mitchell.
The state experiences severe weather conditions; tornadoes, hurricanes, other tropical storms hit it often. Hurricane Fran, Hurricane Hazel, Hurricane Isabel and Hurricane Floyd are some of the most destructive hurricanes that have stormed the shores of North Carolina.
Mountains
The landscape of North Carolina is made up of small, eroded mountain peaks. There are at least forty mountain ranges that are 6,000 feet high. Mount Mitchell in the Black Mountain Range is 6,684 feet high. Some of the major mountains of the state are:
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Rivers
There are seventeen major river basins in North Carolina. The chief rivers of the state are:
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Lakes
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