North Carolina Information and Facts

Official Website: http://www.ncgov.com/

Income

The population of North Carolina in 2002 was 8,305,820. Its rank was 11th in the nation. (The District of Columbia is included for ranking purposes.)

Per Capita Personal Income

In 2002 North Carolina had a per capita personal income of $27,785. This per capita personal income ranked 35th in the United States and was 90 percent of the national average, $30,906. The 2002 per capita personal income reflected an increase of 1.0 percent from 2001. The 2001-2002 national change was 1.2 percent. In 1992 the per capita personal income of North Carolina was $18,842 and ranked 33rd in the United States. The 1992-2002 average annual growth rate of per capita personal income was 4.0 percent. The average annual growth rate for the nation was 4.0 percent.

Total Personal Income

In 2002 North Carolina had a total personal income of $230,777,300. This total personal income ranked 13th in the United States. In 1992 the total personal income of North Carolina was $129,957,195 and ranked 13th in the United States. The 2002 total personal income reflected an increase of 2.4 percent from 2001. The 2001-2002 national change was 2.3 percent. The 1992-2002 average annual growth rate of total personal income was 5.9 percent. The average annual growth rate for the nation was 5.2 percent.

Components of Personal Income

Total personal income includes net earnings by place of residence; dividends, interest, and rent; and total personal current transfer receipts received by the residents of North Carolina. In 2002 net earnings accounted for 67.0 percent of total personal income (compared with 69.1 in 1992); dividends, interest, and rent were 17.4 percent (compared with 17.5 in 1992); and personal current transfer receipts were 15.6 percent (compared with 13.3 in 1992). From 2001 to 2002 net earnings increased 1.1 percent; dividends, interest, and rent increased 2.0 percent; and personal current transfer receipts increased 8.7 percent. From 1992 to 2002 net earnings increased on average 5.6 percent each year; dividends, interest, and rent increased on average 5.8 percent; and personal current transfer receipts increased on average 7.6 percent.

Employment Earnings

Earnings of persons employed in North Carolina increased from $172,881,512 in 2001 to $175,338,859 in 2002, an increase of 1.4 percent. The 2001-2002 national change was 1.5 percent. The average annual growth rate from the 1992 estimate of $101,682,191 to the 2002 estimate was 5.6 percent. The average annual growth rate for the nation was 5.3 percent.

Area - North Carolina, 29th in size among the 50 states, has a total area of 136,420 sq km (52,672 sq mi), including 10,241 sq km (3954 sq mi) of inland water. Its maximum dimensions are 809 km (503 mi) from east to west and 301 km (187 mi) from north to south. The state's mean elevation is about 210 m (about 700 ft).

Climate - North Carolina has a humid subtropical climate, with precipitation in all seasons and few temperature extremes. In January temperatures average 4° to 7° C (40° to 45° F) in most areas, except in the mountains, where the range is from 1° to 3° C (34° to 38° F). There cold raw weather lasts much of the winter. In the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont, cold spells are brief. On the highest peaks, January averages are well below freezing and heavy snowfalls occur. July temperatures range from an average of about 20° C (about 68° F) in the mountainous regions to as high as 27° C (80° F) in the Coastal Plain. Hot days are common at lower elevations, and temperatures seldom rise into the upper 30°s C (lower 100°s F). Summers are cooler in the mountains. Yearly precipitation averages about 1000 to 1300 mm (about 40 to 50 in) over most of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Piedmont. The sheltered basins and mountain valleys receive about 1000 mm (about 40 in). The southern-facing slopes of the mountains in the extreme southwestern part of the state receive about 2000 mm (80 in) due to the moist prevailing winds blowing northward from the Gulf of Mexico. Summer is the rainiest season, and autumn is generally the driest, except that near the coast, autumn can be very rainy because of tropical storms and hurricanes. Snowfall ranges from about 25 to 250 mm (about 1 to 10 in) a year over the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Piedmont. In the mountains annual snowfall averages as much as 1300 mm (50 in) in places, and the snow cover can last for several weeks at a time.

State Flag

State Flower - Dogwood

State Capitol - Raleigh
North Carolina's first constitution was adopted in 1776; a second one was adopted in 1868 and revised in 1875. The present constitution went into effect on July 1, 1971. Amendments must be approved by three-fifths of each legislative house and by a majority of the electorate.

Famous People

Andrew Johnson U.S. president, Raleigh
Andy Griffith actor, Mount Airy
Ava Gardner actress, Smithfield
Billy Graham evangelist, Charlotte
Braxton Bragg soldier, Warrenton
Charles Kuralt TV journalist, Wilmington
David Brinkley TV newscaster, Wilmington
Dolley Payne Madison first lady, Guliford County
Donna Fargo country music, Mount Airy
Earl Scruggs bluegrass musician, Flint Hill
Edward R. Murrow commentator, Greensboro
Elizabeth Hanford Dole public official, Salisbury
Floyd Patterson boxer, Waco
Howard Cosell sportscaster, Winston-Salem
James B. Duke industrialist, Durham
James K. Polk U.S. president, Mechlenburg
John Scott Trotter orchestra leader, Charlotte
Kathryn Grayson singer, actress, Winston-Salem
O. Henry writer, Greensboro
Randy Travis musician, Charlotte
Richard Gatling inventor, Hertford County
Richard Petty auto racer, Level Cross
Robert C. Byrd, politicianNorth Wilkesboro
Roberta Flack singer, Black Mountain
Ronni Milsap country music singer, Robinsville
Soupy Sales comedian, Wake Forest
Thelonious Monk pianist, Rocky Mount
Thomas Clayton Wolfe author, Asheville
William Sydney Porter author, Greensboro