OUTER BANKS

also called The Banks, chain of islands extending southward for 175 miles (282 km) along the coast of North Carolina, U.S., from Back Bay, Va., to Cape Lookout, N.C. Generally covered with sand dunes, the islands range from a few feet to more than 100 feet (160 m) in height. They are inhabited by some fishermen and farmers, and the area attracts bird hunters and sports fishermen. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway threads its way between Outer Banks and the mainland. The Banks are full of shipwrecks and pirate lore and have several historical sites, notably Roanoke Island (q.v.), where an unsuccessful English colony was established in 1585, and Kitty Hawk, where the Wright brothers made the first powered airplane flight.