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North Carolina became the 12^th state on November 21^st 1789. North Carolina is also known as the "Old North State" which is a reference to when Carolina was separated in to north and south. North Carolina is also known as the "tar heel" state which is a reference to the civil war and the fact that tar was produced in high quantities in the state at the time.

Origin of state's name: The name Carolina is a reference to King Charles I of England after whom the state was named.

Capital City: The capital of North Carolina is Raleigh and the state is surrounded by several other states including South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia. The state also has a few hundred miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline.

Population: The population of North Carolina is in excess of 8 million people based on the last census of 2000.

Driving

Driver's license information, applications, testing requirements, Driver's manuals and testing locations can all be found on the North Carolina Department of Transportation's website under the Motor Vehicles section.

http://www.dmv.dot.state.nc.us/

Economy: The state has diverse industries that drive the economy including fishing, dairy and poultry farming, peanut farming and some potato, cotton and tobacco farming. North Carolina is famous for its production of furniture and many people go to North Carolina to shop for quality wooden furniture. Food processing and some small electrical appliance production also play a big role in driving the economy of North Carolina.

State Bird: The state bird is the Cardinal known for its robustness and distinctly colored plumage. The Cardinal is also the state bird for Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

State Flower: The state flower is the Dogwood or Cornus Florida which grows all over the state and has beautiful delicate white and sometime pinkish flowers.

State Song: The state song is "The Old North State" by W. Gaston which sings the praises of this great state and it people.

State Motto: The state motto is "To be rather than be seem"

North Carolina- Interesting Facts

• North Carolina was the place the infamous Wright brothers first succeeded in actually flying.
• The town of High Point is often called the "The Furniture Capital of the World".
• Pepsi was invented in North Carolina
• The infamous Babe Ruth hit his first home run in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
• Whitewater Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in the eastern United States.

North Carolina- Famous People

Many famous people were born and raised in North Carolina and many famous people call North Carolina their home today. This includes actors, athletes, authors, politicians and entertainers. Arguably the most famous natives were former US Presidents, James Knox Polk 1845-1849, 11^th and Andrew Johnson 1865- 1869, the 17^th US President. The beautiful and talented actress Ava Gardner and the songstress Roberta Flack were both born in North Carolina.