North Carolina (ⁱ/ˌnɔːrθ kærəˈlaɪnə/) is a state in the southeastern region of the United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west, Virginia to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 9th most populous of the 50 United States. North Carolina is known as the Tar Heel State and the Old North State.

North Carolina is composed of 100 counties. Its two largest metropolitan areas are among the top ten fastest-growing in the country: its capital, Raleigh, and its largest city, Charlotte. In the past five decades, North Carolina's economy has undergone a transition from reliance upon tobacco, textiles, and furniture-making to a more diversified economy with engineering, energy, biotechnology, and finance sectors.

North Carolina has a wide range of elevations, from sea level on the coast to 6,684 feet (2,037 m) at Mount Mitchell, the highest point in North America east of the Mississippi River. The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone. More than 300 miles (500 km) from the coast, the western, mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate.

North Carolina may refer to:

See also

North Carolina wine refers to wine made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Wine has been produced in the area since the early days of European colonization in the 17th century. Wine growers in North Carolina were the first to cultivate a native American grape variety, the Scuppernong, which produces a sweet wine, examples of which are still being made in the state. Most wine produced in North Carolina since the year 2000 is made from Vitis vinifera grape varieties, although French hybrid and Vitis labrusca varieties remain common.

Wine industry

North Carolina ranks tenth in both grape and wine production in the United States. The state's wine industry continues to expand, and today is one of the United States’ five most visited state destinations for wine and culinary tourism. In 2007, North Carolina contained 55 wineries and 350 vineyards. By 2011, this had grown to more than 100 wineries and more than 400 vineyards.

See also

North Carolina Highway 56 (NC 56) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The highway travels east-west, connecting the cities of Butner, Creedmoor, Franklinton and Louisburg.

Route description

NC 56 is a predominantly two-lane rural highway connecting the three counties of Granville, Franklin and Nash. Acting as a spur route, it begins at the intersection of Central Avenue/C Street, in Butner, and goes northeast to connect with Interstate 85 (exit 191). Going southeasterly, it enters Creedmoor and has two brief concurrencies with US 15 and NC 50. Going in an easterly direction, it crosses NC 96, in Wilton, halfway before reaching Franklinton, where it connects with both US 1 and US 1A. Continuing east for 8.5 miles (13.7 km), it reaches Louisburg, where it has another short concurrency with US 401 and NC 39 along Bickett Boulevard. At the intersection of East Nash Street, NC 56 begin its concurrency with NC 581 to Mapleville. Continuing east for another 9.3 miles (15.0 km), it reaches its eastern terminus at NC 58, just over the Franklin/Nash county line and north of Castalia.

The following highways are numbered 56:

International

European route E56

Canada

China

G56 Expressway

Czech Republic

R56 Expressway

Iran

Road 56

Japan

Route 56 (Japan)

New Zealand

New Zealand State Highway 56

United Kingdom

British A56 (Chester-Broughton)

British M56 (Cheadle-Mollington)

United States

U.S. Route 56

Alabama State Route 56

Arkansas Highway 56

California State Route 56

Colorado State Highway 56

Florida State Road 56

Georgia State Route 56

Hawaii Route 56

Illinois Route 56

Indiana State Road 56

Iowa Highway 56

Kentucky Route 56

Louisiana Highway 56

Maryland Route 56

Massachusetts Route 56

M-56 (1919–1957 Michigan highway) (former)

M-56 (1971–1987 Michigan highway) (former)

Minnesota State Highway 56

Montana Highway 56

Nebraska Highway 56

Nevada State Route 56

New Jersey Route 56

New York State Route 56

State Route 56 (SR 56) is a 140.3-mile-long (225.8 km) state highway that travels south-to-north in an upside down question mark, with a western loop around Vidalia. It travels through portions of Tattnall, Toombs, Montgomery, Treutlen, Emanuel, Burke, and Richmond counties in the southeastern and east-central parts of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route connects the Reidsville and Augusta areas, via Swainsboro and Waynesboro.

Route description

Iowa Highway 56 (Iowa 56) is a state highway that runs from west to east in northeastern Iowa. It begins at Iowa Highway 150 in West Union and ends at Iowa Highway 13 south of Elkader. As a largely rural route, Iowa 56 passes through the farmland of Fayette and Clayton counties. Through Elkader and to its eastern end, the highway runs parallel to the Turkey River.

The 24-mile-long (39 km) highway is an original route from 1920. It originally extended from West Union to Guttenberg, but it was shortened to Elkader by 1925. Since then, both the western and eastern endpoints have shifted slightly, but the route otherwise remains the same.

Route description

Iowa Highway 56 begins at an intersection with Iowa 150 in the southern part of West Union. The route starts out heading to the east, but turns to the south as it leaves the city limits. Approximately one mile (1.6 km) south of town, it curves to the south-southeast. Southeast of West Union, Iowa 56 splits the distance between the Volga River and Echo Valley state parks, each approximately two miles (3.2 km) from the highway. Being a largely rural route, it passes through the rolling farmland of Fayette and Clayton counties.