Eastern North Carolina

Eastern North Carolina, often called ENC, is a part of the state of North Carolina in the United States. It is known as the state's Coastal Plain and includes many special areas like the Sandhills, the Lower Cape Fear near Wilmington, the Crystal Coast, the Inner Banks, and the Outer Banks. This area is made up of 41 counties and has many cities such as Fayetteville, Greenville, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Rocky Mount, and New Bern, which was the first capital of North Carolina.

In 1993, the state created groups to help the economy in different parts of North Carolina. Three of these groups work in Eastern North Carolina to help bring jobs and growth to the area. These groups focus on different ways to make life better, like helping more people get good jobs.

Eastern North Carolina is located between the Piedmont to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. It does not have many very large cities. Greenville is near the center of the region, while Fayetteville is the biggest city, followed by Wilmington and Greenville.

Geography

Eastern North Carolina is made up of the 41 easternmost counties in North Carolina. This area includes all the counties east of Interstate 95, a major road that runs along the East Coast of the USA. The region is part of the state's Coastal Plain and can be divided into three main geographic sections: the Southeast, the Inner Banks, and the Outer Banks. This location makes travel easy, connecting the region well with the rest of the state and the country.

History

The coast of North Carolina was home to Native Americans, especially the Tuscarora people near present-day Snow Hill. This area also saw the first attempt by Europeans to settle in the New World on Roanoke Island.

During the time when America was being explored by Europeans, Eastern North Carolina was very important for both government and trade. Important early towns included Bath, Beaufort, Elizabeth City, Edenton, Kinston, New Bern, Tarboro, and Wilmington. The early economy relied on farming, fishing, and turpentine. Many settlers came from England, Scotland, Switzerland, and Germany. The city of New Bern was started in 1710 by people from the Palatinate region in Germany and later became the capital of the colony. Later on, importance shifted to the central part of the state.

Education

Eastern North Carolina has many places for students to learn. There are five public universities and seven private colleges in the area. The largest university is East Carolina University. The other public universities are Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Private colleges include Barton College, Campbell University, Chowan University, Methodist University, University of Mount Olive, North Carolina Wesleyan College, and Mid-Atlantic Christian University.

The region also has 23 community colleges, such as Beaufort County Community College and Fayetteville Technical Community College. These colleges offer programs to help students get skills for jobs in many fields, like working with airplanes, studying life sciences, or learning about farming and fishing.

Transportation

Eastern North Carolina has two main interstate highways and many U.S. routes for travel.

The main roads include Interstate 95, which runs near the western edge of the region through Rocky Mount, Wilson, Fayetteville, and Lumberton. Interstate 40 serves the southeast part of the state, going from near Mount Olive to Wilmington. Other important roads are I-795 between Wilson and Goldsboro, and several U.S. highways like U.S. 13, U.S. 17, and U.S. 64 that connect different towns and cities.

Trains run through the region with services from CSX, Norfolk Southern Railway, and the North Carolina Railroad Company. Amtrak offers passenger train service in places like Rocky Mount, Wilson, Selma, and Fayetteville.

For air travel, Wilmington International Airport is located in the region, and Raleigh-Durham International is not far away. There are also sixteen smaller airports for private planes and small flights.

Global Transpark

The North Carolina Global TransPark (GTP) is a large industrial area covering 2,500 acres. It is designed for many different types of transportation and business uses.

Ports

Eastern North Carolina has important ports where big ships can load and unload many things. These ports are in places like Morehead City and Wilmington, NC. There is also a big port just across the state line in Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA. These ports can handle cars and military equipment too.

Government

Eastern North Carolina’s local areas work together through seven groups called Councils of Government. These groups help share resources and support communities. The seven groups are the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments, Mid-Carolina Council of Governments, Lumber River Council of Governments, Cape Fear Council of Governments, Eastern Carolina Council of Governments, Mid-East Commission, and the Albemarle Commission.

Socio-economic

Eastern North Carolina is a region where many people face financial difficulties. About 21 percent of the people living there live in poverty. Jobs in textile manufacturing and other industries have moved away, leading to higher unemployment, especially in the northeastern part of the state. While many areas are not growing much, places like Greenville and Winterville in Pitt County are growing quickly because of East Carolina University and its medical facilities. The Fleet Readiness Center East at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point is the biggest employer east of Interstate 95, with a payroll of $277 million each year.

Topography

Eastern North Carolina is found along the East Coast of the United States, in an area called the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The land here is mostly flat and is great for farming. Two special parts of this area are the Outer Banks and the Inner Banks, which have landscapes similar to the Tidewater region of Virginia.

Area

Eastern North Carolina is made up of 41 counties. Together, these counties cover about 9,700 square miles (25000 square km). Some of the bigger cities and towns in this area include Fayetteville, Greenville, Jacksonville, Rocky Mount, and Wilmington. There are also many smaller towns and communities in the region.