Tucson is the county seat of Pima County. It is the second-largest city in Arizona.
The city’s name is Spanish but derives from the O’odham “Cuk Son.” The Native name means “at the base of the black hill.” This references Sentinel Peak.
Tucson is home to the University of Arizona. That fact has driven the majority of the city’s economic development. To this day, the university is the largest employer in town.
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is another large economic engine. The US Army Intelligence Center at Fort Huachuca has spearheaded the development of many high-tech industries.
Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Texas Instruments, IBM, Intuit Inc., Universal Avionics, Honeywell Aerospace, Sunquest Information Systems, Sanofi-Aventis, Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., and Bombardier Aerospace make huge contributions to the city’s economy. Optics are another major industry.
Tourism is another major industry in Tucson. The city’s many resorts, hotels and attractions host over 3.5 million visitors every year.