Knoxville is located in Knox County and it is the county seat. It lies on the banks of the Tennessee River. Knoxville is in the heart of an industrial area in the Great Valley of East Tennessee. Four of the largest dams of the Tennessee Valley Authority stand within 30 miles of the city. The city is also a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Knoxville's population is 173,890. The annual average temperature is 60 degrees and the yearly average precipitation is about 47 inches.

James White arrived in the Knoxville area around 1786 and built a blockhouse for defense against the Cherokee Indians. The city which he planned was named after General Henry Knox, the country's first secretary of war. Knoxville was the capital of Tennessee on three occasions. The city grew rapidly after the Civil War.

The top area employers are the U.S. Department of Energy - Oak Ridge Operations, the University of Tennessee Knoxville and the Knoxville County School System.

Knoxville is part of the Knoxville, Tennessee metro area.