Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, largest city, and largest metropolitan area of the state of Arizona, United States. As of the 2000 census, Phoenix ranked:- the sixth largest city of the United States, with a population of 1,321,045, and
- the fourteenth largest metropolitan area of the United States, with a population of 3,251,876.
- the largest capital city in the United States (including Washington D.C).
Phoenix is surrounded by twenty two towns and cities that have grown so closely together that it is almost impossible to distinguish one from another in this satellite image. The large cluster of light brown pixels gridded by horizontal and vertical lines (roads and highways) demarcates the Greater Phoenix urban area
Phoenix is the county seat of Maricopa County. It was incorporated on February 5, 1881. Phoenix is the principal city of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Geography
Phoenix lies at an elevation of approximately 1,117 feet in the heart of the Sonoran Desert and is located in the center of Arizona in the Phoenix Valley or "Valley of the Sun" at 33°31'42" North, 112°4'35" West (33.528370, -112.076300)1. The Greater Phoenix area has a population of 3.2 million and includes Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Peoria and many smaller communities such as Goodyear, Litchfield Park, and Anthem. Retirement communities include Sun City, Sun City West and Fountain Hills. The Salt River runs from the northeast of Maricopa County through the south of Phoenix although it is not unusual to see the river completely dried up. The Phoenix metro is surrounded by the McDowell Mountains to the north, South Mountain Park to the south and the Superstition Mountains far to the east.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,230.5 km² (475.1 mi²). 1,229.9 km² (474.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.05% water.
Weather
Clear blue skies are typical, with an average of 300 sunny days a year. The temperature reaches or exceeds 100ÃÂðF (38ÃÂðC) on an average of 89 days during the year, including most days from early June through early September. In every year except 1911, the temperature has soared to 110ÃÂðF or higher. On June 26, 1990, the temperature reached an all-time high of 122ÃÂðF. The dry Arizona air makes the hot temperatures more tolerable early in the season; however, the influx of monsoonal moisture has been known to make August in Phoenix as humid as summers in the East.
The normal annual rainfall at Sky Harbor International Airport is 8.29 inches. March is the wettest month of the year (1.07 inches). Rain is particularly scarce from April through June, inclusive. Although thunderstorms occur on occasion during every month of the year, they are most common during the monsoon season from July to mid-September as humid air surges in from the Gulf of California. 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. Blowing dust and sand also can restrict visibility; these phenomoena occur most frequently during the driest months of the year, from May to July. Severe thunderstorms--bringing strong winds, large hail, or tornadoes--can occur during any month of the year, but only happen an average of once or twice per year somewhere in the metropolitan area.
At the airport, the first frost typically occurs on December 12 and the last frost on February 7; however, these dates are not representative of the city as a whole as the frequency of freezes varies considerably among neighbroroods. Compared with many areas of Phoenix, these dates err on the warm side by a month or nore. The earliest frost of Record occurred on November 3, 1946 and the latest on April 4, 1945. Successive winters without any frosts at the airport are not unknown, and the longest period without a freeze occurred between November 23, 1979 and January 31, 1985. Temperatures
Snow falls roughly one year in four, but since records commenced in 1896, it has accumulated to 0.1 inch only 7 times. The worst storm occurred on 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. Another 1.0 inch fell on January 20, 1933. On February 2, [1935], 0.5 inches fell. Most recently, 0.4 inches fell on December 21-22, [1990]. Snow also fell on March 12, [1917] (0.2 inch), November 28, [1919] (0.1 inch), and December 11, [1985] (0.1 inch).
Demographics
Phoenix skyline in 2001
There were 465,834 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the city the population age distribution was 28.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,207, and the median income for a family was $46,467. Males had a median income of $32,820 versus $27,466 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,833. 15.8% of the population and 11.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 21.0% were under the age of 18 and 10.3% were 65 or older.
Sports Teams, Venues and Tournaments
Museums, Attractions and other Places of Interest
Transportation
Scottsdale Municipal Airport in nearby Scottsdale, attracts a large number of private jets.
Military
List of famous Phoenix residents
Phoenix in film