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Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the state capital of Arizona, and was incorporated as a city on February 25, 1881. Phoenix is located in central Arizona in the southwestern United States, 118 miles (188 km) northwest of Tucson. It is Arizona's largest city and largest metropolitan area by population. It is also the county seat of Maricopa County and the principal city of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Phoenix is called Hoozdo, or "the place is hot", in the Navajo language and Fiinigis in the Western Apache language. In mid-2004, Phoenix was the sixth-largest city in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau's latest estimates. However, according to unofficial projections Phoenix surpassed Philadelphia in late 2005, moving into the top five cities in the U.S. The 2000 U.S. Census reported the Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as the fourteenth-largest in the U.S., with a population of 3,251,876. The city's MSA grew to an estimated 3,790,000 by 2004. Between 1990 and 2000, the metropolitan area grew by 34 percent, making it the eighth fastest-growing metropolitan area in the U.S. Phoenix is the largest capital city by population, meaning that it's the most populous of all U.S. capital cities (all 50 state capitals and the national capital Washington, D.C.). It is also the third-largest capital city by area in the U.S. (behind Juneau, Alaska and Oklahoma City).
[edit] The local economyThe early economy of Phoenix was primarily agricultural, dependent mainly on cotton and citrus farming. In the last two decades, the economy has diversified as rapidly as the population has grown. As the state capital of Arizona, many residents in the area are employed by the government. Arizona State University has also enhanced the area's population through education and its growing research capabilities. Numerous high-tech and telecommunications companies have also recently relocated to the area. Due to the warm climate in winter, Phoenix benefits greatly from seasonal tourism and recreation, and has a particularly vibrant golf industry. Phoenix is currently home to two major Fortune 500 companies: electronics corporation Avnet, Inc. and mining company Phelps Dodge Corporation. The area is also home to America West Airlines, which will become a Fortune 500 company upon completion of its merger with US Airways Group Incorporated (the new company will be located in Tempe). Nearby Scottsdale is also home to Allied Waste Industries, Inc. (also listed on the Fortune 500), the second largest non-hazardous solid waste management company in the United States. The military has a significant presence in Phoenix with Luke Air Force Base located in the western suburbs. At its height, in the 1940s, the Phoenix area had 3 military bases: Luke Field (still in use), Falcon Field, and Williams Air Force Base (now Williams-Gateway Field), with numerous auxiliary air fields located throughout the region. Source - Wikipedia: Phoenix, Arizona
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This page was created on Jun 09, 2006 |
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