Pennsylvania
U.S. state From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pennsylvania (/ˌpɛnsɪlˈveɪniə/ PEN-sil-VAY-nee-ə, lit. 'Penn's forest country'), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania[lower-alpha 2] (Pennsylvania Dutch: Pennsilfaani),[7] is a US state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryland to its south, West Virginia to its southwest, Ohio and the Ohio River to its west, Lake Erie and New York to its north, the Delaware River and New Jersey to its east, and the Canadian province of Ontario to its northwest via Lake Erie.
Pennsylvania
Pennsilfaani (Pennsylvania Dutch) | |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | |
| Nicknames: Keystone State;[1] Quaker State; The Battleground State | |
| Motto(s): Virtue, Liberty and Independence | |
| Anthem: "Pennsylvania" | |
 Map of the United States with Pennsylvania highlighted | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Province of Pennsylvania |
| Admitted to the Union | December 12, 1787 (2nd) |
| Capital | Harrisburg |
| Largest city | Philadelphia |
| Largest county or equivalent | Philadelphia |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Delaware Valley |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Josh Shapiro (D) |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Austin Davis (D) |
| Legislature | General Assembly |
| • Upper house | State Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives |
| Judiciary | Supreme Court of Pennsylvania |
| U.S. senators | Bob Casey Jr. (D) John Fetterman (D) |
| U.S. House delegation | 9 Democrats 8 Republicans (list) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km2) |
| • Land | 44,816.61 sq mi (116,074 km2) |
| • Water | 1,239 sq mi (3,208 km2) 2.7% |
| • Rank | 33rd |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 170 mi (273 km) |
| • Width | 283 mi (455 km) |
| Elevation | 1,100 ft (340 m) |
| Highest elevation | 3,213 ft (979 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2020[3]) | |
| • Total | 13,002,700 |
| • Rank | 5th |
| • Density | 290/sq mi (112/km2) |
| • Rank | 9th |
| • Median household income | $68,957[4] |
| • Income rank | 21st |
| Demonyms | Pennsylvanian Pennamite Pennsylvanier (Pennsylvania Dutch) |
| Language | |
| • Official language | None |
| • Spoken language | English 90.15% Spanish 4.09% German (including Pennsylvania Dutch) 0.87% Chinese 0.47% Italian 0.43%[5] |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | PA |
| ISO 3166 code | US-PA |
| Traditional abbreviation | Pa., Penn., Penna. |
| Latitude | 39°43′ to 42°16′ N |
| Longitude | 74°41′ to 80°31′ W |
| Website | pa |
| List of state symbols | |
|---|---|
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.svg) | |
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| Living insignia | |
| Amphibian | Eastern Hellbender |
| Bird | Ruffed grouse |
| Dog breed | Great Dane |
| Fish | Brook trout |
| Flower | Mountain laurel |
| Insect | Firefly (Colloquially "Lightning Bug") (Photuris pensylvanica) |
| Mammal | White-tailed deer |
| Tree | Eastern hemlock |
| Inanimate insignia | |
| Beverage | Milk |
| Dance | None |
| Food | None[6] |
| Fossil | Trilobite |
| Soil | Hazleton |
| State route marker | |
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| State quarter | |
 Released in 1999 | |
| Lists of United States state symbols | |
Pennsylvania was founded in 1681 through a royal land grant to William Penn, the son of the state's namesake. Prior to that, between 1638 and 1655, a southeast portion of the state was part of New Sweden, a Swedish Empire colony. Established as a haven for religious and political tolerance, the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania was known for its relatively peaceful relations with native tribes, innovative government system, and religious pluralism. Pennsylvania played a vital and historic role in the American Revolution and the ultimately successful quest for independence from the British Empire, hosting the First and Second Continental Congress, leading to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the formation of the Continental Army.[8] On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.[9] The bloodiest battle of the American Civil War, at Gettysburg over three days in July 1863, proved the war's turning point, leading to the Union's preservation. Throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, the state's manufacturing-based economy contributed to the development of much of the nation's early infrastructure, including key bridges, skyscrapers, and military hardware used in U.S.-led victories in World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.
Pennsylvania's geography is highly diverse. The Appalachian Mountains run through the center of the state; the Allegheny and Pocono mountains span much of Northeastern Pennsylvania; close to 60% of the state is forested. While it has no ocean shoreline, it has 140 miles (225 km) of waterfront along Lake Erie and the tidal Delaware River.[10]
Pennsylvania is the fifth-most populous state in the United States, with over 13 million residents as of the 2020 United States census.[3] The state is the 33rd-largest by area and has the ninth-highest population density among all states. The largest metropolitan statistical area is the southeastern Delaware Valley, which includes and surrounds Philadelphia, the state's largest and nation's sixth-most populous city. The second-largest metropolitan area, Greater Pittsburgh, is centered in and around Pittsburgh, the state's second-largest city. The state's subsequent five most populous cities are Allentown, Reading, Erie, Scranton, and Bethlehem.[11][12] The state capital is Harrisburg.
Indigenous settlement
Pennsylvania's history of human habitation extends to thousands of years before the foundation of the colonial Province of Pennsylvania in 1681. Archaeologists believe the first settlement of the Americas occurred at least 15,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial Period, though it is unclear when humans first inhabited present-day Pennsylvania. Between 30,000 and 10,500 years ago, Native Americans crossed the two continents, arriving in North America.[13] Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Jefferson Township includes the earliest known signs of human activity in Pennsylvania and perhaps all of North America,[14] including the remains of a civilization that existed over 10,000 years ago and possibly pre-dated the Clovis culture.[15]