Hatteras

Hatteras is a geographic region on the North Carolina Outer Banks, comprising Hatteras Island and the southern tip of the chain around Cape Hatteras in Dare County. The area lies along the Atlantic coast, with the island bordered by the Pamlico Sound to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The southern extremity forms Cape Hatteras, a headland that hosts the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and marks the division between the sound and the ocean.

Much of the area is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, established in 1953 and administered by the National Park Service. The seashore preserves approximately 72 miles of beaches, dune systems, and salt marshes, protecting nesting sites for sea turtles and habitat for migratory birds. The region is also known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic due to a long history of shipwrecks along its shoals.

Communities on Hatteras Island include Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, and Hatteras Village. The local economy relies on tourism, commercial and recreational fishing, and boat-related services. Transportation includes road access across the island and the Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry linking the island to Ocracoke Island on the south side of the sound.