Home to the cities of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh and Allentown and an abundance of geographical beauty including Lake Erie and the Appalachian Mountains, Pennsylvania is a significant natural and cultural state of America. It is the 33rd largest state in the country, the sixth most populous, home to over 12 million inhabitants and one of the nation’s oldest as one of the thirteen original founding states. Located in the North Eastern part of America, the state capital is Harrisburg, and the state boundaries include Ohio, New York, New Jersey and the border into Ontario, Canada.
There are many recreational activities for visitors to enjoy throughout Pennsylvania, such as theme parks like Dorney Park in Allentown, or the many zoos and aquariums including America’s first, the Philadelphia Zoo. Culture is also an essential part of the state and institutions like the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, exist to celebrate the creativity and history of Pennsylvania. Visitors can enjoy the great outdoors as well as city life in Pennsylvania by exploring any of the natural spaces in the state, including Allegheny National Forest and the coastline of Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes of America. Pennsylvania hosts many institutes of higher education, such as Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as various sports teams that give visitors an opportunity to have a quintessential American experience by watching a football game.
Pennsylvania is easy to navigate by car as many highways connect the major cities, and Amtrak trains travel throughout the state often connecting with nearby New York. There are seven main airports in Pennsylvania spread across the major cities, and the ports of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh acts as water transport bases with the latter being the second largest inland port in the country. Long distance buses also travel throughout Pennsylvania, and all the main towns have their intercity transport systems.
American Indian Nations occupied the land of Pennsylvania before the arrival of Europeans in the 17th century when the state became one of the first thirteen colonies of America, founded by the Englishman, William Penn. The state capital, Philadelphia, became a place of national importance and the site on which Congress produced the Declaration of Independence and Liberty Bell. Pennsylvania hosted many battles over the years, including the Battle of Gettysburg, and was the home of prominent national figures like Benjamin Franklin.