North Carolina

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 (disambiguation)

North Carolina may refer to:

See also

North Carolina wine

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

Bird Island, North Carolina

Bird Island is approximately 1,300 acres (5.3 km²) adjacent to the coastal resort town of Sunset Beach, North Carolina, USA. Sunset Beach is on a barrier island and is the southernmost town in North Carolina. Bird Island can be reached by walking along the seashore toward the South Carolina border. Due to the contour of the Atlantic Coast at this point, the direction of travel to Bird Island is approximately West-Southwest. Previously, Bird Island was separated from Sunset Beach by a tidal creek (Mad Inlet) that could be easily crossed only at low tide. Accretion of ocean sand (due to hurricane activity in the 1990s as well as environmental activity to fill in dune grass) has gradually filled in the tidal creek so that two separate islands became one. Also it is listed as a nude beach on many popular websites.

Preservation

Bird Island was privately owned prior to 2002. The shoreline, dunes, and marshland of Bird Island provide important habitat and nesting for species that are endangered, threatened, or of special concern, including the Kemp's Ridley and Loggerhead sea turtles. Although there was no vehicular access to this land, there was the threat that the land might some day be developed. The state of North Carolina used $4.2 million of public and private funding to purchase the land and create a coastal reserve, administered by the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management.

Bird Island

Bird Island may refer to:

Africa

Europe

North America

In Alaska, U.S.:

In California, U.S.:

In Minnesota, U.S.:

In the Caribbean:

In other areas of North America:

Bird Island (Tasmania)

Bird Island is an island game reserve, with an area of 43.92 ha, in Bass Strait, south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Hunter Island Group which lies between north-west Tasmania and King Island. It is home to about 5,000 pairs of short-tailed shearwaters, the young of which are harvested annually, and about 3,000 pairs of little penguins.

Fauna

The island forms part of the Hunter Island Group Important Bird Area. As well as the shearwaters and penguins, other breeding seabirds and shorebirds include white-faced storm-petrel, Pacific gull, silver gull and sooty oystercatcher. Reptiles include the metallic skink and abundant tiger snakes.

References

Coordinates: 40°36′S 144°43′E / 40.600°S 144.717°E / -40.600; 144.717

Moku Manu

Moku Manu, or "Bird Island" in the Hawaiian language, is an offshore islet of Oahu, three-quarters of a mile off Mokapu Peninsula. Moku Manu and an adjacent small islet are connected by an underwater dike. The island was formed from debris flung from a vent of the nearby Kailua Volcano. Its highest point is 202 feet high, bordered by near-vertical cliffs on many sides. Moku Manu is protected as a state seabird sanctuary like its neighbors to the south, Manana, Kāohikaipu, and Mōkōlea Rock. Regardless, landing by boat is nearly impossible due to the lack of a safe beach.

Moku Manu's isolated nature makes it an excellent nesting site. Eleven species of seabirds nest on Moku Manu, along with several migrating shorebirds.

External links

Media related to Moku Manu at Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 21°28′12″N 157°43′12″W / 21.47000°N 157.72000°W / 21.47000; -157.72000