Tucson [pronounced too-sahn] is the largest city in southern Arizona and the second largest in the state. It is located in the Sonoran Desert, 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S-Mexico border.

Its English name was derived from the Spanish name Tucson [pronounced took-son], which originated from the Piman name S-cuk Son [pronounced schook-shon] meaning "at the base of a black mountain", a reference to a nearby volcanic mountain (now known as Sentinel Peak).

Tucson is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the United States, with archeological discoveries dating back to 800 B.C. The Hohokam began farming the Santa Cruz River Valley in 300 AD. The Akimel O'odham (or Pima Indians) lived in the area when Spanish missionaries arrived in 1692. In 1775, Tucson was officially founded with the establishment of Presidio of San Agustin del Tucson. Tucson became part of Mexico after the Mexican Revolution of 1821. After the Gadsden Purchase in 1853, Tucson came under the jurisdiction of the United States.

Tucson is a college town at heart, home turf to the 38,000-strong University of Arizona.

Communities in the vicinity of Tucson include Casas Adobes, Catalina, Catalina Foothills, Green Valley, Tanque Verde, Vail and the incorporated suburbs of Oro Valley, Marana, Sahuarita, and South Tucson. The Tucson metropolitan area is surrounded by five minor mountain ranges: the Santa Catalina Mountains and Tortolita Mountains to the north, the Santa Rita Mountains to the south, the Rincon Mountains to the east, and the Tucson Mountains to the west.

A host of outdoor activities, fine resorts, world-class museums, world-renowned observatories, and plenty of mild, dry climate make Tucson a premier destination.