Research Triangle
The
Research Triangle, commonly referred to as the "Triangle," refers to a region in the piedmont of
North Carolina anchored by the cities of
Raleigh,
Durham, and
Chapel Hill and the major research universities of
North Carolina State University,
Duke University, and the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill respectively. The name was cemented in the public consciousness with the creation of the
Research Triangle Park in the 1950's, home to numerous high-tech companies and enterprises.
The Triangle Region, as defined for statistical purposes, is generally considered to include Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Johnston, Orange, and Wake Counties, although the U.S. Census Bureau divided the region into two statistical areas in 2003.