City of Charlotte
Skyline of Charlotte at night
Flag
Nickname: "The Queen City"
Location in Mecklenburg County in the state of North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°13′37″N 80°50′36″W / 35.22694, -80.84333
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Government
- Mayor	Pat McCrory, (R)
Area
- Total	280.5 sq mi (629.0 km²)
- Land	279.9 sq mi (627.5 km²)
- Water	0.6 sq mi (1.6 km²)
Elevation	751 ft (229 m)
Population (Population (estimate Jan.1,2007))
- City	664,332
- Density	2,515.7/sq mi (971.3/km²)
- Metro	2,191,604
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	704, 980
FIPS code	37-12000GR2
GNIS feature ID	1019610GR3
Website: http://www.charmeck.org/

Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the 20th largest city in the United States. It has a 2006 estimated population of approximately 664,342^[1] as of January 1, 2007. It is the county seat of Mecklenburg County,^GR6 and is located in the south-central part of the state in the Piedmont region, near the South Carolina border. 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.^[2] Charlotte may refer to: Charlotte (dessert), a type of dessert Charlotte (figure skating), a figure skating spiral move Charlotte (Kittie song), the second single released by all-female alternative metal band Kittie Charlotte (ship), a First Fleet convict transport ship to Australia Charlotte (sternwheeler), a paddle steamer from the Fraser... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x720, 681 KB) Summary i shot it Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Charlotteflag. ... EXAMPLE:Laughbox,Blondie,BamBam,Pinkie,etc. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1250x800, 83 KB) Summary Made using US Census Bureau Data & NC maps by Seth Illys. ... Mecklenburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... This list of countries, arranged alphabetically, gives an overview of countries of the world. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The political units and divisions of the United States include: The 50 states... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... List of North Carolina counties: Alamance County Alexander County Alleghany County Anson County Ashe County Avery County Beaufort County Bertie County Bladen County Brunswick County Buncombe County Burke County Cabarrus County Caldwell County Camden County Carteret County Caswell County Catawba County Chatham County Cherokee County Chowan County Clay County Cleveland... Image File history File links Mecklenburg_County,_North_Carolina_seal. ... Mecklenburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Pat McCrory (born October 17, 1956) is an American politician and is currently the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... For other uses, see City (disambiguation). ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... The Eastern Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting five hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... -12 | -11 | -10 | -9:30 | -9 | -8 | -7 | -6 | -5 | -4 | -3:30 | -3 | -2:30 | -2 | -1 | -0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... Eastern Daylight Time or EDT is equal to: In North America, Eastern Standard Time + 1, or UTC − 4 hours. ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Area Code 704 covers Metropolitan Charlotte, in the Piedmont of North Carolina. ... Area Code 980 is the overlay for Area Code 704, which covers Metropolitan Charlotte, in the Piedmont of North Carolina. ... Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the U.S. Federal government for use by all (non-military) government agencies and by government contractors. ... GNIS (The Geographic Names Information System) contains name and locative information about almost two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its Territories. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Largest metro area Charlotte metro area Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... Ten most populous cities in the United States Los Angeles San Jose San Diego Phoenix Chicago New York City Houston San Antonio Dallas Philadelphia The following is a list of the most populous incorporated places in the United States. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county, primarily used in the United States. ... Mecklenburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32° 2′ N to 35° 13′ N  - Longitude 78° 32′ W to 83...

Nicknamed The Queen City, Charlotte (as well as the county containing it) was named in honor of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg, wife of King George III of the United Kingdom. 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. Queen Charlotte, (née Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was the queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom (1738–1820). ... George III (George William Frederick) (4 June 1738–29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain, and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until 1 January 1801, and thereafter King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (December 31, 1738-October 5, 1805) was a British general and colonial governor. ...

The Charlotte metropolitan area (MSA) had a census estimated population of 1,583,016 in 2006. As of 2006, the Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury combined statistical area (CSA) had a population of 2,191,604.^[3] A resident of Charlotte is referred to as a Charlottean (IPA: [ˌʃaɹləˈtʰiːən). Counties most commonly associated with the Charlote Metro area are in dark red, counties often included are light red, and counties sometimes included are in orange. ... MSA can mean Medical savings account is the former name for what is now called the Health savings account (HSA) in the United States. ... The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ...

History

Horse-drawn carriage in uptown Charlotte

The area that is now Charlotte was first settled in 1755 when Thomas Polk (uncle of United States President James K. Polk), who was traveling with Thomas Spratt and his family, stopped and built his house of residence at the intersection of two Native American trading paths between the Yadkin and Catawba rivers.^[4] One of the paths ran north-south and was part of the Great Wagon Road; the second path ran east-west along what is now modern-day Trade Street. In the early part of the 18th century, the Great Wagon Road led settlers of Scots-Irish and German descent from Pennsylvania into the Carolina foothills. Within the first decades following Polk's settling, the area grew to become the community of "Charlotte Town," which officially incorporated as a town in 1768.^[5] The crossroads, perched atop a long rise in the Piedmont landscape, became the heart of modern Uptown Charlotte. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3072x2304, 2970 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3072x2304, 2970 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. President. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... The Yadkin River at Elkin, North Carolina The Yadkin River is the second longest river in North Carolina, surpassed only by the Cape Fear. ... The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River, approximately 220 mi (354 km) long, in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. ... The Great Wagon Road, which ran from Pennsylvania to Georgia, was one of the most heavily traveled major routes for settlers in all America. ... Scots-Irish (also called Ulster Scots) is a Scottish ethnic group that historically resided in Ireland which ultimately traces its roots back to settlers from Scotland, and to a lesser extent, England. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Largest metro area Delaware Valley Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... The Foothills in the U.S. state of North Carolina is a region of transistional terrain between the Piedmont Plateau and the Appalachian Mountains. ... A Municipal corporation is a legal definition for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, villages, and boroughs. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... This May 2007 does not cite any references or sources. ...

In 1770, surveyors marked off the new town's streets in a grid pattern for future development. The east-west trading path became Trade Street, and the Great Wagon Road became Tryon Street, in honor of William Tryon, a royal governor of colonial North Carolina.^[6] The intersection of Trade and Tryon is known as "Trade & Tryon" or simply "The Square".^[4] The grid plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid. ... William Tryon (January 27, 1729 to 1788) was colonial governor of the Province of North Carolina (1765-1771) and the Province of New York (1771-1780, though he did not retain much power in the colony beyond 1777). ...

Both the town (now a city) and its county are named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the German-born wife of British King George III. The town name was chosen in hopes of winning favor with the crown,^[7] but tensions between the United Kingdom and Charlotte Town began to grow as King George imposed unpopular laws on the citizens in response to the townspeople's desire for independence.^[8] On May 20, 1775, the townsmen allegedly signed a proclamation later known as the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, a copy of which was sent, though never officially presented, to the Continental Congress a year later.^[9] The date of the declaration appears on the North Carolina state flag. Eleven days later, the same townsmen met to create and endorse the Mecklenburg Resolves, a set of laws to govern the newly independent town.^[10] Mecklenburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... Queen Charlotte, (née Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was the queen consort of George III of the United Kingdom (1738–1820). ... “George III” redirects here. ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1775 (MDCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is a resolution allegedly proclaimed at Charlotte, North Carolina, by the Committee of citizens of Mecklenburg County on May 20, 1775. ... The Continental Congress was the first national government of the United States. ... The flag of North Carolina is defined by law as follows That the flag of North Carolina shall consist of a blue union, containing in the center thereof a white star with the letter N in gilt on the left and the letter C in gilt on the right of... The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is a resolution allegedly proclaimed at Charlotte, North Carolina, by the Committee of citizens of Mecklenburg County on May 20, 1775. ...

Charlotte was a site of encampment for both American and British armies during the Revolutionary War and, during a series of skirmishes between British troops and Charlotteans, the village earned the lasting nickname "Hornet's Nest" from frustrated Lord General Charles Cornwallis.^[11] An ideological hotbed of revolutionary sentiment during the Revolutionary War and for some time afterwards, the legacy endures today in the nomenclature of such landmarks as Independence Boulevard, Independence High School, Independence Center, Freedom Park, Freedom Drive, and the former NBA team Charlotte Hornets. This article is about military actions only. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... U.S. Highway 74 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 524 miles (843 km) from Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina to Chattanooga, Tennessee. ... Independence High School (or, The Big I) is a high school in Mint Hill, North Carolina, southeast of Charlotte. ... NBA redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Churches, mainly of the Presbyterian faith, but also Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Catholics, began to form in the early 1800s, eventually giving Charlotte its nickname "The City of Churches."^[12] Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ...

In 1799, 12-year-old Conrad Reed brought home a rock weighing about 17 pounds, which the family used as a bulky doorstop for three years before it was recognized by a jeweler as near solid gold and bought for a paltry $3.50.^[13] The first verified gold find in the fledgling United States, young Reed's discovery became the genesis of the nation's first gold rush. Many veins of gold were found in the area throughout the 1800s and even into the early 1900s, thus the founding of the Charlotte Mint in 1837 for minting local gold. The state of North Carolina "led the nation in gold production until the California Gold Rush of 1848,"^[14] although the total volume of gold mined in the Charlotte area was dwarfed by subsequent rushes. Charlotte's city population at the 1880 Census grew to 7,084.^[15] Some locally based groups still pan for gold occasionally in local (mostly rural) streams and creeks. The Reed Gold Mine operated until 1912. The Charlotte Mint was active until 1861, when Confederate forces seized the mint at the outbreak of the Civil War. The mint was not reopened at the end of the war, but the building survives today, albeit in a different location, now housing the Mint Museum of Art. The Reed Gold Mine, located in Midland, North Carolina is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States. ... For other meanings, see Gold rush (disambiguation) A California Gold Rush handbill A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers into the area of a dramatic discovery of commercial quantities of gold. ... With the Carolina gold rush in full swing, the Charlotte Mint was born on March 3, 1835. ... 1880 US Census The United States Census of 1880 was the tenth United States Census. ... Miners operate a hydraulic sluice in San Francisquito Canyon, Los Angeles County. ... The Reed Gold Mine, located in Midland, North Carolina, USA is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States. ... With the Carolina gold rush in full swing, the Charlotte Mint was born on March 3, 1835. ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Religion... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... The Mint Museum of Art is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a building that once housed the Charlotte Mint. ...

The city's first boom came after the Civil War, as a cotton processing center and a railroad hub. Population leapt again during World War I, when the U.S. government established Camp Greene north of present-day Wilkinson Boulevard. Many soldiers and suppliers stayed after the war, launching an ascent that eventually overtook older and more established rivals along the arc of the Carolina Piedmont.^[16] The Piedmont Cresecent is geographical phenomenon of interlinked populated areas in the U.S. state of North Carolina that forms the shape of a crescent. ...

The city's modern-day banking industry achieved prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, largely under the leadership of financier Hugh McColl. McColl transformed North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) into a formidable national player that, through a series of aggressive acquisitions, eventually became Bank of America. Another bank, First Union, experienced similar growth, and is now known as Wachovia after a merger. Today, measured by control of assets, Charlotte is the second largest banking headquarters in the United States after New York City.^[17] Financier (IPA: /ËŒfi nãn ˈsjei/) is an elegant term for a person who handles large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. ... Hugh McColl (born June 18, 1935) is an American banker who was a driving force behind the consolidation that characterizes the commercial banking industry today. ... North Carolina National Bank (NCNB) was the name taken in 1960 by American Commercial Bank of Charlotte, North Carolina. ... Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648 ) is the largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits, and the largest company of its kind in the world. ... First Union Corporation was a large banking chain based in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... For Moravian settlements in North Carolina, see Wachovia, North Carolina. ...

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 242.9 square miles (629 square kilometers). Out of that, 242.3 sq. mi. (627.5 km²) of it is land and 0.6 sq. mi. (1.6 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.25% water. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ...

Charlotte constitutes most of Mecklenburg County in the Carolina Piedmont. Uptown Charlotte, so named because it sits atop a long rise between two creeks, was built on the gunnies of the St. Catherine's and Rudisill gold mines. Mecklenburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... Gunnies is a mining term derived from the Cornish language. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... Chuquicamata, the second largest open pit copper mine in the world, Chile. ...

Charlotte's elevation is 748 feet above sea level (at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport).

A 2007 American Lung Association report^[18] ranks Charlotte as having the 16th highest levels of smog among U.S. cities; however, the region's air quality has improved significantly in recent years, and is expected to continue to do so, even with increasing travel. ^[19] The American Lung Association is a non-profit organization which fights lung disease in all its forms, with special emphasis on asthma, tobacco control and environmental health. It was founded in 1904 to fight tuberculosis as the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis. ... It has been suggested that Haze be merged into this article or section. ...

Charlotte is located in North America's humid subtropical climate zone. The city has mild winters and hot, humid summers. In January, morning lows average around 0 °C (32 °F) and afternoon highs average 11 °C (51 °F). In July, lows average 22 °C (71 °F) and highs average 32 °C (90 °F). The highest recorded temperature was 40 °C (104 °F) on September 6, 1954 and during the August 2007 Southeastern heat wave.^[20] The lowest recorded temperature was -21 °C (-5 °F) in January 1985. 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 1105.3 mm (43.52 in) of precipitation annually, including very little snow and more frequent ice-storms. North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... The humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and chilly to mild winters. ...

A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter), symbol mm is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ...

Major storms

In 1989, the city took a direct hit from Hurricane Hugo. Passing through Charlotte with wind gusts over 160 km/h (100 mph), Hugo caused massive property damage and knocked out power to 98% of the population. Many residents were without power for several weeks and cleanup took months to complete. Being a city far inland, residents, city government and the utilities were not prepared to handle such a powerful hurricane. Over 80,000 trees were destroyed in Charlotte. Lowest pressure 918 mbar (hPa; 27. ...

In December 2002, Charlotte (and much of central North Carolina) was hit by a massive ice storm that knocked out power to over 1.2 million Duke Power customers. According to a Duke Energy representative: "This ice storm surpasses the damage from Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which had 696,000 outages." During an abnormally cold December, many were without power for more than two weeks.

Neighborhoods

To meet Wikipedia's quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup because it is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. This section has been tagged since September 2007.

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Prose is writing distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and its closer resemblance to the patterns of everyday speech. ... Night skyline of Charlotte Center City Charlotte center city (also known as Uptown Charlotte) is the area comprising the township and original city of Charlotte, North Carolina. ... The Cotswold area of Charlotte, North Carolina takes its name for a large shopping center located at Randolph and Sharon Amity Roads. ... Historic South End has its beginning in the 1850s with Charlottes first railroad line, connecting the Queen City to Columbia and Charleston, SC. As time passed a thriving manufacturing community sprang up along the tracks, centered on the booming textile industry. ... This May 2007 does not cite any references or sources. ... Elizabeth takes its name from Elizabeth College, a small Lutheran women’s college founded in 1897 on the present-day site of Presbyterian Hospital. ... Myers Park is a neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. ... Central Avenue as it passes through Plaza-Midwood Plaza-Midwood, is a neighborhood located approximately one mile to the northeast of Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... North Charlotte is a neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... Noda (Japanese: 野田市; -shi) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. ... This article is about the animated television series. ... University City, or simply University, is an edge city within the city limits of Charlotte, North Carolina, surrounding the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) campus. ... The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a public university located in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... Eastland is an area in Charlotte, North Carolina it comprises a majority of the citys east side and is home to Eastland Mall. ... Starmount is a residential neighborhood in the South Boulevard area of South Charlotte. ... Ballantyne is a planned mixed-use development that has grown exponentially in recent years and lies in the southernmost part of Charlotte, along the North and South Carolina border. ... The Arboretum is situated a few miles south of central Charlotte, along Pineville-Matthews Road, and was developed primarily around the Arboretum Shopping Center. ... Steele Creek is primarily considered to be a community and neighborhood in the southwestern part of Mecklenburg County in North Carolina. ... Biddleville, locally know as The Ford, is located west of Uptown along Beaties Ford Road. ... Derita is located north of I-85 and south of W.T. Harris Blvd and is generally centered on West Sugar Creek Road between North Graham Street and Nevin Road. ... Sedgefield is another historic neighborhood just south of Dilworth. ... Quail Hollow is a neighborhood in south Charlotte roughly located in between Park Road and Carmel Road, south of Dilworth and north of Ballantyne and Pineville. ...

Economy

Bank of America Corporate Center building in the background, the tallest skyscraper between Philadelphia and Atlanta.

Latta Arcade Restaurants with the Wachovia Bank Building in background

Charlotte has become a major U.S. financial center, and, based on assets, both the nation's second largest and fourth largest financial institutions call the city home (Bank of America and Wachovia, respectively). Bank of America' 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. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The Bank of America Corporate Center is an 871 ft (265m) skyscraper in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina. ... For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixels, file size: 433 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Christina Watkins, Digital Camera Photo, Released to public domain I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixels, file size: 433 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Christina Watkins, Digital Camera Photo, Released to public domain I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648 ) is the largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits, and the largest company of its kind in the world. ... For Moravian settlements in North Carolina, see Wachovia, North Carolina. ... For other uses, see Skyline (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ... Pellis Petronas Twin Tower César Pelli (born October 12, 1926 in Tucumán, Argentina) is a noted architect known for designing some of the worlds tallest buildings and other major urban landmarks. ...

The following Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in the Charlotte metropolitan area: The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the top 500 United States corporations as measured by gross revenue. ... Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are concentrated. ... Counties most commonly associated with the Charlote Metro area are in dark red, counties often included are light red, and counties sometimes included are in orange. ...

• Bank of America
• Duke Energy
• Family Dollar
• Goodrich Corporation
• Lowe's
• 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), Continental Tire North America (formerly Continental/General Tire), Muzak, Belk, Harris Teeter, Meineke Car Care Centers, Lance, Inc, Bojangles' , Carlisle Companies, LendingTree, Compass Group USA and Food Lion in suburban Salisbury. Also, neighboring Gastonia is home to Choice Beverage, Inc., makers of SunDrop and Cheerwine, and Parkdale Mills world headquarters. Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648 ) is the largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits, and the largest company of its kind in the world. ... Corporate Headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina Duke Energy NYSE: DUK, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States (primarily North and South Carolina), Canada and Latin America. ... A typical Family Dollar store. ... The Goodrich Corporation (formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company) NYSE: GR, based in Charlotte is an American aerospace manufacturing company. ... “Lowes” redirects here. ... Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE) is one of the largest steel producers in the United States, and the largest of the mini-mill operators (those using electric arc furnaces to melt scrap steel, as opposed to companies using traditional blast furnace technology). ... Sonic Automotive, Inc. ... SPX Corporation (NYSE: SPW) is a Fortune 500 company founded in 1911, and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... For Moravian settlements in North Carolina, see Wachovia, North Carolina. ... Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) is an American national cable television company that operates in 27 states and has 31 operating divisions. ... Time Warner Inc. ... Muzak Holdings LLC is a company, founded in 1934, that is best known for distribution of music to retail stores and other companies. ... Belk, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the United States largest privately held department store chain. ... Harris Teeter is a chain of upscale supermarkets based in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside Charlotte. ... Meineke is a company which runs a franchise chain of automotive service centers. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... Bojangles is a regional chain of fast food restaurants in the United States, specializing in fried chicken and biscuits. ... LendingTree, LLC is an online lending exchange, providing a marketplace that connects consumers with lenders that compete for their business. ... Food Lion LLC is an American grocery store company headquartered in Salisbury, North Carolina that operates approximately 1,300 supermarkets in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states under the Food Lion, Harveys, Bloom, Bottom Dollar, and Reids nameplates. ...

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. Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... NASCAR has committed itself to building a Hall of Fame at some location in the southern or midwestern United States. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Law, government and politics

Charlotte has a council-manager form of government. The mayor and city council are elected every two years, with no term limits. The mayor is ex officio chairman of the city council, and only votes in case of a tie. Unlike other mayors in council-manager systems, Charlotte's mayor has the power to veto ordinances passed by the council; vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds majority of the council. The council appoints a city manager to serve as chief administrative officer. The council-manager government is one of 2 main variations of representative municipal government (for contrast, also see Mayor-Council government). ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... A city council is the most common style of legislative government in a city or town. ... A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code. ... The council-manager government is one of 2 main variations of representative municipal government (for contrast, also see Mayor-Council government). ...

Unlike other cities and towns in North Carolina, elections are held on a partisan basis. The current mayor of Charlotte is Pat McCrory, of the Republican Party. McCrory has served as mayor since his election in 1995. Charlotte holds elections for mayor every two years, with the next election in 2007; there is no term limit. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Pat McCrory (born October 17, 1956) is an American politician and is currently the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. ...

Although it has elected Republican mayors since 1987, Charlotte tends to lean Democratic. However, voters are friendly to moderates of both parties. Republican strength is concentrated in the southeastern portion of the city, while Democratic strength is concentrated in the south-central, eastern and northern areas. Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ...

The city council is comprised of 11 members (7 from districts and 4 at-large). The Democrats currently control the council with an advantage of 7-to-4. While the city council is responsible for passing ordinances, many policy decisions must be approved by the North Carolina General Assembly as well, since North Carolina municipalities do not have home rule. Since the 1960s, however, municipal powers have been broadly construed. Bloc voting (or block voting) refers to a class of voting systems which can be used to elect several representatives from a single multimember constituency. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... Devolution or Home rule is the pooling of powers from central government to government at regional or local level. ...

Charlotte is split between three congressional districts on the federal level--the 8th, represented by Republican Robin Hayes; the 9th, represented by Republican Sue Myrick; and the 12th, represented by Democrat Mel Watt. A congressional district is an electoral constituency that elects a single member of a congress. ... Robert Robin Hayes (born August 14, 1945) is a Republican Congressman from North Carolina. ... Sue Myrick Sue Wilkins Myrick is an American politician; a Republican, she has represented North Carolinas 9th Congressional district (map) in the United States House of Representatives since 1995. ... Rep. ...

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) is a combined jurisdiction agency. The CMPD has law enforcement jurisdiction in both the City of Charlotte and the unincorporated areas of the County of Mecklenburg; however, several smaller towns, such as Matthews, maintain their own law enforcement agencies for their own jurisdictions. The Department is comprised of approximately 1600 sworn, armed, law enforcement officers, and several hundred civilian support personnel. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department divides the city into 13 geographic areas, which vary in size both geographically and by the number of officers assigned to each division.

See also: List of mayors of Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte mayoral election, 2007, and List of city council members in Charlotte

The following is a list of people who have served as the mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. ... The next Charlotte mayoral election will be held on November 6, 2007. ... List of city council members in Charlotte, North Carolina. ...

Education

UNC Charlotte Student Center

The city's public school system, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, is the second largest in North Carolina and 20th largest in the nation.[1] About 132,000 students are taught in 161 separate elementary, middle and high schools. Secular and religious private schools are prominent, from well-established schools with large campuses to others that are small and new. The relatively recent phenomenon of charter schools, independently operated public schools, are another education option. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 559 pixelsFull resolution (2832 × 1979 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 559 pixelsFull resolution (2832 × 1979 pixel, file size: 1. ... Location Charlotte, North Carolina Superintendent Dr. Peter C. Gorman Total Enrollment 129,011 (2006-07) Budget $1. ... Private schools, in the United States, Australia, Scotland, and other English-speaking countries, are schools not administered by local or national government, which retain the right to select their student body and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition rather than with public funds. ... In the United States, a charter school is a school that is created via a legal charter. ...

Charlotte's largest higher education institution, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is located in University City, as the northeastern portion of Charlotte is called. At 22,000 students and counting, it is the fastest-growing university in the state system. The area is also home to University Research Park, a 3,200 acre (13 km²) research and corporate park. Central Piedmont Community College has multiple campuses, all in the Charlotte metro area, and is the largest community college in North Carolina or South Carolina.^[21] Charlotte is home to a number of notable private universities and colleges such as Queens University of Charlotte and Davidson College; the latter being 20 miles north of Charlotte. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... University City, or simply University, is an edge city within the city limits of Charlotte, North Carolina, surrounding the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) campus. ... Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is a large community college located in Charlotte, Meclenburg County, North Carolina. ... In Canada and the United States, a community college, sometimes called a county college, junior college or a city college, is an educational institution providing higher education and lower-level tertiary education, granting certificates, diplomas, and Associates degrees. ... Queens University of Charlotte is a private university in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It was established in 1857 as a womens institute. ... Davidson College is a private liberal arts college for 1,700 students in Davidson, North Carolina, USA. Both the town and college were named for Brigadier General William Lee Davidson, a Revolutionary War commander. ...

The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County serves the Charlotte area with a large collection of books, CDs and DVDs in 20 branches. Most of its locations provide free access to Internet-enabled computers and WiFi. // PLCMC The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County (PLCMC), is the public library system of the city of Charlotte and County of Mecklenburg in North Carolina The roots of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County can be traced to 1891. ...

See also: List of schools in Charlotte

This is a list of schools in Charlotte, North Carolina. ...

People and culture

Demographics

As of 2005, census estimates show there are 610,949 people living within Charlotte's city limits, and 896,372 in Mecklenburg County. The county's population is projected to break 1 million in 2010.^{[citation needed]} The Combined Statistical Area of Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC had a population of 2,191,604 in 2006.^[3] ... The Eleventh United States Census was taken June 1, 1890. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... The Twetieth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 226,542,199, an increase of 11. ... The Twenty-first United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9. ... The Twenty-second United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ... Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ... The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. ...

Figures from the more comprehensive 2000 census show Charlotte's population density to be 861.9/km² (2,232.4/mi²). There are 230,434 housing units at an average density of 367.2/km² (951.2/mi²).

The city's breakdown by race is as follows:

• 58.26% Caucasian - mostly of British and Irish ancestry.
• 32.72% African American
• 9.16% Hispanic or Latino of any race
• 3.41% Asian (majorly Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese)
• 0.34% Native American
• 0.05% Pacific Islander
• 3.56% from other races
• 1.66% from two or more races.

The median income for a household in the city is $46,975, and the median income for a family is $56,517. Males have a median income of $38,767 versus $29,218 for females. The per capita income for the city is $26,823. 10.6% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.8% of those under the age of 18 and 9.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. European American is a term for an American of European descent, who are usually referred as White or Caucasian. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Hispanics in the United States, or Hispanic Americans, are American citizens or residents of Hispanic ethnicity who identify themselves as having Hispanic Cultural heritage. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... An Asian American is a person of Asian ancestry or origin who was born in or is an immigrant to the United States. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... Pacific Islands (or Pacific Person, pl: Pacific People, also called Oceanic[s]), is a geographic term used in several places, such as New Zealand and the United States, to describe the inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania. ... The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income