<Tr> <Th> Time zone </Th> <Td> EST (UTC - 5) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Summer (DST) </Th> <Td> EDT (UTC - 4) </Td> </Tr> <P> The Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively . It is bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest . The Atlantic Ocean is to the east . Charlotte is the Carolinas' largest city . The largest metropolitan area is the Charlotte metropolitan area, which also includes Uptown Charlotte and Rock Hill (the fifth - largest city in South Carolina). Combining North Carolina's population of 10,042,802 and South Carolina's of 4,896,146, the Carolinas have a population of 14,938,948 as of 2015 . If the Carolinas were a single state of the United States, it would be the fifth-most populous state, behind California, Texas, Florida, and New York . The Carolinas were known as the Province of Carolina during America's early colonial period, from 1663 to 1710 . Prior to that, the land was considered part of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, from 1609 to 1663 . The province, named Carolina to honor King Charles I of England, was divided into two colonies in 1729, although the actual date is the subject of debate . </P> <P> The territory (together with a part of Florida) was declared as Spanish territory by Ponce de Leon in 1512, but the first Europeans that paid the territory a visit never cared to name it . Nor was it colonized by any Spaniards; it was largely just proclaimed for a future that never came . But as French settlers arrived in 1562, they were soon thrown out by the Spaniards . However it was during this brief time that the "Carolina" first was named, and the name referred to King Charles IX of France . The territory was thereafter left to native Americans until King Charles II of England, after the English Restoration, in 1660 he gave all land between the 34th and 36th parallels to eight Englishmen . The territory was named after the English king instead, which however had no impact on the spelling . In 1729 British politicians regretted this gift and redeemed the heirs of the first eight British inhabitants . Now the Carolinas became divided into North Carolina and South Carolina, which both became British colonies . Both the new colonies were among the thirteen first states of the United States . </P>

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