Tucson is a city and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States, located 118 miles (188 km) southeast of Phoenix. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 486,699, with a metropolitan area population of 843,746. A July 1, 2004 Census estimate put the city's population at 521,605, and the metropolitan population at 931,210. The population of metropolitan Tucson is expected to exceed 1 million by 2010. In 2004 Tucson ranked as the 32nd largest city, and 55th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. It is the largest city in southern Arizona, and the second largest in the state after Phoenix. Two United States Navy vessels have also been named USS Tucson in honor of the city.
Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, and South Tucson and Sahuarita south of the city. Other communities near Tucson include Catalina, Green Valley, Flowing Wells, Catalina Foothills, Casas Adobes, Vail, and Tanque Verde.
The name Tucson comes via Spanish from the O'odham, Cuk on , meaning "Black Base," a reference to the mostly volcanic mountains on the west side of the city. The most notable of these foothills is Sentinel Peak, better known as "A Mountain" because it sports a large letter A in honor of the nearby University of Arizona, situated in west central Tucson. Tucson is sometimes referred to as "The Old Pueblo." A contest in the 1980s to coin a new nickname produced "The Sunshine Factory," which Tucsonans ignored in favor of the original.
Variations in the pronunciation of the city's name are fairly common, as the vowel in the second syllable is often indistinct or omitted altogether (as in ). A comical, intentional mispronunciation of is also occasionally encountered. The city is often misspelled as "Tuscon" by non-locals, and local residents may pronounce it this way in jest.
Tucson is located at 32°12'52"N, 110°55'5"W (32.214476, -110.918192).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 505.3 km2 (195.1 mi2). 504.2 km2 (194.7 mi2) of it is land and 1.1 km2 (0.4 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 0.22% water.
Its elevation is 2,389 ft (728 m) above sea level. Tucson is bounded by four sets of mountains: the Santa Catalina Mountains to the North, the Santa Rita Mountains to the South, the Rincon Mountains to the East, and the Tucson Mountains to the West. The city is located on the Santa Cruz River, although for most of the year it is a dry river bed that floods when the rains come.
Tucson is located along I-10, which runs to Phoenix and Los Angeles in the northwest, and through El Paso, Texas to Jacksonville, Florida in the east. I-19 also runs to the south towards Nogales and the U.S.-Mexico border including Huasabas.
As of the census of 2000, there are 486,699 people, 192,891 households, and 112,455 families residing in the city. The population density is 965.3/km2 (2,500.1/mi2). There are 209,609 housing units at an average density of 415.7/km2 (1,076.7/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 70.15% White, 4.33% Black or African American, 2.27% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 16.85% from other races, and 3.79% from two or more races. 35.72% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. The Native American inhabitants in the area include Tohono O'odham (formerly the Papago), living in the city, on the nearby San Xavier reservation, and in the Tohono O'odham Nation, who may be descendants of the prehistoric inhabitants, as well as 6,800 Yaqui, living in the city (largely in the Old Pascua and Barrio Libre neighborhoods), on the nearby Pascua Yaqui reservation, and in the Yoem Pueblo in the town of Marana, most of whom trace their local ancestry back to arrivals in the late 1800s fleeing persecution in Mexico.
There are 192,891 households out of which 29.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% are married couples living together, 13.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% are non-families. 32.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.12.
In the city the population is rather spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $30,981, and the median income for a family is $37,344. Males have a median income of $28,548 versus $23,086 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,322. 18.4% of the population and 13.7% of families are below the poverty line. 23.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Because of its arid climate, Tucson has been a historic destination for people with health problems such as arthritis and respiratory illnesses such as tuberculosis. Tucson Medical Center, in fact, was founded as a TB clinic. Many former soldiers who had been gassed during World War I, including Belgian composer Camille van Hulse, came to Tucson in the 1920s in hopes that the dry climate would aid their recovery. The longstanding presence of so many health-seekers has made Tucson extremely health-conscious, and it was in the vanguard in such actions as banning smoking in restaurants.
Much of Tucson's economic development has been centered around the development of the University of Arizona, which is currently the largest employer in the city. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, located on the southeastern edge of the city, also provides many jobs for Tucson residents. Its presence, as well as the presence of a US Army Intelligence Center, has led to the development of a significant number of high-tech industries, including government contractors, in the area. Today, there are more than 1,200 businesses employing over 50,000 people in the high-tech industries of Southern Arizona. The City of Tucson, Pima County, the State of Arizona and the private sector have all made commitments to create a growing, healthy economy with high-tech industries as its foundation. Advanced technology companies like Raytheon Missile Systems, Texas Instruments, IBM, Intuit, Inc., America Online, Universal Avionics, Misys Healthcare Systems, and Bombardier, all have a significant presence in Tucson.
Tucson is also home to an active film production industry, and many major motion pictures have been filmed in the area. Some popular movies filmed in Tucson include Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), Arizona (1940), Bodies, Rest and Motion (1993), Boys on the Side (1995), C.C. and Company (1970), Can't Buy Me Love (1987), Dance with the Devil (1997), Flashpoint (1984), Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991), Hombre (1967), How the West Was Won (1962), Jesus' Son (1999), A Kiss Before Dying (1956), Lilies of the Field (1963), Major League (1989), The Postman (1997), Revenge of the Nerds (1984), Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987), Rio Bravo (1959), A Star Is Born (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), Terminal Velocity (1994), The Three Amigos (1986), Thunder Alley (1985), and Tin Cup (1996).
Tucson was originally inhabited around 7000 BC by early Paleo-Indians, and later replaced by groups designated by archaeologists as the Hohokam. As such, Tucson is at the longest continuously inhabited location in the United States. Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino visited the area in 1692, and founded the Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1700. The Spanish established a presidio (fort) in 1775 and the town came to be called "Tucson." Tucson became a part of Mexico after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821. Following the Gadsden purchase in 1853, Tucson became a part of the United States of America. From August 1861, until mid-1862, Tucson was the capital of the Confederate Territory of Arizona. Until 1863, Tucson and all of Arizona was part of the New Mexico Territory. From 1867 to 1889, Tucson was the capital of the Arizona Territory. The University of Arizona, located in Tucson, was founded in 1885. By 1900 7,531 people lived in Tucson. The population increased gradually to 13,913 in 1910, 20,292 in 1920, and 36,818 in 1940.
Tucson's early neighborhoods (some of which are covered by the Tucson Convention Center) include Barrio Anita, named for an early settler; El Jardin, named for an early recreational site, Levin's Gardens; and El Ollo, named for a lake that was part of the gardens.
Source:
TucsonUSA.com
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