Story by Milenia Medical Editor / December 18, 2015
PHOENIX IS LOCATED IN CENTRAL ARIZONA, IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES. IT IS 20 MINUTES WEST OF TEMPE, AND 20 MINUTES SOUTHWEST OF SCOTTSDALE. PHOENIX IS HOME TO MORE THAN FIVE FORTUNE 1000 COMPANY HEADQUARTERS, INCLUDING WELL-RECOGNIZED NAMES SUCH AS AVNET, PHELPS DODGE, AND PETSMART. NEARBY TEMPE IS HOME TO US AIRWAYS. OTHER COMPANIES WITH MAJOR OPERATIONS IN PHOENIX INCLUDE: INTEL, MOTOROLA, ALLIEDSIGNAL, HONEYWELL, BOEING, AMERICAN EXPRESS, PRUDENTIAL, CHARLES SCHWAB AND MORE.
PHOENIX HAS RECEIVED THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE’S PRESTIGIOUS “ALL-AMERICA CITY” AWARD FOUR TIMES. IN 1993, PHOENIX WAS SELECTED AS THE “BEST RUN CITY IN THE WORLD” BY THE BERTELSMANN FOUNDATION OF GERMANY.
Phoenix has an arid climate that is characterized by some of the hottest seasonal temperatures anywhere. Phoenix averages 325 sunny days and less than eight inches of rain a year. The hottest recorded summer temperature was 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow is very rare in Phoenix, though it still can occur occasionally.
The original settlers of what was to become Phoenix were the Hohokam Indian people, who lived there as early as 300 BC. The first non-native American settlers founded a farming community near what was to become Phoenix. The Town of Phoenix was officially recognized in May of 1868. Phoenix was incorporated as a city in 1881. At that time it had a population of approximately 2,500 people.
Phoenix has plenty to offer to keep sports fans happy. Phoenix is home to the following major sports teams:
Nearby Tempe is also home to the NCAA College Football Fiesta Bowl and Insight Bowl. Phoenix is also often referred to as the “golf capital of the world” with more than 200 golf courses in the greater Phoenix area.
Phoenix’s dry and sunny climate make it an ideal location for a wide variety of outdoor activities. In addition to “normal” outdoor activities such as blading, biking, horseback riding, hiking, boating and more, Phoenix is an ideal location for more exotic outdoor activities such as hot-air ballooning, or soaring in a glider.
Phoenix has attractions too numerous to do justice in a simple list. Some of Phoenix’s more unique attractions include: