Air

North Carolina is known for its “Carolina blue skies.” To protect those blue skies, the state strives to protect and improve its outdoor air quality for the health and benefit of all. We do this by monitoring air quality, permitting and inspecting air emissions sources, developing plans for improving air quality, and educating and informing the public about air quality issues.

Coast

The state has 320 miles of coastal beaches; more than 4,000 miles of estuarine shoreline; and over two million acres of sounds, creeks and marshes. All of the beaches in the state are public beaches. Residents and visitors can enjoy swimming, fishing, boating, hunting for seashells, and sparkling sunrises and lazy sunsets.

Forest

North Carolina has 18.3 million acres of forested land. There are only three other states in the nation that have more forest land than North Carolina. Some forests have mostly deciduous trees -- trees that show fall color, then lose all their leaves -- such as oaks, maples, hickories, and many others. Some forests have mostly pine trees. And some forests are a mixture. The abundance of quality oaks, maples and cherries helps explain why North Carolina is the Nation's leader in manufacturing fine furniture.

Land

North Carolina covers a total of 52,685 square miles – 48,718 square miles of land and 3,967 miles of water. The state has three geographic areas: a coastal plain, the hilly piedmont section, and mountains in the western portion of the state. Our land resources include feldspar, lithium minerals, scrap mica, olivine, pyrophyllite, phosphate rock production, clay, crushed granite, and gem stones such as emeralds and rubies.

Mountains

North Carolina has some of the most beautiful mountains in the country. Mount Mitchell, which is 6,684 feet above sea level, is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River. North Carolina is also home to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country. And…there are emerald, ruby and sapphire gem mines. The largest single emerald crystal found in North America came from western North Carolina.

Water

The Tar Heel State has 17 main river basins and about 1,500 lakes that are 10 acres or more. The New River in western North Carolina is thought to be one of the oldest rivers in the world. These valuable resources as well as groundwater provide our state with both drinking water and recreational waters for boating, swimming, fishing and aesthetic enjoyment.

Wildlife

North Carolina has an abundance of wildlife that includes 5700 species of plants, 990 species of vertebrates and more than 10,000 species of invertebrates. This includes bear, deer, wolves, alligators, snakes, shellfish such as oysters and clams, jellyfish, inland fish such as mountain and rainbow trout, saltwater fish such as flounder, longleaf pines, live oaks, and insect-eating plants such as flytraps and pitcher plants.