North Carolina was one of the thirteen original colonies, and achieved statehood in 1789. The population of North Carolina is 8,683,242, and the capital city is Raleigh, named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who established the first English colony in the New World. The Appalachian Mountain range covers the western part of the state, and the mountains receive significant snowfall in winter. Visitors can tour a plantation near Wilmington, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the museums or historic sites in Raleigh or Charlotte, or the aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores on the Atlantic Coast.

According to 2005 Census estimates, North Carolina has a population of 8,683,242. Of this population, 2,098,194 are under the age of 18 and 1,049,995 are at or above the age of 65.