The capital city of the state of Arizona is the city of Phoenix. It has a population of over 1.5 million, making it the sixth biggest city by population in the country and is the nation's biggest capital. By land area, it is the largest city within the nation. The Phoenix metropolitan area is called the Valley of the Sun and has a population of roughly 4.2 million. Phoenix serves as the county seat of Maricopa County.
The original inhabitants to the region of what is presently the city of Phoenix, were the Hohokam people. The original inhabitants within the area of non-native ancestry came to the region during the year 1861 and settled near the Salt River. Phoenix was officially recognized as a town in the year 1868, then incorporated as a city in the year 1881. Ever since the mid-20th Century, much of the area's agricultural lands have been replaced by suburbs since the population has burgeoned.
Phoenix is both the county seat and the state capital. The governmental institutions provide significant work to the city and play a major role in the economy. The city's two largest employers are the Arizona State and the U.S. military. Numerous local people are employed at Luke Air Force Base in the west suburbs of Phoenix. Arizona State University is an asset to the city and is responsible for growing research capacities.
Phoenix has historically dependent on copper, cattle, climate, cotton and citrus, which within the area is known as the "5Cs". More recently, the city of Phoenix has diversified its economy from the 5C's to comprise high-tech and telecommunication sectors. Intel has a large Phoenix workforce, consisting of about 10,000 individuals. Intel manufactures computer chips in water fabrication plants, several of which are located within the valley. The head office of Honeywell's Aerospace division are within the city, and a lot of Honeywell's mechanical and avionics facilities are located within the metro area. Seven Fortune 500 companies are situated in the city of Phoenix: Apollo Group, Allied Waste, Avnet, Freeport-McMoRan, PetSmart and Pinnacle West.
The cornerstone of the city's tourism and recreational industries is golf. The warmer winter climate patterns help to attract golfers from colder climates. Phoenix likewise has the following sectors: business and professional services; trade, transportation and utilities; hospitality and leisure; educational and health services; financial services; and manufacturing.