Raleigh (; ) is the
capital of the state of
North Carolina as well as the
seat of
Wake County in the
United States. It is the second most populous city in North Carolina, after
Charlotte. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many
oak trees, which line the streets in the heart of the city. The city covers a land area of . The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 439,896 as of July 1, 2014. It is also one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. The city of Raleigh is named after
Sir Walter Raleigh, who established the lost
Roanoke Colony in present-day
Dare County.