City of Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix
Flag Seal
Nickname: Valley of the Sun
Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona
Coordinates: 33°26′54″N 112°04′26″W / 33.44833, -112.07389
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Maricopa
Incorporated	February 25, 1881
Government
- Type	Council-Manager
- Mayor	Phil Gordon (D)
Area
- City	515.1 sq mi (1,230.5 km²)
- Land	515.126 sq mi (1,229.9 km²)
- Water	0.2 sq mi (0.6 km²)
Elevation	1,117 ft (340 m)
Population (2006)[1] [2]
- City	1,512,986
- Density	3,077.6/sq mi (1,188.4/km²)
- Urban	3,393,000
- Metro	4,039,182
- Demonym	Phoenician
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
- Summer (DST)	no DST (UTC)
Area code(s)	602, 480, 623
FIPS code	04-55000
GNIS feature ID	0044784
Website: http://www.phoenix.gov/

Phoenix /ˈfiːˌnɪks/ (English: Phoenix, Navajo: Hoozdo, lit. "the place is hot", Western Apache: Fiinigis) is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona and the county seat of Maricopa County. Its physical location is along the banks of the normally dry Salt River. It was incorporated as a city on February 25, 1881. Residents of Phoenix are known as Phoenicians. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2300x1791, 2462 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Phoenix, Arizona Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links PhoenixCitySeal. ... // A nickname is a name of a person or thing other than its proper name. ... Image File history File links Maricopa_County_Incorporated_and_Planning_areas_Phoenix_highlighted. ... Maricopa County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      The political units and divisions of the United States include: The 50 states... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... List of the 15 counties in the U.S. state of Arizona: Arizona county map Apache County formed in 1879 from part of Yavapai County. ... Maricopa County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. ... A Municipal Corporation is a legal defintion for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, and towns. ... is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The council-manager government is one of two main variations of representative municipal government in the United States. ... The following is a list of the mayors of Phoenix, Arizona. ... Portrait of Phoenix, Arizona Mayor Phil Gordon. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major United States political parties. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Cities with at least a million inhabitants in 2006 An urban area is an area with an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... MST is UTC-7 The Mountain Standard Time Zone (MST) is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), resulting in UTC-7. ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Though DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... Daylight saving time (also called DST, or Summer Time) is the local time a region is designated for a portion of the year, usually an hour forward from its standard official time. ... ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... North American area code 480 is a state of Arizona telephone area code which was split from Area Code 602 on April 1, 1999, due to the explosive growth of the Phoenix metropolitan area in the 1990s. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the U.S. Federal government for use by all (non-military) government agencies and by government contractors. ... GNIS (The Geographic Names Information System) contains name and locative information about almost two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its Territories. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Reading Adahooniigii — The Navajo Language Monthly Navajo or Navaho (native name: Diné bizaad) is an Athabaskan language (of Na-Dené stock) spoken in the southwest United States by the Navajo people (Diné). It is geographically and linguistically one of the Southern Athabaskan languages (the majority of Athabaskan languages are spoken... Links Western Apache-English Dictionary (White Mountain) White Mountain Apache Tribe (Arizona Intertribal Council) San Carlos Apache Tribe (Arizona Intertribal Council) Tonto Apache Tribe (Arizona Intertribal Council) Yavapai-Apache Nation Official Website Yavapai-Apache Nation (Arizona Intertribal Council) White Mountain Apache Tribe White Mountain Apache photographs map of Fort Apache... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county, primarily used in the United States. ... Maricopa County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. ... The Salt River, a tributary of the Gila, is shown highlighted on a map of the United States and Mexico The Salt River along side State Route 77 The Salt River as seen in Salt River Canyon The Salt River (Oodham [Pima]: Onk Akimel) is a tributary of the... is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Phoenix's estimated population as of 2006 was 1,512,986, making it the fifth largest city in the United States.^[2] At 515 square miles, it covers an area larger than New York City, Philadelphia, and Miami combined, making it the biggest state capital and the 10th largest land area for a city in the United States; however, because of its huge area, the city had a relatively low population density of only 2,938 people per square mile. As of 2006, the Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was the 13th largest in the United States, with an estimated population of 4,039,182.^[3] Ten most populous cities in the United States Los Angeles San Jose San Diego Phoenix Chicago New York City Houston San Antonio Dallas Philadelphia The following is a list of the most populous incorporated places in the United States. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... Miami redirects here. ... The Phoenix metropolitan area, also known as the Valley of the Sun, is a metropolitan area that includes the City of Phoenix, much of the rest of Maricopa County, a large section of Pinal County, and small parts of southern Yavapai County. ... The following is a list (by population) of all Metropolitan Statistical Areas as defined by the United States Census Bureau. ...

History

American Indian inhabitants

As early as 700 AD, the Hohokam civilization occupied the land that would become Phoenix. The Hohokam created roughly 135 miles (217 km) of irrigation canals, making the land arable. Paths of these canals would later become used for the modern Arizona Canal, Central Arizona Project Canal, and the Hayden-Rhodes Aqueduct. Hohokam is the name applied to one of the four major prehistoric archaeological traditions of the American Southwest. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

It is believed that between AD 1300 and AD 1450 periods of drought and severe floods led to the Hohokam's disappearance.^[4]

Although Spanish and Mexican explorers knew of the area, only southern Arizona fell under their influence. The Salt River Valley remained mostly abandoned. Local Akimel O'odham settlements, thought to be the descendents of the formerly urbanized Hohokam, concentrated on the Gila River alongside those of the Tohono O'odham and Maricopa peoples. The Akimel Oodham or Pima are a group of Native Americans living in central and southern Arizona and what is now Mexico. ... The Gila River, a tributary of the Colorado, is shown highlighted on a map of the United States The Gila River (Oodham [Pima]: Hila Akimel) is a tributary of the Colorado River, 630 mile (1,014 km) long, in the southwestern United States. ... The Tohono Oodham are a Native American tribe formerly known as the Papago who reside primarily in the Sonoran Desert of the southwest United States and northwest Mexico. ... For the county in Arizona, see Maricopa County, Arizona The Maricopa, or Pipaash, are a Native American ethnic group that consisted of small groups of people situated on the banks of the Colorado River that came together in the 19th century. ...

Pre-incorporation history

Passing through the area in 1867, Jack Swilling of Wickenburg, Arizona, stopped to rest at the foot of the White Tank Mountains and observed land that had great potential for farming. The terrain and climate were optimal, except for a lack of precipitation and suitable irrigation. Swilling remedied the situation by having a series of canals built, which followed the paths of the preexisting Hohokam canals. A small community formed about 4 miles (6 km) east of the present city and a few miles northwest of another community at Hayden's Ferry, which would become Tempe.^[4] John Jack Swilling (April 1, 1830 – August 12, 1878) was one of the original founders of the city of Phoenix, Arizona. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country State County Maricopa Government  - Mayor Ron Badowski Area  - Town  11. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Incorporated November 29, 1894 Government  - Mayor Hugh Hallman Area  - City  39. ...

The farming community was named Swilling's Mill in his honor, though later renamed to Helling Mill, Mill City, and finally, East Phoenix. Swilling, a former Confederate soldier, wanted to name the city "Stonewall," after Gen. Stonewall Jackson. Others suggested the name of "Salina." However, neither name was suitable to the community. Finally, Lord Darrell Duppa suggested the name "Phoenix," as it described a city born from the ruins of a former civilization.^[5] Some Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army (CSA) was organized in February 1861 to defend the newly formed Confederate States of America from military action by the United States government. ... For other uses of Stonewall Jackson, see Stonewall Jackson (disambiguation). ... Phillip Darrell Duppa was a pioneer in the settlement of Arizona prior to its statehood. ...

The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors, which at the time, encompassed Phoenix, officially recognized the town of Phoenix on May 4, 1868, and formed an election precinct. The first post office was established on June 15, 1868, with Jack Swilling serving as the postmaster. With the population growing, a townsite needed to be selected. On October 20, 1870, the residents held a meeting to decide where to locate it. A 320 acre (1.3 km²) plot of land was purchased in what is now the downtown business section.^[6] On February 12, 1871, the territorial legislature created Maricopa County, the sixth in the state, by dividing Yavapai County. The first county election in Maricopa County was held in 1871, when Tom Barnum was elected the first sheriff. Barnum ran unopposed as the other two candidates, John A. Chenowth and Jim Favorite, had a shootout that ended in Favorite's death and Chenowth withdrawing from the race.^[7] Yavapai County is located in the center of the U.S. state of Arizona. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Small-town post office and town hall in Lockhart, Alabama A post office is a facility (in most countries, a government one) where the public can purchase postage stamps for mailing correspondence or merchandise, and also drop off or pick up packages or other special-delivery items. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... If you are looking for different meanings of this word, see Postmaster (disambiguation) A postmaster is a term used in post offices to denote the head or master of the office. ... is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... An acre is the name of a unit of area in a number of different systems, including Imperial units and United States customary units. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Maricopa County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. ...

Several lots of land were sold in 1870 at an average price of $48. The first church opened in 1871, as did the first store. Public school had its first class on September 5, 1872, in the courtroom of the county building. By October 1873, a small school was completed on Center Street (now Central Avenue).^[7] Land entry was recorded by the Florence Land Office on November 19, 1873, and a declaratory statement filed in the Prescott Land Office February 15, 1872. President Ulysses S. Grant issued a land patent for the present site of Phoenix on April 10, 1874. The total value of the Phoenix Townsite was $550, with downtown lots selling for between $7 and $11 each. A short time later, a telegraph office, 16 saloons, four dance halls and two banks were open.^[8] is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Prescott is the name of some places in the United States of America including Prescott, Arizona Prescott, Arkansas Prescott, Iowa Prescott, Michigan Prescott, Kansas Prescott, Oregon Prescott, Washington Prescott, Wisconsin Prescott, Ontario is a town in Canada. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Ulysses S. Grant,[2] born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885), was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States (1869–1877). ... A land patent is the right of ownership to a tract of land, usually granted by the federal or state government to an individual or private company. ... is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Telegraph and Telegram redirect here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Aerial lithograph of Phoenix from 1885

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2002 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 2002 pixel, file size: 3. ...

Incorporation

By 1881, Phoenix had outgrown its original townsite-commissioner form of government. The 11th Territorial Legislature passed "The Phoenix Charter Bill", incorporating Phoenix and providing for a mayor-council government. The bill was signed by Governor John C. Fremont on February 25, 1881. Phoenix was incorporated with a population of approximately 2,500, and on May 3, 1881, Phoenix held its first city election. Judge John T. Alsap defeated James D. Monihon, 127 to 107, to become the city's first mayor.^[9] In early 1888, the city offices were moved into the new City Hall, built where the downtown bus terminal now stands. This building also provided temporary offices for the territorial government when it moved to Phoenix from Prescott in 1889.^[10] John C. Frémont John Charles Frémont (January 21, 1813-July 13, 1890), birth name John Charles Fremon [Harvey, p. ... is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Prescott (pronounced by some locals as press-kit instead of press-cot) is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 40,360. ...

The coming of the railroad in the 1880s was the first of several important events that revolutionized the economy of Phoenix. Merchandise now flowed into the city by rail instead of wagon. Phoenix became a trade center with its products reaching eastern and western markets. In response, the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce was organized on November 4, 1888.^[10] is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the toll-free telephone number see Toll-free telephone number Year 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Phoenix also inaugurated an electric streetcar system, built off earlier stagecoach lines, in 1893. Phoenix Street Railway map The Phoenix Street Railway provided streetcar service in Phoenix, Arizona from 1887 to 1948. ...

20th century

Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, 1908

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the National Reclamation Act allowing for dams to be built on western streams for reclamation purposes. Residents were quick to enhance this by organizing the Salt River Valley Water Users' Association on February 7, 1903, to manage the water and power supply. The agency still exists today as part of the Salt River Project.^[11] On February 14, 1912, under President William Howard Taft, Phoenix became the capital of the newly formed state of Arizona.^[12] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 283 pixelsFull resolution (1414 × 500 pixel, file size: 168 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is in the public domain in the United States. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 283 pixelsFull resolution (1414 × 500 pixel, file size: 168 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is in the public domain in the United States. ... Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... The Reclamation Act (also known as the Newlands Reclamation Act or National Reclamation Act) of 1902, funded irrigation projects for the arid lands of the American West. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... The Salt River Project or SRP is a collective name used to refer to two separate entities: the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, a political subdivision of the state of Arizona, and the Salt River Valley Water Users Association, a private company that serves as an electrical... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... For other persons named William Howard Taft, see William Howard Taft (disambiguation). ... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ...

In 1913, Phoenix adopted a new form of government from mayor-council to council-manager, making it one of the first cities in the United States with this form of city government.^[13] Mayor-Council government is one of two variations of government most commonly used in modern representative municipal governments in the United States. ... The council-manager government is one of two main variations of representative municipal government in the United States. ...

During World War II, Phoenix's economy shifted to that of a distribution center, rapidly turning into an embryonic industrial city with mass production of military supplies. Luke Field, Williams Field, and Falcon Field, coupled with the giant ground-training center at Hyder, west of Phoenix, brought thousands of men into Phoenix.^[14] Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Location of LAFB in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Williams Air Force Base was the leading pilot training facility of the United States Air Force for many years, supplying 25% of all pilots. ... For other airports with this name, see Falcon Field. ... Hyder is a ghost-town in Yuma County, Arizona. ...

Phoenix in 1900

A fire in October 1947 destroyed most of the streetcar fleet, giving the city a difficult choice between implementing a new street railway system or using buses. The latter was chosen and the metropolitan area's development has been oriented toward cars ever since. This is expected to change, however, with the December 2008 implementation of the Phoenix light rail system. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... METRO Light Rail will be a light rail system serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. ...

By 1950, over 100,000 people lived within the city and thousands more in surrounding communities. There were 148 miles (238 km) of paved streets and 163 miles (262 km) of unpaved streets.^[14]

Phoenix's population in the north and west, as well as that of surrounding cities, is expanding greatly, as it has been since the 1960s. Urban sprawl (also: suburban sprawl) is the spreading out of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area. ...

Geography

Landsat 7 Satellite image of
the Phoenix Metro Area in 2002

Phoenix is located at 33°26'54" North, 112°4'26" West (33.448457°, -112.073844°)^GR1 in the Salt River Valley, or "Valley of the Sun", in central Arizona. It lies at a mean elevation of 1,117 feet (340 m), in the northern reaches of the Sonoran Desert. Download high resolution version (750x750, 144 KB) Situated in southern central Arizona, Phoenix is the state’s capital and largest city. ... Download high resolution version (750x750, 144 KB) Situated in southern central Arizona, Phoenix is the state’s capital and largest city. ... Map of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. ...

The Salt River course runs westward through the city of Phoenix; the riverbed is normally dry except when excess runoff forces the release of water from the six dams upriver. The city of Tempe has built two inflatable dams in the Salt River bed to create a year-round recreational lake, called Tempe Town Lake. The dams are deflated to allow the river to flow unimpeded during releases. The Salt River, a tributary of the Gila, is shown highlighted on a map of the United States and Mexico The Salt River along side State Route 77 The Salt River as seen in Salt River Canyon The Salt River (Oodham [Pima]: Onk Akimel) is a tributary of the... Tempe Town Lake at sunset on the Fourth of July with crowd waiting for the annual fireworks display. ...

The Phoenix area is surrounded by the McDowell Mountains to the northeast, the White Tank Mountains to the west, the Superstition Mountains far to the east, and the Sierra Estrella to the southwest. Within the city are the Phoenix Mountains and South Mountains. Current development (as of 2005) is pushing beyond the geographic boundaries to the north and west, and south through Pinal County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 475.1 square miles (1,230.5 km²) — 474.9 square miles (1,229.9 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.05% water. The McDowell Mountain Range is located about twenty miles north-east of Phoenix, Arizona, and may be seen from most places throughout the city. ... White Tank Mountain Regional Park is the largest regional park in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... The Superstitions The Superstition Mountains, popularly referred to as The Superstitions, or sometimes The Supes, are a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Valley of the Sun (the Phoenix metropolitan area). ... Estrella Mountains from Laveen, January 2004. ... The Phoenix Mountains are a mountain complex located in the northern part of the city of Phoenix, Arizona. ... The South Mountains, known locally as simply South Mountain, is a mountain range in central Arizona in south Phoenix, Arizona. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ...

The Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) (officially known as the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale MSA), is the 13th largest in the United States, with a total population of 4,039,182 as of the June 2006 update of the 2000 U.S. Census. It includes the Arizona counties of Maricopa and Pinal. Other cities in the MSA include Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and Peoria. Several smaller communities are also included, such as Cave Creek, Queen Creek, Buckeye, Goodyear, Fountain Hills, Litchfield Park, Anthem, Sun Lakes, Sun City, Sun City West, Avondale, Surprise, El Mirage, Paradise Valley, and Tolleson. The communities of Ahwatukee, Arcadia, Deer Valley, Maryvale and others are part of the city of Phoenix, Ahwatukee being separated from the rest of the city by South Mountain. In the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has produced a formal definition of metropolitan areas, which are organized around county boundaries. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country State Counties Maricopa Government  - Mayor Keno Hawker (R) Area  - City 125. ... For other uses, see Scottsdale . ... There are two official definitions of metropolitan area used today in the United States, metropolitan statistical areas, and combined statistical areas, the former restrictive, the latter more extensive. ... The U.S. Census is mandated by the United States Constitution. ... Maricopa County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. ... Pinal County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country State Counties Maricopa Government  - Mayor Keno Hawker (R) Area  - City 125. ... For other uses, see Scottsdale . ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country State Counties Maricopa Government  - Mayor Elaine Scruggs (R) Area  - City  55. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Incorporated November 29, 1894 Government  - Mayor Hugh Hallman Area  - City  39. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Government  - Mayor Boyd W. Dunn (R) Area  - City  58. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country State Counties Maricopa Government  - Mayor Steven M. Berman Area  - City  43. ... Peoria is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Cave Creek is a town located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Queen Creek is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Government  - Mayor Bobby Bryant Area  - City  145. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Government  - Mayor Jim Cavanagh Area  - City  116. ... The world famous fountain of Fountain Hills, Arizona, spews water to a height of 562 feet, once per hour. ... Litchfield Park is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Anthem, Arizona is the result of a Del Webb development on a large parcel of land adjacent to New River, Arizona. ... Sun Lakes is an unincorporated town located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Sun City is a census-designated place and unincorporated town located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Sun City West is an unincorporated town located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Avondale is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... County Maricopa County, Arizona Area  - Total  - Water 180. ... El Mirage is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Paradise Valley is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 14,558. ... Tolleson is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Ahwatukee (Ahwatukee Foothills Village) is an L-shaped bedroom community bordered on the north by South Mountain Park and Baseline Road, on the east by Interstate 10 and the cities of Chandler, Guadalupe, and Tempe, and on the south and west by the Gila River Indian Community. ...

As with most of Arizona, Phoenix does not observe daylight savings time. In 1973, Gov. Jack Williams argued to Congress that energy use would increase in the evening, as refrigeration units were not used as often in the morning on standard time. He went on to say that energy use would rise "because there would be more lights on in the early morning." He was also concerned about children going to school in the dark, which indeed they were.^[15] The exception to this are lands of the Navajo Nation in Northeastern Arizona, which observe daylight saving time in conjunction with the rest of their tribal lands in other states. Daylight saving time (also called DST, or Summer Time) is the local time a region is designated for a portion of the year, usually an hour forward from its standard official time. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political...

Climate

Phoenix has an arid climate, and its average annual maximum temperature is the highest of any major US city. In fact, out of the world's large urban areas, only some cities around the Persian Gulf, such as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Baghdad, Iraq, and some cities in North India such as Amritsar and Jaipur have comparable summer temperatures. The temperature reaches or exceeds 100°F (38°C) on an average of 89 days during the year, including most days from early June through early September. On June 26, 1990, the temperature reached an all-time high of 122°F (50°C).^[16] Overnight lows greater than 80°F occur frequently each summer, with the average July low being 81°F and the average August low being 80°F. The all-time highest low temperature was 96°F (36°C), which occurred on July 15, 2003. In general terms, the climate of a locale or region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... Riyadh (Arabic: ar-Riyāḍ) is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... Dark green region marks the approximate extent of northern India while the regions marked as light green lies within the sphere of north Indian influence. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... , Jaipur   (Hindi: जयपुर, Rajasthan Capital), also popularly known as the Pink City, historically sometimes rendered as Jeypore, is the capital of Rajasthan state, India. ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The dry desert air makes the hot temperatures more tolerable early in the season, but the influx of monsoonal moisture, which generally begins in early July and lasts until mid-September, raises humidity levels and discomfort due to mugginess. For the most part, the winter months are mild. Bold text[[ // [[Image:Media:Example. ...

Phoenix averages 85% of possible sunshine^[17] and receives scant rainfall, the average annual total at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport being 8.3 inches (210 mm). March is the wettest month of the year (1.07 inches or 27 mm) with June being the driest (0.09 inches or 2 mm). Although thunderstorms are possible at any time of the year, they are most common during the monsoon from July to mid-September as humid air surges in from the Gulf of California. These can bring strong winds, large hail, or rarely, tornadoes. Winter storms moving inland from the Pacific Ocean occasionally produce significant rains but occur infrequently. Fog is observed from time to time during the winter months. “PHX” redirects here. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez or Sea of Cortés; locally known in the Spanish language as Mar de Cortés or, much less frequently, Golfo de California) is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. ... This article is about the precipitation. ... This article is about the weather phenomenon. ...

On average, Phoenix has only 5 days per year where the temperature drops to or below freezing.^[18] The long-term mean date of the first frost is December 15 and the last is February 1; however, these dates do not represent the city as a whole because the frequency of freezes increases the further one moves outward from the urban heat island. Frequently, outlying areas of Phoenix see frost, but the airport does not. The earliest frost on record occurred on November 3, 1946, and the latest occurred on April 4, 1945. The all-time lowest temperature in Phoenix was recorded at 16°F (-8.8°C) on January 7, 1913. is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 94th day of the year (95th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Snow is extremely rare in the area. Snowfall was first officially recorded in 1896, and since then, accumulations of 0.1 inches (0.25 cm) or greater have occurred only seven times. The heaviest snowstorm on record dates to January 20-21, 1937, when 1 to 4 inches fell (2 to 10 cm) in parts of the city and did not melt entirely for four days. Prior to that, 1 inch (2.5 cm) had fallen on January 20, 1933. On February 2, 1939, 0.5 inches (1 cm) fell. Most recently, 0.4 inches (1 cm) fell on December 21-22, 1990. Snow also fell on March 12, 1917, November 28, 1919, and December 11, 1985. On January 21, 2007, snowfall occurred throughout much of the city and covered the ground completely in the East Valley cities of Mesa and Tempe. This followed a very rare cold spell which caused temperatures to tumble into the 20s.^[19] Snow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Mathematics Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) is a current program that is building in schools around the United States. ... Tempe is a variant spelling for the food Tempeh. ...

Source: U.S. National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, N.C.; a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [1]

Cityscape

Midtown Phoenix skyline, looking north up Central Ave.

The city of Phoenix is divided up into 15 Urban Villages.^[20] Inside some of the Villages are well known neighborhoods, or districts, which are listed as subpoints. These urban villages are: Ahwatukee Foothills, Alhambra, Camelback East, Central City, Deer Valley, Desert View, Encanto, Estrella, Laveen, Maryvale, North Gateway, North Mountain, Paradise Valley (not to be confused with the town of Paradise Valley), South Mountain, as well as a fifteenth which is as of yet unnamed (created in 2004 and currently called, "New Village."). The fifteenth is sparsely populated (if at all) and new development is not expected in the near future. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2311x1500, 1132 KB) Phoenix skyline (northern part) in 2004, looking north. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2311x1500, 1132 KB) Phoenix skyline (northern part) in 2004, looking north. ... Ahwatukee (Ahwatukee Foothills Village) is an L-shaped bedroom community bordered on the north by South Mountain Park and Baseline Road, on the east by Interstate 10 and the cities of Chandler, Guadalupe, and Tempe, and on the south and west by the Gila River Indian Community. ... The Camelback East Village is one of the 15 villages that make up Phoenix, Arizona. ... The Encanto Village is one of the 15 villages that make up Phoenix, Arizona. ... Estrella Mountains from Laveen, January 2004. ... Paradise Valley is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 14,558. ...

Commonly referred-to Phoenix regions/ districts: Downtown, Midtown, West Phoenix, North Phoenix, South Phoenix, Biltmore area, Arcadia, Sunnyslope, Ahwatukee Modern buildings downtown The downtown of the city of Phoenix in the U.S. state of Arizona covers about two or three square miles, with axes running along Central Avenue and Washington/Jefferson Streets. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Arcadia or Arkadía (Greek Αρκαδία; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus. ... Sunnyslope can refer to: Sunnyslope, California Sunnyslope, Washington Sunnyslope Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona Category: ... Ahwatukee (Ahwatukee Foothills Village) is an L-shaped bedroom community bordered on the north by South Mountain Park and Baseline Road, on the east by Interstate 10 and the cities of Chandler, Guadalupe, and Tempe, and on the south and west by the Gila River Indian Community. ...

Economy

Downtown Phoenix south of Jefferson Street

The 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. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 520 pixelsFull resolution (2495 × 1622 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 520 pixelsFull resolution (2495 × 1622 pixel, file size: 2. ... For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... Species & major hybrids Species Citrus aurantifolia - Key lime Citrus maxima - Pomelo Citrus medica - Citron Citrus reticulata - Mandarin & Tangerine Major hybrids Citrus ×sinensis - Sweet Orange Citrus ×aurantium - Bitter Orange Citrus ×paradisi - Grapefruit Citrus ×limon - Lemon Citrus ×limonia - Rangpur lime Citrus ×latifolia - Persian lime See also main text for other hybrids Citrus... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... Arizona State University (ASU) is a public research institution of higher education and research with campuses located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. ... “Tourist” redirects here. ... This article is about the sport. ...

Phoenix is currently home to three major Fortune 1000 companies: electronics corporation Avnet, Apollo Group (which operates the University of Phoenix), and mining company Freeport McMoRan. Honeywell hosts many factories for the building of military grade engines, as well as their company network gateway in Phoenix. Intel has one of their largest sites in Arizona, employing about 11,000 employees and 3 chip manufacturing fabs, including the $3 billion dollar state of the art 300mm, 45nm Fab 32. American Express hosts their financial transactions, customer information, and their entire website in Phoenix. The area is also home to US Airways Group, a Fortune 500 company 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. Phoenix is also home to the headquarters of U-HAUL International, a rental company and moving supply store. Fortune 1000 is a reference to a list maintained by the American business magazine Fortune. ... AvnetItalic text is a technology B2B distributor headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. ... Apollo Group, Inc. ... University of Phoenix (UOP) is a for-profit educational institution specializing in adult education, with campuses located throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. ... Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. ... Honeywell Heating Specialties Company Stock Certificate dated 1924 signed by Mark C. Honeywell - courtesy of Scripophily. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... American Express (NYSE: AXP), sometimes known as AmEx or Amex, is a diversified global financial services company, headquartered in New York City. ... US Airways Group Inc. ... Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Incorporated November 29, 1894 Government  - Mayor Hugh Hallman Area  - City  39. ... For other uses, see Scottsdale . ... Allied Waste Industries is a Fortune 1000 comapany that owns many garbage disposal companies. ... U-Haul International, Inc. ...

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 Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport), with numerous auxiliary air fields located throughout the region. Location of LAFB in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... For other airports with this name, see Falcon Field. ... Williams Air Force Base was the leading pilot training facility of the United States Air Force for many years, supplying 25% of all pilots. ... “AZA&aci