sentences:  The date of the Mecklenburg Declaration is also listed on the flag of North Carolina, represented by the date of May 20, 1775 as one of two dates on the flag of the old North State.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (4.0%) is water.As of the census of 2000, there were 695,454 people, 273,416 households, and 174,986 families residing in the county.