1. North Carolina Regions

2. Three Regions land is result of erosion by water
Elevation in the east sea level and rises as you travel west
Mt. Mitchell is the highest point in NC and eastern US
NC is divided into 3 physical regions

3. The Coastal Plain 45% of state
Coast to fall line– where rivers drop into rapids from higher elevations
Flat area with thin layer of sand and clay
Two largest port cities are Wilmington and Morehead City

4. Coastal Plain cont. Divided into two areas
The Outer Banks –barrier islands, beaches, dunes, sounds, swamps
Cape Hatteras, Cape Lookout & Cape Fear
Sounds –shallow water between main land and islands, brackish water (fresh & salt)
Inlets—where ocean flows between islands, strong currents

5. Coastal Plain cont.
Tidewater– west of outer banks, slightly higher, sandhills
Golf courses, peach orchards, horse farms
Tobacco, soybeans, and peanuts

6. The Piedmont Rolling land, 45% of state
What is left of very old mountains (erosion)
Furniture, textiles, tobacco
Many rivers provide hydroelectric power
Largest population center– Raleigh, Durham, W-S, GBoro, Charlotte

7. The Mountains Two ranges w/ plateau in middle
Blue Ridge and the Smokies
Heavily forested, dairy farming, apples, Christmas trees
Eastern continental divide– rivers east flow to Atlantic, west go to Gulf of Mexico

8. Mountains cont.
Tourism- Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail

9. Waterways in NC Most rivers begin in mountains or piedmont
Only one goes directly to Atlantic (Cape Fear), most empty into sounds
Most lakes are man-made, largest are Fontana, Norman, and Gaston

10. Climate in NC
Climate– temperature and precipitation over long period of time
Long growing season- period of time from last frost to first frost
More snow in mountains (elevation and rain shadow)
More rain in coastal plain