Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the 20th largest city in the United States. It has a 2008 estimated population of 695,995 as of January 1, 2008 and the metro area has an estimated population of 2,491,650 (Mecklenburg and 13 surrounding counties). It is the county seat of Mecklenburg County and is located in the south-central part of the state in the Piedmont region, near the South Carolina border.
Area: 280.5 square miles Time zone: Eastern Standard
The city's economy has and is continuing to mature starting in the 1990s and continuing through the 2000s to become dominated by financial services, as well as retail commerce. According to 2006 estimates, Charlotte is the 5th–fastest-growing among large U.S. cities as well as the fastest-growing city on the East Coast and the largest metro area between Atlanta and Washington, D.C. A resident of Charlotte is referred to as a Charlottean Nicknamed The Queen City, Charlotte (as well as the county containing it) was named in honor of the German Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818) (Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg), who had become queen consort of King George III the previous year. During the American Revolution the British Commander in the Southern Colonies, General Cornwallis, occupied Charlotte but was driven out soon afterwards by the fierce opposition of the city's residents to British rule. Cornwallis famously wrote that Charlotte was "a hornet's nest of rebellion", leading to another city nickname: The Hornet's Nest.
The city has mild winters and hot, humid summers. Charlotte's location puts it in the direct path of subtropical moisture from the Gulf as it heads up the eastern seaboard along the jet stream, thus the city receives ample precipitation throughout the year but also a very large number of clear, sunny, and pleasantly warm days. On average, Charlotte receives about 43.52 inches of precipitation annually, including very little snow and more frequent ice-storms.
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
| Avg high [°C](°F) |
12 (54) |
13 (56) |
18 (64) |
23 (73) |
27 (80) |
31 (87) |
32 (90) |
31 (88) |
28 (82) |
23 (73) |
17 (63) |
12 (54) |
22 (72) |
| Avg low temperature [°C](°F) |
0 (32) |
1 (34) |
6 (42) |
9 (49) |
14 (58) |
19 (66) |
22 (71) |
21 (69) |
17 (63) |
11(51) |
6 (42) |
2 (35) |
11 (51) |
| Rainfall (millimeters)(inches) |
101.6 (4.00) |
90.2 (3.55) |
111.5 (4.39) |
74.9 (2.95) |
93.0 (2.66) |
86.9 (3.42) |
96.3 (3.79) |
94.5 (3.72) |
97.3 (3.83) |
93.0 (3.66) |
85.3 (3.36) |
80.8 (3.18) |
1105.3 (43.52) |
Charlotte has become a major U.S. financial center, and, based on assets, both the nation's first largest and third largest financial institutions call the city home (Bank of America and Wachovia respectively). Bank of America's headquarters, along with other regional banking and financial services companies, are located primarily in the uptown financial district. Thanks in large part to the expansion of the city's banking industry, the Charlotte skyline has mushroomed in the past two decades and boasts the Bank of America Corporate Center, the tallest skyscraper between Philadelphia and Atlanta. The 60-story postmodern gothic tower, designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli, stands 871 feet tall and was completed in 1992.
The following Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in the Charlotte metro area:
Bank of America Duke Energy Family Dollar Goodrich Corporation
Nucor Sonic Automotive SPX Corporation Wachovia
Other major companies headquartered in the Metro Charlotte include Time Warner Cable, (a business unit of Fortune 500 company Time Warner), Lowe's, Continental Tire North America (formerly Continental/General Tire), Bojangles, Carlisle Companies, Lending Tree, Muzak, Belk, Harris Teeter, Meineke Car Care Centers, Lance Inc., Compass Group USA, and Food Lion.
Charlotte is also a major center in the US motorsports industry, with NASCAR having multiple offices in and around Charlotte. Approximately 75% of the industry's employees and drivers are based within two hours of downtown Charlotte. Charlotte is also the future home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, expected to be completed in 2009. The center city/uptown area of Charlotte has seen remarkable growth over the last decade. Numerous residential units continue to be built uptown, including over 20 skyscapers either under construction, recently completed, or in the planning stage. Many new restaurants, bars and clubs now operate in the Uptown area. |