NC Regions: Land, Climate and Natural Resources

Coastal Plain Land: The Coastal Plain is divided into an Inner Coastal Plain and the Outer Coastal Plain called the Tidewater. The Eastern limit of the Coastal Plain is the Outer Banks. Large Bodies of water known as sounds separate the Outer Banks from the mainland. The Coastal Plain is a broad, flat region running inland. There are numerous swamps, lakes and rivers in this region.

Piedmont Land: The Piedmont rises into gently rolling hills. This region has elevations of 500 feet to 1500 feet. Red clay soil is found in the Piedmont The dividing line between the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain is called the fall line because the elevation between the two changes so quickly. It creates waterfalls.

Mountains Land: The Appalachian Mountains are found in the western part of NC. The mountains were named after the Apalachee, a group of Native Americans found along the Gulf Coast of Florida. NC has the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River, Mount Mitchell. NC has some of the oldest mountains in the world.

Climate of NC NC is near enough to the equator to have a moderate year round temperature. The growing seasons are relatively long which has influenced farming throughout the state. NC borders the Atlantic. The Atlantic warms the air above it which creates warm humid summers and cool damp winters. Elevation effects climate in NC. It is much cooler in the Mountains due to the elevation. The mountains also block bad weather from reaching us from the west. Precipitation is distributed evenly throughout the state. Winds have shaped the state’s coastline and made it difficult for ships to navigate.

Natural Resources The Tidelands are covered in a rich soil known as silt and the rest of the coastal plain is covered in loam. This is very rich soil which attracted early settlers who were farmers. The Piedmont has a less fertile soil with more clay. Farms in the Piedmont seem to be smaller. In the mountains the soil is thin and rocky. NC is home to over 300 different rocks and minerals. Europeans were drawn to NC because of its large forest and the abundance of wildlife. Trees are an important resource. The state has abundant water resources. A valuable natural resource is its fishing.