North Carolina

North Carolina is largely a knowledge-based economy. With industrialized towns and hundreds of factories that have become a major producer of textiles and tobacco products, North Carolina has various resources including new railroads for plentiful tobacco, cotton and timber products. North Carolina's economy is now focused on industries such as food processing, banking, pharmaceuticals, technology and vehicle parts. Charlotte has grown to become the second-largest banking center in the nation, and Research Triangle Park is home to more than 200 companies. With over 10.4 million North Carolinians, it is considered as the 1st Best State for Business (Forbes, 2018), and the 2nd largest highway system with 80,000 miles of roadway.