Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina. Wilmington is the principal city of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan area that covers New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties in southeastern North Carolina, which has a population of 362,315 according to Census 2010 official results. It was named in honor of Spencer Compton, the Earl of Wilmington, who was Prime Minister under King George II.Wilmington was settled on the Cape Fear River. It offers a historic downtown with a one-mile-long Riverwalk as a main tourist attraction. It is minutes away from nearby beaches. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Wilmington, North Carolina, one of its 2008 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. City residents have the advantage of living between the river and the ocean, with Wrightsville Beach a short 20-minute drive from downtown.

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