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Pennsylvania, the "Keystone State"

Abbreviation: PA

Although Swedes and Dutch were the first European settlers, William Penn, a Quaker, named Pennsylvania in honor of his father by combining the name Penn and the Latin term sylvania, which translates as "woodlands", to come up with "Penn's woodlands." Pennsylvania was the second of the original 13 states of the Union (1787). Today, two major cities dominate the state — Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, and a thriving metropolitan area, and Pittsburgh, a busy inland river port. Pennsylvania is one of the nation's most historic states. Philadelphia is often called the cradle of the American Nation. It was here that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drawn up by the founding fathers. The Pocono Mountains and the Delaware Water Gap provide popular recreational activities. The Pennsylvania Dutch region in south-central Pennsylvania is another favorite of sightseers. Some Pennsylvania Dutch groups, including the Amish and the Mennonites, are called the Plain People; they live and dress as their ancestors did, with no modern conveniences.

GOVERNMENT

Capital: Harrisburg
Governor: Ed Rendell, D (to Jan. 2007)
Senators: Rick Santorum, R (to Jan. 2007); Arlen Specter, R (to Jan. 2011)
House of Representatives: 19 districts | Search by zip code

STATISTICS

Population (April 2000): 12,281,054; National Rank: 6; Percent change since 1990: 3.4%; State Rank based on Percent Change: 48
Land Area: 44,820 sq mi. (116,083 sq km); National Rank: 33
10 largest cities (2000): Philadelphia, 1,517,550; Pittsburgh, 334,563; Allentown, 106,632; Erie, 103,717; Upper Darby township (Delaware County), 81,821; Reading, 81,207; Scranton, 76,415; Bethlehem, 71,329; Lower Merion township (Montgomery County), 59,850; Bensalem township (Bucks County), 58,434

ECONOMY

Total Gross State Product 2001 (millions of dollars): 408,373; National rank: 6; Percent change since 1990: 39%; National Rank based on Growth Rate: 40 (Including Washington, DC)
Per Capita Personal Income 2001: $30,752; National Rank: 15 (101% of the national average)
State Exports 2002 (millions of dollars): 15,767; National Rank: 12
Agriculture: Dairy products, poultry, cattle, nursery stock, mushrooms, hogs, hay.
Industry: Food processing, chemical products, machinery, electric equipment, tourism.

 

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