Phoenix is one of the many growing cities in America.  The population of Phoenix in 2000 was 1,321,045 (which is up from in 1990 where they had less than 1,000,000 people).  Phoenix is also the capital of Arizona.  (Arizona is a state in the Southwestern United States of America).

           Phoenix is located on the Salt River.  The earliest known occupants of the river valley where Phoenix now sits were the Hohokam people in AD 1300.  The Hohokam disappeared in the early 15^th century though. Todays modern Phoenix was founded in 1870 and incorporated as a city in 1881.  It became the territorial capital of Arizona in 1889 and the state capital in 1912!  There was a widespread expansion of the city after World War 2, in which the population nearly quadrupled (between 1950 and 1960)!  Phoenix occupies the semi-arid valley surrounded by mountains and irrigated fields.  The economy of Phoenix is based on farming, manufacturing, mining, and tourism!