Tucson is located in
Pima County and it is the county seat. It lies southeast of
Phoenix between Casa Grande and
Nogales, along Interstate 10. The city also is near the Santa Cruz River and the
Coronado National Forest.
Fr. Eusebio Kino established Mission San Xavier del Bac, south of a Native American village called Tucson, in 1700. Spanish settlers appeared in the late 1770s and the city was founded in 1776. Tucson became a military border post for New Spain, Mexico, and finally the United States. The railroad arrived in 1880.
Today, Tucson is a rapidly growing transportation and tourist center. The city's industries include electronics, optics and research. Tucson also is a processing and distribution hub for cotton, livestock and mining.
A fiesta and rodeo is held here each February. The city is home to the University of Arizona campus. Nearby are Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the Army's Fort Huachuca.
Tucson is part of the Tucson, Arizona metro area.