City (pop., 2000: 276,093), capital of North Carolina, U.S. It was selected as the state capital in 1788 and was laid out in 1792.
It is a major retail shipping point for eastern North Carolina and a wholesale distributing point for food stores. Manufactures include textiles, electronic equipment and computers, and processed foods. Along with Durham and Chapel Hill, Raleigh is part of North Carolina's Research Triangle
an area of cultural, scientific, and educational institutions that includes Duke University and the University of North Carolina.