As
the largest city in North Carolina
and the 19th-largest in United States,
Charlotte is
noted for its ever-expanding culture and livelihood. Its 2006-estimated
population was 630,000, a 46% increase since 1990 and the metropolitan area
has 1.5 million people. Charlotte is the
county seat of Mecklenburg County and has been nicknamed "The Queen
City." In 2008, relocate-america.com called Charlotte the "Best Place to Live
in America."
Education
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is the 2nd-largest public
school system in the state and the 20th-largest in the nation. There are 161
elementary, middle and high schools in the city and a host of private
schools, many of them secular and parochial. There are also many charter
schools available. As for higher education, Charlotte
is probably most known for the University
of North Carolina in University City in the northeastern section.
There are many other colleges and universities available to choose from,
however. The largest community college in the Carolinas,
Central
Piedmont
Community College, has several campuses in the Charlotte metro area. Students interested in
private education have plenty of options, including
Johnson & Wales University,
Johnson C. Smith University, Belmont Abbey College,
Queens University of Charlotte, and a campus of Pfeiffer University.
Additionally, Davidson College is a 20-mile drive from Charlotte.
Recreation
Charlotte
has several museums, parks and venues at which to spend free time.
Additionally, there are a variety of nightclubs with different atmospheres
in the uptown district. A very popular recreation in Charlotte and the rest
of the
Carolinas is golf, and there are many courses
and clubs in the city. Locals sometimes refer to Charlotte as "The City of Churches," being
Billy Graham's birthplace. The city has more than 700 places of worship,
including those belonging to various Christian denominations as well as some
belonging to Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. Charlotte residents support seven professional
sports teams, including the NFL's Carolina Panthers and the NBA's Charlotte
Bobcats. There are also various sites of interest in Charlotte including theatres, cultural
centers, a botanical garden, and historic areas that all contribute to the
proud local culture.