North Carolina is a state on the Atlantic coast of the southeastern United States. One of the first 13 states. It borders Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the South and Georgia to the west, and Tennessee to the west. It covers an area of 136560 square kilometers, ranking 28th in 50 states. Population 9.7 million. Rural population accounts for more than 50%, which is one of the most populous counties in the United States. The largest city in Raleigh is Charlotte.