Phoenix, Arizona

According to CountryAAH.com, Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the North American state of Arizona, in turn it is the sixth most populous city in the nation, with a population of 1,445,632 according to 2010 census data. Its name originates from Egyptian mythology that It says that the phoenix rose from its own ashes after being consumed by fire.

Located in the middle of a barren and arid valley and surrounded by mountain peaks, the city of Phoenix is ​​located in the central area, in the south of the state of Arizona, in the United States as featured by Abbreviationfinder. Surrounded by the small communities of Sun City, Scottdale, Tempe, and Mesa, the downtown area is home to several tall buildings in the midst of horizontally sprawled areas. Due to its location near the Sonoran desert, Phoenix is ​​the home of the huge 10-meter tall cactus called the saguaro, and although arid, it is a strangely beautiful site.

Phoenix is ​​home to Arizona State University, in addition to the Grand Canyon and Phoenix University; and institutions such as Phoenix College, the Colorado Institute of the Arts, and the Clinton Institute of Technology.

History

The area currently occupied by the city of Phoenix was inhabited for over a thousand years by the Hohokam. This town built the first irrigation system in the Valley of the Sun, establishing a system of canals of about 217 km in length that allowed water to be brought from the Salado River, which made it possible to establish the first farms in the middle of the desert.. The Pueblo Grande ruins, occupied between AD 700 and 1400, are the vestige of the first settlement in the city.

At the end of the American intervention in Mexico in 1848, much of northern Mexico was annexed by the United States and included in the territory of New Mexico (including the area of ​​present-day Phoenix). In 1867, adventurer Jack Swilling stopped for a rest in the northern part of the White Tank Mountains. He discovered that the area had numerous agricultural zones, free of frost, although he defined the need for access to hydraulic sources as the main problem. In 1868 a canal was built that brought water from the Salado River and founded a small colony about 6 kilometers from the current city. The city was officially recognized on May 4, 1868.

The arrival of the railroad in 1880 was the first of several events that revolutionized Phoenix’s economy. The city became a center of commerce in which the products reached the markets of the east and west coasts of the country. The Phoenix Chamber of Commerce was established in 1888.

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt allowed the construction of dams in the west, thus meeting the demands of the residents of the “Valley of the Sun.” In 1911 the Roosevelt Dam, one of the largest in the world, became operational. The dam also created Lake Roosevelt which expanded the irrigation zone. On February 14, 1912, President William Howard Taft instituted the state of Arizona and named Phoenix as its capital.

Recent history of Arizona

Some factors have allowed the great demographic growth that has characterized Arizona to continue, especially between 1950 and 1980 (it quadrupled its population in those years). Indeed, in the first place, the generalization of air conditioning in the 1950s allowed greater population growth (many retirees came in search of a mild and dry climate).

Second, in 1960, Arizona began to develop its industry and to pay attention to other sectors, such as tourism, to diversify an economy that until then was excessively focused on agriculture and mining. Finally, in 1974 the Central Arizona project began, which made it possible to use the resources of the Colorado River to drain water in Arizona.

In May 2010, it passed a law, Arizona SB1070, which is the broadest and most stringent measure against illegal immigration in decades. This law has received national and international attention and has caused considerable controversy.

Geography

Phoenix is ​​located at coordinates in the Salado River Valley or Valley of the Sun in central Arizona. The city lies north of the Sonoran desert, at an average altitude of about 340 meters above sea level. Phoenix’s topography is generally flat, except for a few mountain ranges on the outskirts of the city. This allows the city to have wide avenues and streets with a precise grid, with roads with wide open spaces.

The Salado River runs west through the city. The riverbed is generally dry or with small currents due to the irrigation that uses its waters. The only exception is in the storm season or when the dams open in the upper riverbed. The city of Tempe built two dams in the bed of the Salado River to create a lake for the recreation of the population throughout the year called Lake Tempe.

The city enjoys sunny days most of the year – due to its location in the Valley of the Sun – and this makes it one of the chosen spots not only for vacationing but also for living. The mildest temperatures occur between the months of September to April, while in the summer season they rise until they become really suffocating, oscillating between 38ºC and 43ºC., Which is also accompanied by strong storms of summer (monsoons) that often cause severe flooding.