Raleigh is the capital of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. It is the second most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's estimated population on July 1, 2008 was 392,552 (a 42% increase from the 2000 Census), making Raleigh the 8th fastest growing city in the United States.

Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill make up the three historically primary cities of the Research Triangle metropolitan region. The regional nickname of "The Triangle" originated after the 1959 creation of the Research Triangle Park, located between the cities of Raleigh and Durham