Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina

Fuquay-Varina is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 18,644 in 2012 (State Certified as of July 1, 2012). The population was 17,937 at the 2010 census, up from 7,898 at the 2000 census. The town is a 25-minute drive south of Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. The hyphenated name attests to the town's history as two separate towns. Fuquay Springs and Varina merged in 1963 to create the modern town. Economically, the town initially grew due to tobacco trade and agriculture, but has seen recent population growth and real estate development due to its proximity to Research Triangle Park.GeographyFuquay-Varina is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.5sqkm, of which 31.3sqkm is land and 0.2sqkm, or 0.51%, is water.Fuquay-Varina is located in the northeast central region of North Carolina, where the North American Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain regions meet. This area is known as the "fall line" because it marks the elevation inland at which waterfalls begin to appear in creeks and rivers. Its central Piedmont location situates Fuquay-Varina about three hours west of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, by car and four hours east of the Great Smoky Mountains.