- 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)
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