Democratic National Convention: 12 Things to Know About Charlotte
Get to know the DNC's host city.
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Welcome to Charlotte - Get to know the city of Charlotte, N.C., the host city for the Democratic National Convention Sept. 4-6. – Britt Middleton. (Photo: charlottein2012.com)
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Charlotte's Early History - The first inhabitants of North Carolina were of Native American descent, but eventually American colonists in the 1700s, along with Africans brought to the United States as slaves, would make settlements there. After the Civil War, Charlotte became a boom town for cotton processing and mining, and later took shape as a major financial center in the 1970s and 1980s. (Photo: Wikicommons)
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Population - Total population: 751,087 (source: 2011 U.S. Census Bureau estimate) White: 50 percent African-American: 35 percent Latino: 13. 1 percent (Photo: charlottesgotalot.com)
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Local Economy - Charlotte is the second-largest banking city in the country, after New York City, with financial giants Bank of America and Wells Fargo making their headquarters there. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates indicate that there are 68,564 firms operating in the city, with 17.8 percent being Black-owned. Additionally, its economy is driven by agriculture, mining and fishing. (Photo: AP)
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Geography - Charlotte has a total area of 297.68 square miles. The city sits on the Piedmont plateau in Southwestern North Carolina. Charlotte is about 85 miles south and east of the Appalachian Mountains, and about 180 miles northwest of the Atlantic Ocean, according to City-Data.com. (Photo: Google Maps)
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Political Affiliation - Registered Democrats: 292,131 Registered Republicans: 176,472 Total number of registered African-American voters: 203,365 (Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections) (Photo: Davis Turner/Getty Images)
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Unemployment - Rate of unemployment in Charlotte: 8.4 percent Rate of unemployment in North Carolina: 9.4 percent (Photo: Matthew Staver/Landov)
Photo By Photo: Matthew Staver /Landov
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Average Weather (September) - Average high temperature: 82 degrees F Average low: 61 degrees F (Source: weather.com) (Photo: wsoctv.com)
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City Leadership - Democrat Anthony Foxx is the mayor of Charlotte. Before being elected mayor in 2009, he served two terms on Charlotte's city council as an at-large representative. He additionally serves as chair of the "Charlotte in 2012 Host Committee," a nonpartisan organization established by the city to help the DNC with convention logistics. (Photo: anthonyfoxx.com)
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Average Income and Poverty - Average income per household (2006-2010): $68,564 Percentage of residents living below poverty line (2006-2010): 13.9 percent (Source: U.S. Census Bureau) (Photo: GettyImages)
Photo By Photo: GettyImages
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