NC Regions:
Land, Climate and Natural Resources
Coastal Plain
Land: The Coastal Plain is divided into an Inner Coastal Plain and the Outer
Coastal Plain called the Tidewater.
• The Eastern limit of the Coastal Plain is the Outer Banks.
• Large Bodies of water known as sounds separate the Outer Banks from
the mainland.
• The Coastal Plain is a broad, flat region running inland.
• There are numerous swamps, lakes and rivers in this region.
Piedmont
Land: The Piedmont rises into gently rolling hills. This region has elevations of 500
feet to 1500 feet.
• Red clay soil is found in the Piedmont
• The dividing line between the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain is called the fall
line because the elevation between the two changes so quickly. It creates
waterfalls.
Mountains
Land: The Appalachian Mountains are found in the western part of NC.
• The mountains were named after the Apalachee, a group of Native
Americans found along the Gulf Coast of Florida.
• NC has the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River, Mount Mitchell.
• NC has some of the oldest mountains in the world.
Climate of NC
• NC is near enough to the equator to have a moderate year round temperature.
• The growing seasons are relatively long which has influenced farming
throughout the state.
• NC borders the Atlantic. The Atlantic warms the air above it which creates warm
humid summers and cool damp winters.
• Elevation effects climate in NC. It is much cooler in the Mountains due to the
elevation.
• The mountains also block bad weather from reaching us from the west.
• Precipitation is distributed evenly throughout the state.
• Winds have shaped the state’s coastline and made it difficult for ships to
navigate.
Natural Resources
• The Tidelands are covered in a rich soil known as silt and the rest
of the coastal plain is covered in loam. This is very rich soil which
attracted early settlers who were farmers.
• The Piedmont has a less fertile soil with more clay. Farms in the
Piedmont seem to be smaller.
• In the mountains the soil is thin and rocky.
• NC is home to over 300 different rocks and minerals.
• Europeans were drawn to NC because of its large forest and the
abundance of wildlife. Trees are an important resource.
• The state has abundant water resources . A valuable natural
resource is its fishing.