where are the outer banks

The Outer Banks are a chain of barrier islands extending southward more than 175 miles along the coast of North Carolina, United States, from Back Bay in Virginia to Cape Lookout in North Carolina. These islands form a bowlike arc curving southeastward to Cape Hatteras and then southwestward to Cape Lookout. The islands include Currituck Banks; Bodie, Hatteras, Ocracoke, and Portsmouth islands; and North Core, South Core, and Shackleford banks. They separate the Atlantic Ocean from the mainland sounds such as Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Pamlico Sound. The Outer Banks are located off the east coast of the United States and are known for their sandy beaches, dunes, and as popular tourist destinations.