Mesa is a city and a bedroom community for the city of Phoenix. Situated in Maricopa County, Arizona, Mesa is the 3rd-largest city in Arizona, after Phoenix and Tucson. Mesa's population is 439,041 as of 2010, giving it the state's highest concentration of suburban population. The city is located 32 km east of Phoenix. Mesa is bordered by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community on the north, Gilbert and Chandler on the south, Apache Junction on the east and Tempe on the west.
The remarkable Hohokam people settled the Mesa region around two thousand years ago. The Hohokam constructed extensive canal systems that were the largest and most complicated in pre-contact North America. Some extended 26 km across the Sonoran Desert to deliver water for agricultural purposes. Some were up to 27 m wide at their head gates. By A.D. 1100 a part of desert measuring about 450 km2 was capable of yielding crops due to irrigation. Many of these canals are still in use these days.
Mesa is a successful industrial region nowadays and is home to the Polytechnic campus of Arizona State University and companies such as AT&T and Boeing. Other top businesses consist of Banner Health, Mesa Public Schools, Mesa Community College, Wal-Mart and the City of Mesa. Businesses and young professionals continue to be attracted to the thriving economy of Mesa.
Many tourists come to the city because of is various cultural attractions and mild weather conditions. The city of Mesa is recognized as a golfer's paradise because the area features over 100 golf courses. The most highly regarded of these courses are the Desert Forest Golf Club and The Rim. The city's Arts and Cultural District comprises galleries, theaters and several arts organizations: the Mesa Southwest Shakespeare Company, the Mesa Arts Center and dance companies. The history of the region is featured at the Mesa Historical Society & Museum, the Mesa Southwest Museum and the Commemorative Air Force Museum. The Mesa Amphitheatre is a major location featuring top musical performers. The Grand Canyon is a three-hour drive north of Mesa.