Tucson

The Tucson area was probably first visited by Paleo-Indians, who were known to have been in southern Arizona about 12,000 years ago. Recent archaeological excavations near the Santa Cruz River found a village site dating from 2100 BC. The floodplain of the Santa Cruz River was extensively farmed during the Early Agricultural Period, c. 1200 BC to AD 150. These people hunted, gathered wild plants and nuts, and ate corn, beans, and other crops grown using irrigation canals they constructed. The Early Ceramic period occupation of Tucson had the first extensive use of pottery vessels for cooking and storage. The groups designated as the Hohokam lived in the area from AD 600 to 1450 and are known for their vast irrigation canal systems and their red-on-brown pottery. Italian Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino first visited the Santa Cruz River valley in 1692. …

According to the United States Census Bureau, as of 2010, the City of Tucson has a land area of 226.71 sq mi (587.2 km2). The city's elevation is 2,643 feet (806 m) above sea level (as measured at the Tucson International Airport). Tucson is on an alluvial plain in the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by five minor ranges of mountains: the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Tortolita Mountains to the north, the Santa Rita Mountains to the south, the Rincon Mountains to the east, and the Tucson Mountains to the west. Tucson Mountains include 4,687-foot (1,429 m) Wasson Peak. The highest point in the area is Mount Wrightson, found in the Santa Rita Mountains at 9,453 feet (2,881 m) above sea level. Tucson is 116 mi (187 km) southeast of Phoenix and 64 mi (103 km) north of the United States–Mexico border by interstate highway. …

The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is one of the largest gem and mineral shows in the world and has been held for over 50 years. The show is only one part of the gem, mineral, fossil and bead gathering held across more than 45 different sites in Tucson. The shows run from late January to mid-February, with the official show lasting two weeks in February. Since 2009, the Tucson Festival of Books has been held annually over a two-day period in March at the University of Arizona. By 2010 it had become the fourth largest book festival in the United States, with 450 authors and 80,000 attendees. In addition to readings and lectures, it features a science fair, varied entertainment, food, and exhibitors ranging from local retailers and publishers to regional and national nonprofit organizations. El Tour de Tucson is a cycling race that has taken place in Tucson since 1983. …

Much of Tucson's economic development has centered on the development of the University of Arizona, which is the city's largest employer. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, on the city's southeastern edge, also provides many jobs for Tucson residents. Its presence, as well as the presence of the US Army Intelligence Center (Fort Huachuca, the region's largest employer, in nearby Sierra Vista), has led to the development of many high-technology industries, including government contractors. The city of Tucson is also a major hub for the Union Pacific Railroad's Sunset Route that links the Los Angeles ports with the South/Southeast regions of the country. Raytheon Missiles and Defense (formerly Hughes Aircraft Co.), Texas Instruments, IBM, Intuit Inc., Universal Avionics, Honeywell Aerospace, Sunquest Information Systems, Sanofi-Aventis, Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. …

According to 2020 United States census, the racial composition of Tucson was: Non-Hispanic white: 43.6% African American (including Hispanics): 5.6% Native American (including Hispanics): 2.9% Asian American (including Hispanics): 3.2% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (including Hispanics): 0.3% Hispanic or Latino: 42.2% According to the 2010 American Census Bureau, the racial composition of Tucson was: Non-Hispanic White: 47.2% Black or African American (including Hispanics): 5.0% Native American (including Hispanics): 2.7% Asian (including Hispanics): 2.9% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (including Hispanics): 0.2% Other race (including Hispanics): 17.8% Two or more races (including Hispanics): 3.4% Hispanic or Latino: 41.6%; Mexican Americans made up 36.1% of the city's population. …