Spotlight on Pennsylvania
Font size:
“Nowhere in the country, from sea to sea, does nature comfort us with such assurance of plenty, such rich and tranquil beauty as in those unsung, unpainted hills of Pennsylvania.”
The state of Pennsylvania is rich in American history. It was one of the original 13 colonies to form the United States of America and the site of the signing of a number of important American documents, perhaps most notably the Declaration of Independence. Pennsylvanians can boast that Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg address on its land (over four score and seven years ago). It was also an important state economically, having both industry in the north, making wagons and rifles, as well as in the south, where tobacco and produce was harvested.
The population of Pennsylvania is now over 12.5 million people. Pennsylvania derived its wealth and incredible growth from anthracite coal mining, along with iron and steel manufacturing. The country’s first oil well was dug in Pennsylvania in 1859, and the mining of iron ore and coal led to the development of its steel industry. In the late 1970s, however, the state’s economy became more diversified, growing at a faster rate than the previous 10 years.
Around this time, several new immigrants from Asia and Latin America arrived for various reasons. Towns suddenly became vibrant with culture and they experienced rapid growth. Following such economic development was the creation of more jobs. More and more companies began to transfer their headquarters to the state. Eventually, Pennsylvania had one of the best economies in the country. Having transitioned from a manufacturing-based economy, the state now had several service industries ranging from healthcare, retail, transportation and tourism.
The first oil well was dug at Titusville in 1859 and discoveries in iron ore and coal followed, which led the state’s steel industry. Pennsylvania’s economy has become diversified and the state is the national leader in specialty steel production, as well as the production of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment and food products. Over 58,000 farms occupy nearly 8 million acres and produce a wide variety of crops. Agriculture is, in fact, the backbone of the state’s economy with leading commodities, such as dairy products, beef, mushrooms, greenhouses and nursery products (including Christmas trees and potatoes). Pennsylvania’s total gross domestic product by state (GSP) is $553.3 billion. In fact, if the state were an independent country, its economy would rank 18th worldwide.
Visitors enjoy the state’s rich heritage, which draws billions of tourist dollars annually. Some of the highlighted attractions include the Gettysburg National Military Park, Valley Forge Historical Park, Independence National Park in Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Dutch region, the Eisenhower farm near Gettysburg, and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
This historically and economically rich state is filled with exciting opportunities. We tried to highlight some of the best organizations in Pennsylvania and give you a taste of what it has to offer.
We hope you enjoy this dual issue! AB
Want your state to be featured? Let us know what you think! Send your comments to: antoniam@abjusa.com.
Rebecca Harding
del.icio.us
Digg
NewsVine
Mixx
FaceBook
Twitter
Email this article
Print
Plain text
