Published on Aug 15, 2013
Philadelphia is the largest city in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the second largest city on the East
Coast of the United States, and the fifth-most-populous city in the
United States.[1] It is located in the Northeastern United States along
the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, and it is the only consolidated
city-county in Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a
population of 1,526,006,[2] growing to 1,547,607 in 2012 by Census
estimates. Philadelphia is the economic and cultural center of the
Delaware Valley, home to over 6 million people and the country's
sixth-largest metropolitan area. Within the Delaware Valley, the
Philadelphia metropolitan division consists of five counties in
Pennsylvania and has a population of 4,008,994. Popular nicknames for
Philadelphia are Philly and The City of Brotherly Love, the latter of
which comes from the literal meaning of the city's name in Greek (Greek:
Φιλαδέλφεια ([pʰilaˈdelpʰeːa], Modern Greek: [filaˈðelfia]) "brotherly
love", compounded from philos (φίλος) "loving", and adelphos (ἀδελφός)
"brother").[5]In 1682, William Penn founded the city to serve as capital
of Pennsylvania Colony. By the 1750s, Philadelphia had surpassed Boston
to become the largest city and busiest port in British America, and
second in the British Empire, behind London.[6][7] During the American
Revolution, Philadelphia played an instrumental role as a meeting place
for the Founding Fathers of the United States, who signed the
Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787.
Philadelphia was one of the nation's capitals during the Revolutionary
War, and the city served as the temporary U.S. capital while Washington,
D.C., was under construction. During the 19th century, Philadelphia
became a major industrial center and railroad hub that grew from an
influx of European immigrants. It became a prime destination for African
Americans during the Great Migration and surpassed two million
occupants by 1950.The city is the center of economic activity in
Pennsylvania, and is home to the Philadelphia Stock Exchange
and several Fortune 500 companies.Philadelphia is known for its arts
and culture. The cheesesteak and soft pretzel are emblematic of
Philadelphia cuisine, which is shaped by the city's ethnic mix. The city
has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city,[8]
and Philadelphia's Fairmount Park is the largest landscaped urban park
in the world.[9] Gentrification of Philadelphia's neighborhoods
continues into the 21st century and the city has reversed its
decades-long trend of population loss.
Some aspects of crime in Philadelphia have achieved national and even international attention.[1] Charles Ramsey, the police commissioner, has stated his goal to reduce the number of homicides by 100 per year.[2]The legal entities responsible for maintaining law and order are:The Philadelphia Police Department is the police department. The Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County (1st Judicial Circuit) is the state trial court. The Philadelphia District Attorney is the district attorney. The Defender Association of Philadelphia is the government-funded independent public defender office.
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