The United States Census Bureau, as of July 1, 2009, estimated North Carolina's population at 9,380,884. North Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the Southern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina’s largest city is Charlotte and its capitol is Raleigh.
Professional sporting teams include the Panthers, Hurricanes and Bobcats. The NFL is represented by the Carolina Panthers, who began play in 1995. In 2004, the NBA returned to the state with the Charlotte Bobcats who play their home games in Time Warner Cable Arena. The NHL’s Hurricanes are the first major professional sports team from North Carolina to win their sport's highest championship by winning the Stanley Cup in 2006.
Some of North Carolina’s most popular cities include: Charlotte, Wilmington, Greenville, Greensboro and Raleigh