Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city and the seat of Mecklenburg County, is located in the southern part of the state near the South Carolina border. It was named for King George III of England's wife, Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Settled about 1750, Charlotte was incorporated as a city in 1768 and made the county seat in 1774. From 1800 to 1848, Charlotte was the center of U.S. gold production. A branch of the U.S. mint operated there from 1837 to 1913. Charlotte was a leading Confederate city during the Civil War and was the last meeting place of the full Confederate cabinet.

Charlotte is the second-largest banking center in the United States, and two of the nation's top banks, Wachovia and Bank of America, are headquartered there. Other major employers are the education, health care, government, technology, and communications sectors. The city is a hub for US Airways.

Charlotte is the home of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1946) as well as the Carolina Panthers (football) and Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Mayor Pat McCrory won a record sixth term in the November 2005 elections.