Research Triangle

The Research Triangle, also known as Raleigh–Durham or Raleigh–Durham–Chapel Hill, and commonly referred to as simply "The Triangle", is a region in the Piedmont of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by North Carolina State University, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill respectively. The eight-county region, officially named the Raleigh–Durham–Cary CSA, comprises the Raleigh–Cary and Durham–Chapel Hill metropolitan areas and the Dunn Micropolitan Statistical Area. A 2011 Census Estimate put the population at 1,795,750. The Raleigh–Durham television market includes a broader 23-county area which includes Fayetteville, and has a population of 2,726,000 persons.

The "Triangle" name was cemented in the public consciousness in the 1950s with the creation of Research Triangle Park, home to numerous high-tech companies and enterprises. Although the name is now used to refer to the geographic region, "The Triangle" originally referred to the universities, whose research facilities, and the educated workforce they provide, have historically served as a major attraction for businesses located in the region. The region should not be confused with "The Triad", which is a North Carolina region adjacent to and directly west of the Triangle comprising Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point, among other cities. Most of the Triangle is represented by, and closely associated with, the second, fourth and thirteenth congressional districts.