Most populous city in North Carolina, United States
About Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. With a population of 874,579 at the 2020 census, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., seventh-most populous city in the South, and second-most populous city in the Southeast. The Charlotte metropolitan area, with an estimated 2.88 million residents, is the 21st-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. and lies at the center of an 18-county combined statistical area with an estimated population of 3.47 million as of 2024. Charlotte is the county seat of Mecklenburg County.
History
The Catawba Indians are the earliest known inhabitants of the Charlotte area. They were first encountered in the region in 1567 by the Spanish Conquistador Juan Pardo. The area that is now Charlotte was first settled by European colonists around 1755 when Thomas Spratt and his family settled near what is now the Elizabeth neighborhood. Thomas Polk (great-uncle of President James K. Polk), who later married Thomas Spratt's daughter, built his house by the intersection of two Native American trading paths between the Yadkin and Catawba rivers. One path ran north–south and was part of the Great Wagon Road; the second path ran east–west along what is now Trade Street. By 1759, half the Catawba tribe had died from smallpox, an endemic disease among European colonists, against which the Catawba had no natural immunity. At its peak, the Catawba population was 10,000. …
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 312.00 square miles (808.1 km2), of which 310.02 square miles (802.9 km2) is land and 1.98 square miles (5.1 km2) (0.63%) is water. Charlotte is the twenty-sixth-most expansive city in the United States and lies at an elevation of 751 feet (229 m). Charlotte constitutes most of Mecklenburg County in the Carolina Piedmont. Uptown Charlotte sits atop a long rise between two creeks, Sugar Creek and Irwin Creek, and was built on the gunnies of the St. Catherine's and Rudisill gold mines. Charlotte is 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Concord; 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Rock Hill, South Carolina; 83 miles (134 km) southwest of Greensboro; 135 miles (217 km) west of Fayetteville; and 165 miles (266 km) southwest of Raleigh, the state capital. …
Arts and culture
The Charlotte region is home to many annual festivals and special events. The Carolina Renaissance Festival operates on Saturdays and Sundays each October and November. Located near the intersection of NC 73 and Poplar Tent Road, the Carolina Renaissance Festival is one of the largest renaissance themed events in the country. It features 11 stages of outdoor variety entertainment, a 22-acre village marketplace, an interactive circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament, and a feast, all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure. The Yiasou Greek Festival is a Greek Festival. It began in 1978 and since then has become one of Charlotte's largest cultural events. …
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