Pennsylvania

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Keystone State; Quaker State; Coal State; Oil State; State of Independence
Motto(s): Virtue, Liberty and Independence
Official language(s)	None (English, de facto)
Spoken language(s)	English 91.6% Spanish 3.1% Pennsylvania Dutch
Demonym	Pennsylvanian
Capital	Harrisburg
Largest city	Philadelphia
Largest metro area	Delaware Valley
Area	Ranked 33rd in the U.S.
- Total	46,055 sq mi (119,283 km2)
- Width	280 miles (455 km)
- Length	160 miles (255 km)
- % water	2.7
- Latitude	39°43′ N to 42°16′ N
- Longitude	74°41′ W to 80°31′ W
Population	Ranked 6th in the U.S.
- Total	12,702,379(2010.)
- Density	283.9/sq mi  (109.6/km2) Ranked 11th in the U.S.
- Median income	US$48,562 (26th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Mount Davis 3,213 ft  (979 m)
- Mean	1,099 ft  (335 m)
- Lowest point	Delaware River 0 ft  (0 m)
Before statehood	Province of Pennsylvania
Admission to Union	December 12, 1787 (2nd)
Governor	Tom Corbett (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Jim Cawley (R)
Legislature	General Assembly
- Upper house	State Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. Senators	Bob Casey, Jr. (D) Pat Toomey (R)
U.S. House delegation	12 Republicans, 7 Democrats
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	PA Penn. or Penna. US-PA
Website	pa.gov

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania  is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jerseyto the east. The state's four most populous cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie. The state capital is Harrisburg.

Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km) of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary. As of the 2000, and 2010census, Pennsylvania has one of the largest European American populations and a strong African American population.

Geography

Counties of Pennsylvania

Map of Pennsylvania, showing major cities and roads

Pennsylvania is 170 miles (274 km) north to south and 283 miles (455 km) east to west. Of a total 46,055 square miles (119,282 km²), 44,817 square miles (116,075 km²) are land, 490 square miles (1,269 km²) are inland waters, and 749 square miles (1,940 km²) are waters in Lake Erie. It is the 33rd largest state in the United States.

The bounds of the state are the Mason-Dixon Line (39° 43' N) to the south, the Delaware River to the east, 80° 31' W to the west, and the 42° N to the north, with the exception of a short segment on the western end, where a triangle extends north to Lake Erie. Pennsylvania borders six other states: New York to the north; New Jersey to the east; Delaware and Maryland to the southeast; West Virginia to the southwest, and Ohio to the west. Pennsylvania also shares a water border with Canada. Of the original Thirteen Colonies, Pennsylvania is the only state that does not border the Atlantic Ocean.

It has the cities of Philadelphia, York, Reading and Lancaster in the southeast, Pittsburgh in the southwest, the tri-cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton in the central east (known as the Lehigh Valley), the tri-cities of Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Hazleton in the northeast, and Erie in the northwest, Williamsport serves as the "hub" of the commonwealth's north-central region, with state capital Harrisburg on the Susquehanna River in the central region of the commonwealth.

Climate

Pennsylvania's diverse topography also produces a variety of climates. Straddling two major zones, the majority of the state, with the exception of the southeastern corner, has a humid continental climate. Greater Philadelphia has some characteristics of the humid subtropical climate that covers much of Delaware and Maryland to the south. Moving toward the mountainous interior of the state, the climate becomes markedly colder, the number of cloudy days increases, and winter snowfall amounts are greater. Western areas of the state, particularly cities near Lake Erie, can receive over 100 inches (254 cm) of snowfall annually, and the entire state receives plentiful precipitation throughout the year. The state may be subject to severe weather from spring through summer into fall, as an average of 10 tornadoes touch down each year in the state.

Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Pennsylvania Cities in Fahrenheit
City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Scranton	34/18	37/20	47/28	59/38	71/48	78/57	83/61	81/60	72/53	61/42	49/34	39/24
Erie	33/20	36/21	45/28	56/38	67/49	76/59	80/64	79/63	72/56	61/46	49/36	39/27
Pittsburgh	37/20	39/21	50/29	62/38	71/48	80/56	85/62	83/60	76/53	64/41	53/33	42/25
Harrisburg	38/23	41/25	51/33	63/42	73/51	81/61	86/66	84/64	76/57	64/45	53/36	42/28
Philadelphia	39/25	42/28	51/35	62/44	72/55	81/64	86/70	84/69	77/61	66/49	55/40	44/31
Allentown	35/19	39/21	49/29	60/38	71/48	79/58	84/63	82/61	74/53	63/41	51/33	40/24
East Stroudsburg	35/16	39/17	49/26	61/36	72/46	80/55	85/59	83/58	75/50	64/38	51/30	40/22
Philadelphia, Scranton, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Erie, Allentown, East Stroudsburg