Raleigh is the capital of the state of North Carolina, the seat of Wake County in the United States. Raleigh is referred to as the “City of Oaks” because of its many oak trees, which line the roadways in the center of the city. The city contains a land area of 142.8 square miles. The U.S. Census Bureau approximated the city’s population as 451,066 as of July 1, 2015. Additionally, it is among the fastest-growing cities in the United States. The city of Raleigh is termed after Sir Walter Raleigh, who founded the lost Roanoke Colony in present-day Dare County.
Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University and is a part of the Research Triangle area, along with Durham (home of Duke University) and Chapel Hill (home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). The “Triangle” nickname came from the 1959 creation of the Research Triangle Park, located in Durham and Wake Counties, partway amongst the three cities and their universities.
Raleigh is situated in the northeast central region of North Carolina, the location where the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This region is referred to as the “fall line” mainly because it represents the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. Consequently, most of Raleigh features gently rolling hills that slope eastward in the direction of the state’s flat coastal plain. Its central Piedmont area situates Raleigh about two hours west of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, by car and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Raleigh’s industrial base includes banking/financial services; electrical, medical, electronic and telecommunications equipment; clothing and apparel; food processing; paper products; and pharmaceuticals. Raleigh belongs to North Carolina’s Research Triangle, one of the country’s biggest and most prosperous research parks, and a major center in the United States for high-tech and biotech research, as well as advanced textile development. The city is a major retail shipping point for eastern North Carolina and a wholesale distributing point for the grocery industry. Raleigh is number one on the 2015 Forbes List for being the best place for businesses and careers.
Raleigh is home to a multitude of religious practitioners. As of 2013, 46.41% of people in Raleigh are associated with a religion. The prevalent religion in Raleigh is Christianity, with the largest numbers of adherents being Roman Catholic (11.3%), Baptist (10.85%), and Methodist (7.08%).
Raleigh regularly is awarded national recognition for its quality of life and business climate.
As of 2011, Time ranked Raleigh as the third most educated city in the US based on the percentage of residents who held college degrees. This statistic can almost certainly be credited to the existence of universities in and around Raleigh, and also the presence of Research Triangle Park to the Northwest.
Take some time to visit and enjoy the great city of Raleigh, North Carolina as well as many of its great communities like Brier Creek. This capital city will sure to impress with its great citizenry, vibrant arts scene, and local businesses.