Western North Carolina is the region

Region

Region is most commonly found as a term used in terrestrial and astrophysics sciences also an area, notably among the different sub-disciplines of geography, studied by regional geographers. Regions consist of subregions that contain clusters of like areas that are distinctive by their uniformity...

 of North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

 which includes the Appalachian Mountains

Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...

, thus it is often known geographically

Geography

Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...

 as the state's Mountain Region. It is sometimes included with upstate South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

 as the "Western Carolinas", which is also counted as a single media market

Media market

A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...

. The region covers an area of about 11000 square miles (28,489.9 km²), and is roughly the size of the state of Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

. The population of the region, as measured by the 2000 U.S. Census, is 1,015,268.

The term Land of the Sky (or Land-of-Sky) is a common nickname for this mountainous region and has been more recently adopted to refer to the Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...

 area. (Areas in the northwest portion of the region, including Boone

Boone, North Carolina

Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...

 and Blowing Rock

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, USA, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000.]]\\...

, commonly use the nickname "The High Country", rather than "Land of the Sky") The term is derived from the title of the book, Land of the Sky

Land of the Sky

The Land of the Sky, or, adventures in mountain by-ways is a novel by Mrs. Frances Tiernan, under the pseudonym Christian Reid. It was published in 1876.The name refers to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina...

, written by Mrs. Frances Tiernan, under the pseudonym Christian Reid. The book often mentions the Great Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains or the...

 and Blue Ridge Mountains

Blue Ridge Mountains

The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...

, the two main ranges

Mountain range

A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...

 that are found in Western North Carolina. The Asheville area regional government body, the Land-of-Sky Regional Council

Land-of-Sky Regional Council

The Land-of-Sky Regional Council is one of the 17 regional North Carolina Councils of Governments established by the North Carolina General Assembly for the purpose of regional planning and administration. Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, it serves Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, and...

, utilizes the nickname.

Located east of the Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

 state line and west of the Piedmont

Piedmont (United States)

The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...

, Western North Carolina contains very few major urban centers. Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...

, located in the region's center, is the area's largest city and most prominent commercial hub. The Foothills region of the state is loosely defined as the area along Western North Carolina's eastern boundary; this region consists of a transitional terrain of hills between the Appalachians and the Piedmont Plateau of central North Carolina. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians , is a federally recognized Native American tribe in the United States of America, who are descended from Cherokee who remained in the Eastern United States while others moved, or were forced to relocate, to the west in the 19th century. The history of the...

 have a reservation

Indian reservation

An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...

 situated in the Western North Carolina region, adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North...

.

Subregions

High Country

The northern counties in Western North Carolina are commonly known as the state's High Country. Centered around Boone, the High Country boasts the area's most popular ski resort

Ski resort

A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...

s, including Ski Beech

Beech Mountain, North Carolina

For the geographical feature, see Beech MountainBeech Mountain is the highest town east of the Rocky Mountains, located in both Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 310 at the 2000 census...

, Appalachian Ski Mountain, and Sugar Mountain. The area also features many attractions, historical sites, and geological formations such as Linville Caverns

Linville Caverns

Linville Caverns are privately owned active limestone caverns located in northern McDowell County, North Carolina, just south of the village of Linville Falls, on U.S. Highway 221. The caverns are open to the public year round for guided tours...

, Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state parknear Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet , it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway...

, Blowing Rock

Blowing Rock (land feature)

Blowing Rock is a rocky outcropping at the town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, above a gorge in Caldwell County, in the northwest of that state.The prevailing wind blows through the gorge toward Blowing Rock...

, Tweetsie Railroad

Tweetsie Railroad

Tweetsie Railroad is a family oriented railroad and Wild West theme park located between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina, United States. In addition to a ride aboard an authentic steam locomotive, the park features amusement rides and other attractions geared towards families with...

, Glendale Springs Inn, Shatley Springs, and Mystery Hill. Education, skiing tourism, and Christmas tree

Christmas tree

The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...

 farming are among this area's most prominent industries, although agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 and raising livestock

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

 also remain important.

Tennessee Valley

The westernmost part of Western North Carolina is part of the Tennessee Valley. Asheville is the major hub of far western North Carolina. In this area, there are a few hydroelectric projects managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority

Tennessee Valley Authority

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...

, including Fontana Dam

Fontana Dam

Fontana Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Little Tennessee River in Swain and Graham counties, North Carolina, USA. The dam is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1940s to accommodate the skyrocketing electricity demands in the Tennessee Valley at the...

. Tourism, especially outdoor ventures such as canoeing, whitewater rafting, camping, and fishing are extremely important to local economies in the area.

Foothills

The Foothills is a region

Region

Region is most commonly found as a term used in terrestrial and astrophysics sciences also an area, notably among the different sub-disciplines of geography, studied by regional geographers. Regions consist of subregions that contain clusters of like areas that are distinctive by their uniformity...

 of transitional terrain between the Piedmont Plateau and the Appalachian Mountains

Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...

, extending from the lower edge of the Blue Ridge escarpment into the upper Catawba, Yadkin, and Broad River valleys. The eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge drop sharply to the foothills section, going from 3500–4000 feet (1,000–1,200 m) at the top to only 1000-1500 feet at the base. The foothills region contains numerous lower peaks and isolated mountain ranges such as the South Mountains

South Mountains (North Carolina)

The South Mountains are an ancient and deeply eroded mountain range in western North Carolina. They are an isolated remnant of the much larger Appalachian Mountains to the west, and are separated from the Appalachians by the Catawba River valley. The range covers approximately 100,000 acres in...

, Brushy Mountains

Brushy Mountains (North Carolina)

The Brushy Mountains are a mountain range located in northwestern North Carolina. They are an isolated "spur" of the much larger Blue Ridge Mountains, separated from them by the Yadkin River valley...

, and Stone Mountain State Park

Stone Mountain State Park

Stone Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Alleghany and Wilkes Counties, North Carolina in the United States.-Size and location:Located in Wilkes and Alleghany counties of North Carolina, it covers 13,747 acres ....

. The foothills are divided into many small river and creek valleys that contain much of the region's population. Although no large cities are located in the foothills, the region does contain many small towns; the towns often developed around a single industry such as furniture

Furniture

Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...

 or textiles. As these industries steadily moved to low-wage markets in Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 and Latin America

Latin America

Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages  – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...

 over the last quarter-century, the foothills towns that depended upon them have often suffered from job and population loss; some of these towns are developing a new economy based on tourism

Tourism

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...

 and catering to affluent retirees who have settled in the region. Many farmers in the northern foothills are poultry

Poultry

Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...

 farmers as well, and winemaking

Winemaking

Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...

 and vineyard

Vineyard

A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...

s are growing in popularity. Among the towns of the foothills region in North Carolina are Tryon

Tryon, North Carolina

Tryon is a town in Polk County, North Carolina, United States. According to the 2000 Census the population of Tryon was 1,760. The area is a center for equestrian activity and fine arts....

, Columbus

Columbus, North Carolina

Columbus is a town in Polk County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 992 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Polk County.-Geography:Columbus is located at ....

, Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock, North Carolina

Chimney Rock is a village in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 175 at the 2000 census. The village takes its name from a large granite outcropping located on a summit above the village itself in Chimney Rock State Park....

, Lake Lure

Lake Lure, North Carolina

-History:In 1902, Dr. Lucius B. Morse and his brothers Hiram and Asahel purchased around Chimney Rock for $5,000. They later acquired enough land in the area to bring the total to...

, Forest City

Forest City, North Carolina

Forest City, formerly known as "Burnt Chimney," is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,549 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:Forest City is located at ....

, Rutherfordton

Rutherfordton, North Carolina

Rutherfordton is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,131 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rutherford County.-Geography:Rutherfordton is located at ....

, Spindale

Spindale, North Carolina

Spindale is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,022 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spindale is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....

, Mount Airy

Mount Airy, North Carolina

Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,388.-History:Mount Airy was settled in the 1750s as a stagecoach stop on the road between Winston-Salem and Galax, Virginia. It was named for a nearby plantation...

, Elkin

Elkin, North Carolina

Elkin is a town in Surry and Wilkes counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina, along the Yadkin River. Elkin shares its name with the surrounding township of Elkin Township...

, and Marion

Marion, North Carolina

Marion is a city in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,943 at the 2008 estimated census. It is the county seat of McDowell County.-Geography:Marion is located at ....

 and the cities of North Wilkesboro

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina

North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement, which continues to have a major presence in...

, Wilkesboro

Wilkesboro, North Carolina

Wilkesboro is a town in and the county seat of Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,159 at the 2000 census, and it is the second largest municipality in the county. The 2010 Census listed the town's population at 3,044. The town is located along the south bank of the...

, Hickory

Hickory, North Carolina

Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...

, Lenoir

Lenoir, North Carolina

Lenoir is a city in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 18,228 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County. Lenoir is located in the Blue Ridge foothills. The city also contains the Brushy Mountains, a spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains...

, Wilkesboro

Wilkesboro, North Carolina

Wilkesboro is a town in and the county seat of Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,159 at the 2000 census, and it is the second largest municipality in the county. The 2010 Census listed the town's population at 3,044. The town is located along the south bank of the...

, and Morganton

Morganton, North Carolina

Morganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...

.

Higher education

Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....

 has three campus

Campus

A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...

es in western North Carolina. Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...

 in Boone and UNC Asheville are the region's other two public universities. Several liberal-arts colleges are also located in the region. Mars Hill College

Mars Hill College

Mars Hill College is a private, coed, liberal-arts college affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The college is located in the small town of Mars Hill, North Carolina, due north of Asheville, western North Carolina's largest city...

, affiliated with the North Carolina Baptist

Baptist

Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...

 Convention, is located 15 miles (24.1 km) north of Asheville. Founded in 1856, it is the oldest college or university in western North Carolina. Montreat College

Montreat College

Montreat College is a private, four-year, liberal arts Christian college with campuses located in Black Mountain, Asheville and Charlotte, North Carolina, United States and its primary campus in Montreat, North Carolina. The college offers on-campus traditional four-year degrees, an adult studies...

, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, is located 15 miles (24.1 km) east of Asheville. Lees-McRae College

Lees-McRae College

Lees-McRae College is a private four-year college in Banner Elk, North Carolina affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Lees-McRae College has the highest elevation of any college or university in the United States east of the Mississippi River at above sea level. It is one of the few colleges...

, located near Banner Elk, North Carolina

Banner Elk, North Carolina

-Attractions:During summer time there is hiking, whitewater rafting, fishing, and other activities. The largest lake in the area, Watauga Lake, is a favorite spot just 30 minutes away for boating, fishing and wake boarding. In the winter the main event is skiing and snowboarding. There are two...

, is also affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Warren Wilson College

Warren Wilson College

Warren Wilson College is a private four-year work college in the Swannanoa Valley, North Carolina, United States near Asheville. It is known for its curriculum of work, academics, and service, called "the Triad," which requires every student to work an on-campus job, perform at least one hundred...

, located in Swannanoa

Swannanoa, North Carolina

Swannanoa is a census-designated place in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,526 in 2007. The community is named for the Swannanoa River, which flows through the settlement. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.Swannanoa is located between...

, is noted for its strong pro-environment policies and social liberalism

Social liberalism

Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...

. Brevard College

Brevard College

Brevard College is a small, private, United Methodist, liberal arts college in Brevard, North Carolina. The college currently grants the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Music degree...

, located in Brevard, North Carolina

Brevard, North Carolina

Brevard is a town in Transylvania County, North Carolina, United States. The 2005 population estimate by the United States Census Bureau was 6,643. It is the county seat of Transylvania County....

, is affiliated with the United Methodist Church

United Methodist Church

The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...

. Lenoir-Rhyne University, located in Hickory, is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...

.

Transportation

Three major Interstate highways cross the region: Interstate 40

Interstate 40

Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...

, which traverses east-west, Interstate 77

Interstate 77

Interstate 77 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the old U.S...

, which runs north-south through the northeastern section of Western North Carolina, and Interstate 26

Interstate 26

Interstate 26 is a nominally east–west main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. I-26 runs from the junction of U.S. Route 11W and U.S. Route 23 in Kingsport, Tennessee, generally southeastward to U.S. Route 17 in Charleston, South Carolina...

, which traverses north-south. Interstate 240

Interstate 240 (North Carolina)

Interstate 240 is a long Interstate Highway loop in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It serves as an urban connector for Asheville and runs in a half-circle around the north of the city's downtown district between exits 53B and 46B of Interstate 40...

 is the only auxiliary interstate route

Auxiliary route

In road transportation, a special route is a prefixed and/or suffixed numbered road that forms a loop or spur of a more dominant route of the same route number and system. The dominant route is generally referred to as the "parent" or "mainline", while special routes are also unofficially or...

 in the region and it serves downtown Asheville. Highway US 421, a multilane expressway, is the major highway in the northwestern part of the state, and US 74, US 64, US 19, US 23, and US 441 are the major highways in the far western part of the region. Highway US 321 runs north from Hickory to Watauga and Avery Counties before going into Tennessee. A National Scenic Byway

National Scenic Byway

A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...

, the Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...

, runs through western North Carolina, ending near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North...

. Two major class 1 railroads run through the region, CSX and Norfolk Southern. In addition, two tourist railroads also operate in the area, the Tweetsie Railroad theme park

Tweetsie Railroad

Tweetsie Railroad is a family oriented railroad and Wild West theme park located between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina, United States. In addition to a ride aboard an authentic steam locomotive, the park features amusement rides and other attractions geared towards families with...

 and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is a freight and heritage railroad in North Carolina with a depot in Bryson City. The railroad operates over the western leg of the "Murphy Branch", a former branch line of the Southern Railway....

.

Asheville Regional Airport

Asheville Regional Airport

Asheville Regional Airport is a Class C airport near Interstate 40 and Interstate 26 near the town of Fletcher, south of the city of Asheville, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is owned by the city of Asheville...

 (AVL), located southeast of the city of Asheville in Fletcher

Fletcher, North Carolina

Fletcher is a town in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,185 at the 2000 census.Fletcher is home to Asheville Regional Airport, which serves Western North Carolina...

, also serves the area with non-stop jet service to Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...

; Newark, New Jersey

Newark, New Jersey

Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...

; Houston, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

; Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

; Orlando, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

; Detroit, Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

; O'Hare International Airport

O'Hare International Airport

Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...

 in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

; Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

; and LaGuardia Airport

LaGuardia Airport

LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...

 in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

.

Economy

Tourism

Tourism

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...

 is a major part of the economy

Economy

An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...

 in the area which contains half of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North...

 as well as the Nantahala

Nantahala National Forest

The Nantahala National Forest, established in 1920, is a national forest located in the American state of North Carolina. The word "Nantahala" is a Cherokee word meaning "Land of the Noonday Sun." The name is appropriate as, in some spots, the sun only reaches the floors of the deep gorges of the...

 and Pisgah National Forest

Pisgah National Forest

Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is completely contained within the state of North Carolina...

s. There are also several lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

s and dam

Dam

A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

s scattered throughout Western North Carolina like Lake Lure and Fontana Dam

Fontana Dam

Fontana Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Little Tennessee River in Swain and Graham counties, North Carolina, USA. The dam is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1940s to accommodate the skyrocketing electricity demands in the Tennessee Valley at the...

. Many visitors travel to the region every summer and autumn from major cities like Charlotte, Atlanta and Knoxville, to escape the hot weather

Weather

Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...

 and see the leaves change colors. The timber industry is also a major economic sector.

Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission

Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission is a United States federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life...

 was formed in 1965 to aid economic development in the Appalachian region, which was lagging far behind the rest of the nation on most economic indicators. The Appalachian region currently defined by the Commission includes 420 counties in 13 states, including 29 counties in North Carolina. The Commission gives each county one of five possible economic designations— distressed, at-risk, transitional, competitive, or attainment— with "distressed" counties being the most economically endangered and "attainment" counties being the most economically prosperous. These designations are based primarily on three indicators— three-year average unemployment rate, market income per capita, and poverty rate.

In 2003, Appalachian North Carolina— which included all 24 counties of Western North Carolina and five counties in central North Carolina— had a three-year average unemployment rate of 6%, compared with 6.2% statewide and 5.5% nationwide. In 2002, Appalachian North Carolina had a per capita market income of $21,168, compared with $23,443 statewide and $26,420 nationwide. In 2000, Appalachian North Carolina had a poverty rate of 11.7%, compared to 12.3% statewide and 12.4% nationwide.
Only one North Carolina county— Graham— was designated "Distressed," while six— Cherokee, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford, Swain, and Yancey— were designated "at-risk." Forsyth County (which is normally grouped with central North Carolina) was the only county given the "attainment" designation, and four others— Buncombe, Davie, Henderson, and Polk— were designated "competitive." Most Western North Carolina counties were designated "transitional," meaning they lagged behind the national average on one of the three key indicators. Graham County had Appalachian North Carolina's highest poverty rating, with 19.5% of its residents living below the poverty line. Forsyth had Appalachian North Carolina's highest per capita income at $26,987. Watauga County's unemployment rate of 2.3% was lowest of all 420 counties in the Appalachian region.

Topography

There are 82 mountain

Mountain

Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...

 peak

Summit (topography)

In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...

s between 5,000 to 6,000 feet (1,500-1,800 m) in elevation

Elevation

The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....

 in western North Carolina, and 43 peaks rise to over 6000 feet (1,828.8 m). Mount Mitchell

Mount Mitchell (North Carolina)

Mount Mitchell is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and the highest peak in the eastern United States. It was the highest point in any state of the United States until Texas joined the union in 1845. The nearest higher point east of the Rocky Mountains is Harney Peak in the Black Hills...

, 6684 feet (2,037.3 m), is the highest point in eastern North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

. Valley

Valley

In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...

 locations are typically closer to 2000 feet (609.6 m) AMSL.

The French Broad River

French Broad River

The French Broad River flows from near the village of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into the state of Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville is the beginning of the Tennessee River....

 is the largest river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 in the region; others include the Little Tennessee River

Little Tennessee River

The Little Tennessee River is a tributary of the Tennessee River, approximately 135 miles long, in the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern United States.-Geography:...

 and Swannanoa River

Swannanoa River

The Swannanoa River flows through the Swannanoa Valley of western North Carolina, and is a major tributary to the French Broad River. It begins at its headwaters in Black Mountain, NC, however, it also has a major tributary near its headwaters: Flat Creek, which begins on the slopes of Mount...

. The Eastern Continental Divide

Eastern Continental Divide

The Eastern Continental Divide, in conjunction with other continental divides of North America, demarcates two watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean: the Gulf of Mexico watershed and the Atlantic Seaboard watershed. Prior to 1760, the divide represented the boundary between British and French colonial...

 runs through the region, dividing Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

-bound stream

Stream

A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...

s from those flowing through the Carolinas.

Counties

Western North Carolina generally consists of 26 counties, that when combined form a total regional area of roughly 9700 square miles (25,122.9 km²) the region is roughly the size of Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

 or New Hampshire

New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...

. The counties commonly included in the region are as follows:

• Alexander County
  Alexander County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 33,603 people, 13,137 households, and 9,747 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 14,098 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile...
  
  
• Alleghany County
  Alleghany County, North Carolina
  -Major highways:* U.S. Highway 21* U.S. Highway 221* North Carolina Highway 18* North Carolina Highway 88* North Carolina Highway 93* North Carolina Highway 113-Demographics:...
  
  
• Ashe County
  Ashe County, North Carolina
  - History :Historical evidence shows that Ashe county was inhabited by Native Americans, which included the Cherokee, Creek, and Shawnee tribes. Pieces of broken pottery, arrowheads, and other Native American artifacts have been found, indicating their presence...
  
  
• Avery County
  Avery County, North Carolina
  - Climate :As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County has a Humid continental climate enjoying considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the...
  
  
• Buncombe County
  Buncombe County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 206,330 people, 85,776 households, and 55,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 314 people per square mile . There were 93,973 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile...
  
  
• Burke County
  Burke County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 89,148 people, 34,528 households, and 24,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile . There were 37,427 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...
  
  
• Caldwell County
  Caldwell County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 77,415 people, 30,768 households, and 22,399 families residing in the county. The population density was 164 people per square mile . There were 33,430 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile...
  
  
• Catawba County
  Catawba County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 160,000 people, 55,533 households, and 39,095 families residing in the county. The population density was 354 people per square mile . There were 59,919 housing units at an average density of 150 per square mile...
  
  
• Cleveland County
  Cleveland County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile . There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile...
  
  
• Cherokee County
  Cherokee County, North Carolina
  - Transportation :Cherokee County is well known in North Carolina as the westernmost of the state's 100 counties. Several US and state highways serve the county, linking it with other regions of North Carolina, along with the neighboring states of Georgia and Tennessee.US 64 - the longest highway...
  
  
• Clay County
  Clay County, North Carolina
  -Communities and Townships:Hayesville, with a 2000 population of 297, is the only incorporated town in the county, the county seat, and center of economic activity for Clay County...
  
  
• Graham County
  Graham County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,993 people, 3,354 households, and 2,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 5,084 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
  
  
• Haywood County
  Haywood County, North Carolina
  -National protected areas:* Blue Ridge Parkway * Great Smoky Mountains National Park * Pisgah National Forest -Major Highways & Roads:* Interstate 40* U.S. Highway 19* U.S. Highway 23* U.S. Highway 74* U.S...
  
  
• Henderson County
  Henderson County, North Carolina
  Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2008, the population was 102,367. Its county seat is Hendersonville.- History :...
  
  
• Jackson County
  Jackson County, North Carolina
  Jackson County is a county located in the southwest of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 40,271. Since 1913 its county seat has been Sylva, replacing Webster.-History:...
  
  

• Macon County
  Macon County, North Carolina
  - Geographic features :Of the in Macon County, are federal lands that lie within the Nantahala National Forest and are administered by the United States Forest Service. Of the of USFS land, lie in the Highlands Ranger District and the remaining lie in the Wayah Ranger District...
  
  
• Madison County
  Madison County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,635 people, 8,000 households, and 5,592 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 9,722 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
  
  
• McDowell County
  McDowell County, North Carolina
  -Cities and towns:*Marion *Old Fort-Unincorporated places:*West Marion*Little Switzerland*Nebo*Glenwood*Pleasant Gardens*North Cove-Education:The following is a list of schools located in McDowell County:*Marion Elementary School...
  
  
• Mitchell County
  Mitchell County, North Carolina
  -National protected areas:* Blue Ridge Parkway * Pisgah National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 15,687 people, 6,551 households, and 4,736 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile . There were 7,919 housing units at an...
  
  
• Polk County
  Polk County, North Carolina
  Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 20,510. Its county seat is Columbus.-History:The county was formed in 1855 from parts of Henderson County and Rutherford County...
  
  
• Rutherford County
  Rutherford County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,899 people, 25,191 households, and 17,935 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile . There were 29,535 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...
  
  
• Swain County
  Swain County, North Carolina
  Swain County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 12,968. Its county seat is Bryson City.Swain County is home of the Nantahala River . The Nantahala is one of the most popular whitewater rafting rivers in the nation...
  
  
• Transylvania County
  Transylvania County, North Carolina
  Transylvania County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 33,090. Its county seat is Brevard.- History :The county was formed in 1861 from parts of Henderson County and Jackson County...
  
  
• Watauga County
  Watauga County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,695 people, 16,540 households, and 9,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 23,155 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...
  
  
• Wilkes County
  Wilkes County, North Carolina
  Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 2000 U.S. Census listed the county's population at 65,632; the 2010 U.S. Census listed the population at 69,340...
  
  
• Yancey County
  Yancey County, North Carolina
  -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,774 people, 7,472 households, and 5,372 families residing in the county. The population density was 57 people per square mile . There were 9,729 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
  
  

Over 10,000 population

• Asheville
  Asheville, North Carolina
  Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
  
  
• Hickory
  Hickory, North Carolina
  Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222...
  
  
• Morganton
  Morganton, North Carolina
  Morganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...
  
  
• Lenoir
  Lenoir, North Carolina
  Lenoir is a city in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 18,228 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County. Lenoir is located in the Blue Ridge foothills. The city also contains the Brushy Mountains, a spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains...
  
  
• Hendersonville
  Hendersonville, North Carolina
  Hendersonville is a city in Henderson County, North Carolina, USA, southeast of Asheville. In 1900, 1,917 persons lived in Hendersonville; in 1910, 2,818; and in 1940, 5,381 people lived here. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,223, up fivefold in one century. It is the county...
  
  
• Boone
  Boone, North Carolina
  Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
  
  
• Waynesville
  Waynesville, North Carolina
  Waynesville is a town in and the county seat of Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest town in Haywood County and the largest in Western North Carolina west of Asheville. Waynesville is located about or 50 km southwest of Asheville between the Great Smoky and Blue...
  
  

Fewer than 10,000 population

• Andrews
  Andrews, North Carolina
  Andrews is a town in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,602 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Andrews is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.-History:...
  
  
• Bakersville
  Bakersville, North Carolina
  Bakersville is a town in Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 357 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mitchell County.-Geography:Bakersville is located at ....
  
  
• Balsam Grove
  Balsam Grove, North Carolina
  Balsam Grove is an unincorporated community located in Transylvania County, North Carolina within Pisgah National Forest and Nantahala National Forest.The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute is located in Balsam Grove....
  
  
• Banner Elk
  Banner Elk, North Carolina
  -Attractions:During summer time there is hiking, whitewater rafting, fishing, and other activities. The largest lake in the area, Watauga Lake, is a favorite spot just 30 minutes away for boating, fishing and wake boarding. In the winter the main event is skiing and snowboarding. There are two...
  
  
• Beech Mountain
  Beech Mountain, North Carolina
  For the geographical feature, see Beech MountainBeech Mountain is the highest town east of the Rocky Mountains, located in both Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 310 at the 2000 census...
  
  
• Belwood
  Belwood, North Carolina
  Belwood is a town in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 962 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Belwood is located at ....
  
  
• Biltmore Forest
  Biltmore Forest, North Carolina
  Biltmore Forest is an affluent town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,559 in 2008. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Biltmore Forest is located at ....
  
  
• Black Mountain
  Black Mountain, North Carolina
  Black Mountain is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,511 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is named for the Black Mountain range of the Blue Ridge range in the Southern Appalachians.-History:Black...
  
  
• Blowing Rock
  Blowing Rock, North Carolina
  Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, USA, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000.]]\\...
  
  
• Bostic
  Bostic, North Carolina
  Bostic is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 328 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bostic is located at ....
  
  
• Brevard
  Brevard, North Carolina
  Brevard is a town in Transylvania County, North Carolina, United States. The 2005 population estimate by the United States Census Bureau was 6,643. It is the county seat of Transylvania County....
  
  
• Bryson City
  Bryson City, North Carolina
  Bryson City is a town in Swain County, North Carolina in the United States. The population was 1,353 as of 2009, a decrease of 4.1% since the 2000 census...
  
  
• Burnsville
  Burnsville, North Carolina
  Burnsville is a town in Yancey County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,623 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Yancey County.-Geography:Burnsville is located at ....
  
  
• Cajah's Mountain
  Cajah's Mountain, North Carolina
  Cajah's Mountain is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,683 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
  
• Canton
  Canton, North Carolina
  Canton is the second largest town in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. It is located about west of Asheville, North Carolina and is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is named after the city of Canton, Ohio.- History :...
  
  
• Casar
  Casar, North Carolina
  Casar is a hamlet in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 308 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Casar is located at ....
  
  
• Catawba
  Catawba, North Carolina
  Catawba is a town in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 604 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
  
  
• Cedar Rock
  Cedar Rock, North Carolina
  Cedar Rock is a village in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 315 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cedar Rock is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
  
  
• Chimney Rock
  Chimney Rock, North Carolina
  Chimney Rock is a village in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 175 at the 2000 census. The village takes its name from a large granite outcropping located on a summit above the village itself in Chimney Rock State Park....
  
  
• Cliffside
• Clyde
  Clyde, North Carolina
  Clyde is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. The 200 census recorded the population at 1,324 people. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Clyde is located at ....
  
  
• Collettsville
  Collettsville, North Carolina
  Collettsville is a small unincorporated community in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Housing:...
  
  
• Columbus
  Columbus, North Carolina
  Columbus is a town in Polk County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 992 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Polk County.-Geography:Columbus is located at ....
  
  
• Connellys Springs
  Connellys Springs, North Carolina
  Connelly Springs is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,814 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
  
• Conover
  Conover, North Carolina
  Conover is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,180 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
  
  
• Crossnore
  Crossnore, North Carolina
  Crossnore is a town in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 242 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Crossnore is located at ....
  
  
• Dillsboro
  Dillsboro, North Carolina
  Dillsboro is a town in Jackson County, North Carolina, United States. The town is a popular tourist location, at which visitors tend to stop on their way into the Great Smoky Mountains. The town of Sylva is located just one mile east of Dillsboro and is the county seat...
  
  
• Drexel
  Drexel, North Carolina
  Drexel is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,938 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Drexel is located at ....
  
  
• Elk Park
  Elk Park, North Carolina
  Elk Park is a town in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The town was so named because of the number of Elk killed there. The population was 459 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Elk Park is located at ....
  
  
• Elkin
  Elkin, North Carolina
  Elkin is a town in Surry and Wilkes counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina, along the Yadkin River. Elkin shares its name with the surrounding township of Elkin Township...
  
  

• Ellenboro
  Ellenboro, North Carolina
  Ellenboro is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina in the United States of America. The population was 479 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ellenboro is located at ....
  
  
• Fallston
  Fallston, North Carolina
  Fallston is a hamlet in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 603 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Fallston is located at ....
  
  
• Flat Rock
  Flat Rock, Henderson County, North Carolina
  Flat Rock is a village in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,565 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Flat Rock Historic District.- Culture :Flat Rock is...
  
  
• Fletcher
  Fletcher, North Carolina
  Fletcher is a town in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,185 at the 2000 census.Fletcher is home to Asheville Regional Airport, which serves Western North Carolina...
  
  
• Forest City
  Forest City, North Carolina
  Forest City, formerly known as "Burnt Chimney," is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,549 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:Forest City is located at ....
  
  
• Franklin
  Franklin, North Carolina
  Franklin is a town in Franklin Township, Macon County, North Carolina, United States, within the Nantahala National Forest. The population was 3,490 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Macon County. Franklin is an official Appalachian Trail friendly destination...
  
  
• Gamewell
  Gamewell, North Carolina
  Gamewell is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,644 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Gamewell is located at ....
  
  
• Glen Alpine
  Glen Alpine, North Carolina
  Glen Alpine is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,090 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
  
• Grandfather
  Grandfather, North Carolina
  Grandfather is a village in Avery County, North Carolina, United States; named after Grandfather Mountain. The village is a fully gated community within Grandfather Golf and Country Club, located along NC 105...
  
  
• Granite Falls
  Granite Falls, North Carolina
  Granite Falls is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,612 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
  
• Hayesville
  Hayesville, North Carolina
  Hayesville is a town in Clay County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 297 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County.-Geography:Hayesville is located at ....
  
  
• Highlands
  Highlands, North Carolina
  Highlands is an incorporated town in Macon County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located on a plateau in the southern Appalachian Mountains, within the Nantahala National Forest, it lies mostly in southeastern Macon County and slightly in southwestern Jackson County, in the Highlands and...
  
  
• Hildebran
  Hildebran, North Carolina
  Hildebran is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,472 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hildebran is located at ....
  
  
• Hot Springs
  Hot Springs, North Carolina
  Hot Springs is a town in Madison County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 645 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hot Springs is located at ....
  
  
• Hudson
  Hudson, North Carolina
  Hudson is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,078 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
  
  
• Jefferson
  Jefferson, North Carolina
  Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ashe County.-History:...
  
  
• Kings Mountain
  Kings Mountain, North Carolina
  Kings Mountain is a small suburban city of Gastonia and Charlotte in Cleveland and Gaston counties, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,693 at the 2000 census....
  
  
• Lake Lure
  Lake Lure, North Carolina
  -History:In 1902, Dr. Lucius B. Morse and his brothers Hiram and Asahel purchased around Chimney Rock for $5,000. They later acquired enough land in the area to bring the total to...
  
  
• Lake Santeetlah
  Lake Santeetlah, North Carolina
  Lake Santeetlah is a town in Graham County, North Carolina, United States, six miles north of Robbinsville and within fifteen miles of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Santeetlah—which in turn is largely surrounded by Nantahala National Forest...
  
  
• Lansing
  Lansing, North Carolina
  Lansing is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 151 at the 2000 census.- History :The Town of Lansing, NC in Ashe County was incorporated May 16, 1928. Lansing has one traffic light Lansing is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population...
  
  
• Lattimore
  Lattimore, North Carolina
  Lattimore is a town in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 419 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lattimore is located at ....
  
  
• Laurel Park
  Laurel Park, North Carolina
  Laurel Park is a town in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,835 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Laurel Park is located at ....
  
  
• Lawndale
  Lawndale, North Carolina
  Lawndale is a town in Cleveland County, North Carolina, along the First Broad River. The population was 642 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lawndale is located at ....
  
  
• Linville
  Linville, North Carolina
  Linville is a community centered just south of the US 221 and NC 105 intersection in Avery County, North Carolina. The community -- at times known as Clay or Porcelain -- was founded in 1883 and designed by Samuel T. Kelsey of Kansas, it was named for William and John Linville, who were killed by...
  
  
• Maggie Valley
  Maggie Valley, North Carolina
  Maggie Valley is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, USA. The population was 607 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park.Maggie Valley is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area....
  
  
• Marion
  Marion, North Carolina
  Marion is a city in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,943 at the 2008 estimated census. It is the county seat of McDowell County.-Geography:Marion is located at ....
  
  
• Mars Hill
  Mars Hill, North Carolina
  Mars Hill is a town in Madison County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,764 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Mars Hill College, which is named after the town. The town is located approximately one mile west of Interstate 26, and due north of Asheville, western North...
  
  
• Marshall
  Marshall, North Carolina
  Marshall is a town in Madison County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 840 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County.Marshall is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Marshall is located at ....
  
  
• Mills River
  Mills River, North Carolina
  Mills River is a town located in Henderson County, North Carolina . It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.It lies in the northwestern part of the county, covering roughly , and located near Etowah and Fletcher...
  
  
• Mooresboro
  Mooresboro, North Carolina
  Mooresboro is a town in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 314 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mooresboro is located at ....
  
  

• Murphy
  Murphy, North Carolina
  -Household Income:The median income for a household in the town was $24,952, and the median income for a family was $35,234. Males had a median income of $30,395 versus $16,908 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,926...
  
  
• Newland
  Newland, North Carolina
  Newland is a town in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 704 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Avery County. Before its founding, the area was known as Old Fields or Old Fields of Toe. In 1911 it was renamed Newland, after North Carolina Lieutenant Governor...
  
  
• Newton
  Newton, North Carolina
  Newton is a city located in Catawba County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 12,560. It is the county seat of Catawba County.Newton is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
  
  
• North Wilkesboro
  North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
  North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was approximately 4,116 at the 2000 census and is now 4,245 as of the 2010 census. North Wilkesboro is the birthplace and original home of Lowe's Home Improvement, which continues to have a major presence in...
  
  
• Old Fort
  Old Fort, North Carolina
  Old Fort is a town in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 959 at the 2008 estimated census. The town is well known for its weekly Mountain Music concerts, attracting large audiences and many musicians from the surrounding areas to Old Fort's downtown each Friday at...
  
  
• Polkville
  Polkville, North Carolina
  Polkville is a small city in northwestern Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 535 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Polkville is located at ....
  
  
• Rhodhiss
  Rhodhiss, North Carolina
  Rhodhiss is a town in Caldwell and Burke counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 366 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
  
• Robbinsville
  Robbinsville, North Carolina
  Robbinsville is a town in Graham County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 747 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Graham County. Robbinsville High School is the only high school in Graham County...
  
  
• Ronda
  Ronda, North Carolina
  Ronda is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 560 at the 2000 census. Ronda was named after a nearby estate called "Roundabout", which was the residence of Benjamin Cleveland, a locally prominent planter and a colonel in the North Carolina militia during the...
  
  
• Rosman
  Rosman, North Carolina
  Rosman is a town in Transylvania County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 490 at the 2000 census. The northern terminus of U.S. Route 178 is less than one mile northwest of Rosman on U.S...
  
  
• Ruth
  Ruth, North Carolina
  Ruth is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 329 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ruth is located at 35°22'60" North, 81°56'36" West ....
  
  
• Rutherford College
  Rutherford College, North Carolina
  Rutherford College is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,293. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
  
  
• Rutherfordton
  Rutherfordton, North Carolina
  Rutherfordton is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,131 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rutherford County.-Geography:Rutherfordton is located at ....
  
  
• Saluda
  Saluda, North Carolina
  The City of Saluda is located in both Henderson and Polk counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 713 at the 2010 census. Saluda is famous for sitting at the top of the Norfolk Southern Railway's Saluda Grade, the steepest main line standard gauge railroad line east of the...
  
  
• Sawmills
  Sawmills, North Carolina
  Sawmills is a town in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,921 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
  
  
• Seven Devils
  Seven Devils, North Carolina
  Seven Devils is a town in Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 129 at the 2000 census. The town, which is located in the midst of the Appalachian Mountains, is best-known as the site of a popular wintertime tubing resort known as Hawksnest, which claims...
  
  
• Shelby
  Shelby, North Carolina
  Shelby is a city in Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 19,477 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cleveland County.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
  
  
• Sparta
  Sparta, North Carolina
  Sparta is a town in Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,817 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alleghany County.-Geography:Sparta is located at ....
  
  
• Spindale
  Spindale, North Carolina
  Spindale is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,022 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spindale is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
  
  
• Spruce Pine
  Spruce Pine, North Carolina
  Spruce Pine is a town in Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,175 at the 2010 census.-History:Spruce Pine was founded in 1907 when the Clinchfield Railroad made its way up the North Toe River from Erwin, Tennessee...
  
  
• Sugar Mountain
  Sugar Mountain, North Carolina
  Sugar Mountain is a village in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The village is located on Sugar Mountain's north slope. The population was 226 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sugar Mountain is located at ....
  
  
• Sylva
  Sylva, North Carolina
  Sylva is an incorporated town located in central Jackson County, in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,588. It is the county seat, having taken over from nearby Webster in 1913.-Geography:Sylva...
  
  
• Taylorsville
  Taylorsville, North Carolina
  Taylorsville is a town in Alexander County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,799 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alexander County.Taylorsville is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
  
  
• Toluca
  Toluca, North Carolina
  Toluca is an unincorporated community in both Lincoln, and Cleveland counties. It is located south of Laurel Hill, at the intersection of NC 27, and NC 18, near NC 27's western terminus at NC 10....
  
  
• Tryon
  Tryon, North Carolina
  Tryon is a town in Polk County, North Carolina, United States. According to the 2000 Census the population of Tryon was 1,760. The area is a center for equestrian activity and fine arts....
  
  
• Valdese
  Valdese, North Carolina
  Valdese is a town in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,485 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Valdese is located at ....
  
  
• Vale
  Vale, Avery County, North Carolina
  Vale is a community in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. It is located Northwest of Newland, North Carolina on Old Toe River Road.- History:...
  
  
• Weaverville
  Weaverville, North Carolina
  Weaverville is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,646 in 2007. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Weaverville is located at ....
  
  
• West Jefferson
  West Jefferson, North Carolina
  West Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census.-History:West Jefferson was incorporated as a city in 1909, and it is the second-oldest incorporated town in Ashe County. West Jefferson has the distinction of having the only cheese...
  
  
• Wilkesboro
  Wilkesboro, North Carolina
  Wilkesboro is a town in and the county seat of Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,159 at the 2000 census, and it is the second largest municipality in the county. The 2010 Census listed the town's population at 3,044. The town is located along the south bank of the...
  
  
• Woodfin
  Woodfin, North Carolina
  Woodfin is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,464 in 2008. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Town of Woodfin is named in honor of Nicholas Washington Woodfin, a renowned lawyer and statesman of early North Carolina, under whom...
  
  

Important unincorporated communities

• Cherokee
  Cherokee, North Carolina
  Cherokee is a town in Swain County, North Carolina, USA, within the Qualla Boundary land trust. It is located in the Oconaluftee River Valley, near the intersection of U.S. Route 19 and U.S...
  
   (headquarters for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee)
• Cullowhee
  Cullowhee, North Carolina
  Cullowhee is a census-designated place in Jackson County, North Carolina, United States. Cullowhee is best known for being the home of Western Carolina University . The population was 9,428 as of the 2010 census. The area known as Cullowhee has Western Carolina University, part of the UNC...
  
   (site of Western Carolina University's main campus)
• Deals Gap
  Deals Gap, North Carolina
  Deals Gap is a portion of U.S. Route 129 in Blount County, Tennessee, which also lends its name to a small unincorporated community and motorcycle resort situated in a gap in Swain County, North Carolina, United States. It is located along U.S. 129 at the Tennessee state line. The community has an...
  
   (site of a nationally famous motorcycle and sportscar resort)
• Lake Junaluska
  Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
  Lake Junaluska is a census-designated place in Haywood County, North Carolina, USA. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,675 at the 2000 census...
  
   (heaquarters for the World Methodist Council
  World Methodist Council
  The World Methodist Council, founded in 1881, is an association of churches in the Methodist tradition which comprises most of the world's Wesleyan denominations.- Extension and organization:...
  
   and site of a United Methodist camp and conference center)

See also

• East Tennessee
  East Tennessee
  East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
  
  
• Appalachia
  Appalachia
  Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
  
  
• Geography of North Carolina
  Geography of North Carolina
  The Geography of North Carolina falls naturally into three divisions or sections—the Appalachian Mountains formed mostly by the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, the Middle or Piedmont Plateau, and the Eastern or Tidewater section, also known as the Coastal Plain. North Carolina covers and is ...
  
  
• Piedmont Triad
  Piedmont Triad
  The Piedmont Triad, or Triad, is a north-central region of the U.S. state of North Carolina that consists of the area within and surrounding the three major cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group or "triad" of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the...