North Carolina is the nation's largest furniture, brick, tobacco, and textile producer. Metalworking, paper, and chemicals are also important industries. The major agricultural products include; tobacco, cotton, corn, hay, peanuts, and vegetable crops. North Carolina is the country's leading producer of mica and lithium.

Tourism is also very important, with visitors spending more than $1 billion annually. Sports include year-round golfing, skiing at mountain resorts, both fresh- and salt-water fishing, and hunting.

Area: 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km)
Pop: (2000) 8,049,313, a 21.4% increase since the 1990 census
Capital: Raleigh
Largest city: Charlotte
Statehood: Nov. 21, 1789 (12th of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution)
Highest pt.: Mt. Mitchell, 6,684 ft (2,039 m); lowest pt., sea level
Nickname: Tar Heel State
Motto: Esse Quam Videri [To Be Rather than to Seem]
State bird: Cardinal
State flower: Dogwood
State tree:Pine
Abbr., N.C.; NC