the geography of north carolina falls naturally into three divisions or sectionsâthe appalachian mountains formed mostly by the blue ridge and great smoky mountains, the middle or piedmont plateau, and the eastern or tidewater section, also known as the coastal plain. north carolina covers  and is  long by  wide. the physical characteristics of the state can be pictured as a surface spread out upon a vast declivity, sloping down from the summits of the smoky mountains, an altitude of near seven thousand feet, to the ocean level. ==blue ridge/appalachian mountains==   the mountains of north carolina may be conveniently classed as four separate chains: *the great smoky mountains - also called the "smokies". *the blue ridge mountains - north carolina's largest mountain range, the blue ridge run across the state in a very tortuous course and often shoot out in spurs of great elevation over the surrounding terrain. the black mountains, a subrange of the blue ridge, are the highest mountains in the eastern united states, and culminate in mount mitchell at 6,684 feet (2,037.3 m) above sea level. *the brushy mountains - a much smaller and lower mountain range, the brushy mountains are located entirely within the state's borders. often called the "brushies", they divide, for the greater part of their courses, the waters of the catawba river and yadkin river. the brushy mountains begin at hibriten mountain in caldwell county and terminate in pilot mountain and the sauratown mountains in stokes county. the highest point in the brushy mountains is pores knob at 2,680 feet (817.4 m) above sea level. *the uwharrie mountains - named after a native american tribe which once lived in the region. the uwharries are north carolina's easternmost mountain range; they are the oldest mountain range in north america and are the lowest mountain range in the state. the uwharries begin in montgomery county, north carolina and terminate in the hills of person county, north carolina. the highest point in the uwharries is high rock mountain, which is only  above sea level. however, the uwharries still rise several hundred feet above the surrounding terrain, which averages only  above sea level. each of these mountain ranges is marked by distinct characteristics. the smoky mountain chain (as con
Geography_of_North_Carolina