Geography

by . An early representation of North Carolina. The map, published in 1709, shows the coast and the Outer Banks, and includes the names of the major inlets and rivers. The western part of the state is [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by . Aztec empire map This map shows the extent of the Aztec empire before its conquest by the Spanish around [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Butler, Lindley S. Backcountry was the term used during the early settlement and colonial periods for the vast interior of North Carolina, located away from the coastline and including both the modern-day Piedmont and [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Norris, David A. Boundaries, State by David A. Norris, 2006; Additional research by Kelly Agan; Revised December 2021 See also: Carolinas, Separation of; History of the Dividing Line; Tennessee, [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Michael. Bute County was a Piedmont North Carolina county between 1764 and 1779. It was named for the Earl of Bute, the prime minister of Great Britain during the reign of King George III. In 1779 Bute County [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Jackson, Claude V. Cape Fear in modern-day Brunswick County projects into the Atlantic Ocean at the southeastern tip of Smith Island, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River and adjacent to the area known as Bald Head. [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Angley, Wilson, Stick, David. Cape Hatteras National Seashore by Wilson Angley, 2006 Additional research provided by David Stick. See also: Lighthouses; Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (from UNC-CH); Lighthouses Map; [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Butler, Lindley S. Carolana, "land of Charles," referred to the area south of Virginia granted on 30 Oct. 1629 by King Charles I to his attorney general, Sir Robert Heath. The grant was part of the Crown policy to [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Butler, Lindley S. Carolina by Lindley S. Butler, 2006 See also: Carolina Charters (1663, 1665) Carolina was a Proprietary colony established by England's King Charles II through the charter of 24 Mar. [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. Carolina Bays are oval depressions in the earth's surface concentrated on either side of the North Carolina-South Carolina boundary. They are most numerous in Bladen County, although some are found [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Cain, Robert J. The province of Carolina given by England's King Charles II to the Lords Proprietors in 1663 and 1665 constituted a single grant. In 1664 the northeastern portion of the province, at that time the [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . Circa 1714 map of Maryland, Virginia, and CarolinaJohann Baptist Homann's hand-colored engraved map Virginia Marylandia et Carolina... was first published in a 1714 atlas, and was re-published [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Robinson, Peter J. Weather and Climate by Peter J. Robinson University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Geography, 2005. Reprinted with permission from The North Carolina Atlas Revisited. Managing [...] (from North Carolina Atlas Revisited.)

by Robinson, Peter J., Fishel, Gregory B. Climate and Weather by Peter J. Robinson and Gregory B. Fishel, 2006 See also: Climate and Weather Overview (from NC Atlas Revisited); Weather and Climate in a Snap! Related: Hurricanes; [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Robinson, Peter J., Fishel, Gregory B. Climate and Weather by Peter J. Robinson and Gregory B. Fishel, 2006 See also: Climate and Weather Overview (from NC Atlas Revisited); Weather and Climate in a Snap! Related: [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Robinson, Peter J., Fishel, Gregory B. Climate and Weather by Peter J. Robinson and Gregory B. Fishel, 2006 See also: Climate and Weather Overview (from NC Atlas Revisited); Weather and Climate in a Snap! Related: [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Freeman, Margery. A close-up view from a boat shows a small mountain island in Ha Long Bay between Bai Chay and Cat Ba. The island outcrop is taller than it is wide, with both vegetation and erosion visible. Most of [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Diemer, John A., Bobyarchick, Andy R. Coastal Plain by Dr. John A. Diemer and Dr. Andy R. Bobyarchick Dept. of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2005. Reprinted with permission from The North [...] (from North Carolina Atlas Revisited.)

by Stick, David. The formation of counties was one of the first matters attended to by the Lords Proprietors after they received their charter in 1663 from King Charles II for the vast tract of land in America he [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Bland. Dismal Swamp Canal, believed to be the oldest existing excavated waterway in America, runs generally north and south for 22 miles between Deep Creek, Va., and South Mills, N.C. The canal connects the [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wegner, Ansley Herring. In 1758 the General Assembly decided that Johnston County should be divided and that the newly formed county would be known as Dobbs, in honor of Arthur Dobbs, the Royal Governor of the colony of [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Cole, J. Timothy. Earthquakes are not considered a serious threat by many North Carolinians, although dozens of earthquakes have been recorded in the state since 1755. An earthquake may be defined as a shaking or [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Williams, Wiley J., Cockrell, David L. The East-West rivalry is the name for a particularly potent form of sectionalism that has been a major factor in the political, social, and economic development of North Carolina. The state's varied [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . Exploring North Carolina: Geography, Geology & Climate Introductory resources on North Carolina Geography & Geology North Carolina's Regions North Carolina Climate & [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Agan, Kelly. Exploring North Carolina: Geography, Environment & [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Fowlkes, Jim. The Fall line, or fall zone, in North Carolina is defined in geological terms as the line of erosion between the piedmont and the coastal plain regions at which hard, erosion-resistant rocks descend [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . [...] (from NCpedia.)

by . [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Horton, Emily S. Geography & Environment   Cities Climate & Weather Counties Exploring North Carolina: Geography & Climate Exploring North Carolina: Geography & [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Simpson, Bland, Butler, Lindley S., Inscoe, John C., Compton, Stephen C. Part i: Introduction; Part ii: The Cradle of North Carolina: Coastal Plain and Sandhills; Part iii: The Piedmont Region: Economic Center of the State; Part iv: Rugged Beauty and [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Bland, Butler, Lindley S., Inscoe, John C., Compton, Stephen C. Geography by Lindley S. Butler and Bland Simpson, 2006 Additional research provided by Stephen C. Compton and John C. Inscoe. See also: Our State Geography in a Snap: The Coastal Plain [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Bland, Butler, Lindley S., Inscoe, John C., Compton, Stephen C. Geography by Lindley S. Butler and Bland Simpson, 2006; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, July 2023 Additional research provided by Stephen C. Compton and John C. [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Bland, Butler, Lindley S., Inscoe, John C., Compton, Stephen C. Geography by Lindley S. Butler and Bland Simpson, 2006 Additional research provided by Stephen C. Compton and John C. Inscoe. See also: Our State Geography in a Snap: The Mountain Region; [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Diemer, John A., Bobyarchick, Andy R. Geologic history by Dr. John A. Diemer and Dr. Andy R. Bobyarchick Dept. of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2005. Reprinted with permission from The [...] (from North Carolina Atlas Revisited.)

by Ireland, Robert E. Geological Survey by Robert E. Ireland, 2006 See [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Bland. Great Dismal Swamp by Bland Simpson, 2006; Additional research and revision by Jared Dease and Alyssa Putt, February 2022 See also: Dismal Swamp Canal; Great Dismal Swamp for K-8 [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. The Gulf stream is a warm current in the Atlantic Ocean that flows out of the Gulf of Mexico along the east coast of the United States and east in the North Atlantic toward Europe. The Gulf Stream [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Butler, Lindley S. History of the Dividing Line refers to the lively account, written by Virginia commissioner William Byrd II, of the North Carolina-Virginia boundary line that was surveyed by a joint commission in [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . Iberia in 1492Map of the Iberian Peninsula, 1270–1492, showing the kingdoms of Portugal, Castile, Navarre, Granada, Aragon, and [...] (from NCpedia.)

by . Inca empire map This map shows the land controlled by the Inca empire during the 15th and 16th [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Holloman, Mollee. Is the Outer Banks Series Fact or Fiction? Geographically Speaking ... By Mollee Holloman, 2021 See also: Is the Outer Banks Series Fact or Fiction, [...] (from NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Holloman, Mollee. Is the Outer Banks Series Fact or Fiction? Historically Speaking ... By Mollee Holloman, 2021 See also: Is the Outer Banks Series Fact or Fiction, Geographically Speaking?,and Is the Outer [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by McCraw, Paul L. The isothermal belt is a zone in western North Carolina, primarily in Rutherford and Polk Counties, in which temperature inversion resulting in milder temperature contributes to longer growing [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hairr, John, Simpson, Bland. Lakes can be found in virtually every part of North Carolina, although all of the state's natural freshwater lakes of consequence are located in the eastern region of the state. Most North Carolina [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Towles, Louis P., Southern, David. Among the first land speculators to receive grants were Richard Averitt, Maj. George Pollock, William Little, John Lovick, and Edward Moseley. Averitt was in fact Sir Richard Everard, the last [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Towles, Louis P., Southern, David. Land grants were also given to individuals on a much more modest scale. A recipient, in exchange for a land grant, was obliged to pay each year an established rent (called a quitrent), either [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Butler, Lindley S. Land of Eden by Lindley S. Butler, 2006 The Land of Eden was the name William Byrd II gave to his 20,000-acre grant in the Dan River Valley in North [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Wolfram, Walt, Reaser, Jeffrey. Have you ever used a juvember for target practice, seen a boomer in a tree, or acted like a dingbatter? If you know what these words mean, you probably have traveled all over North Carolina and know [...] (from Tar Heel Junior Historian, NC Museum of History.)

by Underhill, Michelle Czaikowski. Largest Cities in North Carolina Ten NC Cities with the largest estimated populations in 2011: 1. Charlotte (Mecklenburg county). 751,999 2. [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Simpson, Marcus B., Jr. Linville Gorge is among the most spectacular and ecologically important natural areas in North Carolina. Located in Burke and McDowell Counties, the gorge was carved by the Linville River, which [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Powell, William S. "Lost provinces" was a term applied to the region of North Carolina consisting of the counties of Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, and Gates. Because of their location north of the [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Williams, Wiley J. "Manteo to Murphy" is a phrase often used in reference to the entire east-west width of North Carolina, particularly when describing a phenomenon that touches all regions of the state. The phrase was [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Moore, Mark Anderson. Civil War campaigns and battles. Map by Mark Anderson Moore Courtesy North Carolina Office of Archives and History, Raleigh.   Back to Civil [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by . [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Powell, William S., Stephenson, Richard A. The story of cartography, or mapmaking, in the North Carolina region may have begun with the Vinland map of 1440. Although its authenticity has been questioned, the map gives ample evidence, as [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Diemer, John A., Bobyarchick, Andy R. Mountains by Dr. John A. Diemer and Dr. Andy R. Bobyarchick Dept. of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2005. Reprinted with permission from The North [...] (from North Carolina Atlas Revisited.)

by Sorrell, Mickey Jo. Natural Communities of North Carolina by Mickey Jo Sorrell, 2014. A natural community is a distinct collection of plants and animals (and fungi and bacteria) associated with each other and [...] (from NC Natural Heritage Program, NC Dept. of Environment & Natural Resources.)

by Walbert, David. The land that is North Carolina existed long before humans arrived — billions of years before, in fact. Based on the age of the oldest rocks found on earth as well as in meteorites, scientists [...] (from NC Division of Parks and Recreation, NC Dept. of Natural and Cultural Resources.)

by . Nepal map showing ethnic groupsMap of Nepal showing the geographic locations of various ethnic [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by Dough, Wynne. "Ould Virginia" as a term enjoyed brief currency in the seventeenth century as a name for territory south of the Chesapeake Bay covered by Sir Walter Raleigh's 1584 patent of discovery. John Smith [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Horton, Emily S. Our State Geography in a Snap: bodies of water by Emily Horton NC Government & Heritage Library, 2012. See also: Rivers; Lakes; Sounds     Ocean The Atlantic [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Anonymous. Related Entries: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse;  Currituck Beach Lighthouse; Lake Mattamuskeet;  NC Museum of History;  NC Museum of Natural Sciences;  NC Places [...] (from NC Department of Public Instruction.)

by Anonymous. Our State Geography in a Snap: landforms and regions Reprinted with permission from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website. Landforms: There are three distinct landforms of [...] (from NC Department of Public Instruction.)

by Horton, Emily S. North Carolina is bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, South Carolina to the south, Georgia to the southwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. It is located in the southeast [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Anonymous. Our State Geography in a Snap: The Coastal Plain Region Reprinted with permission from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website. See also: Extended entry on the Coastal [...] (from NC Department of Public Instruction.)

by Anonymous. Our State Geography in a Snap: The Mountain Region Reprinted with permission from the North Carolina Department of Instruction website. See also: Extended entry on the Mountains(from NC [...] (from NC Department of Public Instruction.)

by Anonymous. Our State Geography in a Snap: The Piedmont Region Reprinted with permission from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website. See also: Extended entry on the Piedmont (from [...] (from NC Department of Public Instruction.)

by . The three landforms of North Carolina make up the three major geographic regions of the state: the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, and the Mountains. The Coastal Plain Region is usually divided into two [...] (from NC Department of Public Instruction.)

by Williams, Wiley J., Carter, Kathy. Outer Banks by Kathy Carter, 2006; Revised by SLNC Government and Heritage Library, May 2023 Additional research provided by Wiley J. Williams. See also: Resorts- Part 1: [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . Physical map of the world, 2004Physical map of the world with Robinson [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by . [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by Diemer, John A., Bobyarchick, Andy R. The Piedmont by Dr. John A. Diemer and Dr. Andy R. Bobyarchick Dept. of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2005. Reprinted with permission from The North [...] (from North Carolina Atlas Revisited.)

by Trelease, Allen W. Piedmont Urban Crescent by Allen W. Trelease, 2006 See also: Research Triangle Park The Piedmont Urban Crescent is a semicircular band of cities and towns extending from Raleigh to [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Bland. Pocosins are naturally occurring freshwater evergreen shrub bogs or wetlands of the southeastern coastal plains. In 1962 pocosins still covered nearly 2.25 million acres in North Carolina-accounting [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Butler, Lindley S. Precincts exist in North Carolina as voting district subdivisions of both cities and counties. In the Proprietary province of Carolina, however, precincts were administrative and judicial districts [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . [...] (from NCpedia.)

by . [...] (from NCpedia.)

by . [...] (from NCpedia.)

by Joyner, Whitmel M., Moore, Fred. The Roanoke River, by far the largest river in terms of water flow in North Carolina, was for centuries a path of commerce and travel, first by American Indians and later by European settlers. In [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Carnes-McNaughton, Linda F. Between 1768 and 1771 Claude Joseph Sauthier, a French surveyor and cartographer, was commissioned by royal governor William Tryon to create a set of detailed maps for North Carolina's chief [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Freeman, Margery. Scenic elevated view of Marble Mountain Road near DanangThis scenic elevated view shows a mountainside cut by the winding, high-altitude Marble Mountain Road near Danang. Danang is roughly midway [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Holland, Ron. Settlement of the Mountains, 1775-1838 "North Carolina's Final Frontier" Related Entries: Cherokee Indians; Asheville; Regions by Ron Holland Reprinted with permission from the Tar Heel [...] (from Tar Heel Junior Historian, NC Museum of History.)

by Powell, William S. Signories by William S. Powell, 2006 Signories, or "seignories," were territories over which an official, a group of officials, or an individual had dominion. The Fundamental Constitutions [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Seaman, Jean H. The Carolina Slate Belt refers to a region of low-grade metamorphosed volcanic rock characterized by slaty cleavages. This region is one of several belts crossing North Carolina in a general [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Kemp, Amy. A sound is a long, wide body of water that connects two other bodies of water. They are typically protected from wind and waves by an island or reef, creating sheltered wetlands. North Carolina [...] (from Government & Heritage Library, State Library of North Carolina.)

by Troxler, George W. In April 1784 the North Carolina legislature ceded the state's western lands to the Continental Congress. On 24 August, soon after news of the Cession Act had reached the west, a convention attended [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Southern, David. From colonial times through the twentieth century, land surveying in North Carolina was an imperfect art at best, using old measurements such as furlongs, chains, and rods (or perches or poles) and [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Simpson, Bland. Most of the largest remaining swamps (or "dismals," as early settlers called them) in the eastern United States are located in North Carolina's coastal plain. Much of North Carolina's swamplands are [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Williams, Wiley J. Prior to the American Revolution, white settlers were building cabins along the Watauga and Nolichucky Rivers in the western part of the North Carolina colony. In 1772 they drew up a compact called [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by . [...] (from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries.)

by Stick, David, Vocci, Robert Blair. Towns and Cities by David Stick, 2006 Additional research provided by Robert Blair Vocci. See also: Counties; Counties (from the Enclyclopedia of North Carolina) Formally established [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Hill, Michael. In 1768, the Colonial Assembly acted upon the entreaties of Mecklenburg County citizens who complained about having to travel long distances to the county court as a result of the county’s immense [...] (from Research Branch, NC Office of Archives and History.)

by . Una historia temprana de Carolina del Norte Extraído de Libro de hechos de El Viejo Estado del Norte. La propiedad literaria 2011 [...] (from NC Office of Archives and History.)

by Dough, Wynne. Florentine Giovanni da Verrazano in 1523-24 explored the southern and central coast of what became North Carolina while carrying out a reconnaissance of North America for the king of France. He made [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Reidinger, Martin. The Walton War was the name of a boundary dispute between North Carolina and Georgia that flared into a brief but deadly armed conflict in 1804 in modern Transylvania County. When the area was first [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)

by Horton, Emily S. Weather and Climate in a Snap! by Emily Horton NC Government & Heritage Library, 2012. See also: Climate and Weather (from the Encyclopedia of North Carolina) Climate and Weather [...] (from Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press.)