|
Memphis
is a city in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the
county seat of Shelby County. Memphis rises above the
Mississippi River on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff just south
of the mouth of the Wolf River.
As of 2006, Memphis had an estimated population
of 670,902, making it the largest city in the state of
Tennessee, the second largest in the southeastern region
(only behind Jacksonville, Florida), and the 17th largest
in the United States.
The greater Memphis metropolitan area, including adjacent
counties in Mississippi and Arkansas, has a population
of 1,260,581. This makes Memphis the second largest metropolitan
area in Tennessee, surpassed only by metropolitan Nashville.
Memphis is the youngest of Tennessee's four major cities
(traditionally including Knoxville, Chattanooga, and
Nashville). A resident of Memphis is referred to as a
Memphian and the Memphis region is known as the Mid-South.
Geography and climate
The Mud Island Monorail, in Downtown Memphis (2005)Memphis
is located in southwestern Tennessee at 35°7′3″N,
89°58′16″W.[7] According to the United
States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 313.8
sq mi (763.4 km²), of which 302.3 sq mi (723.4 km²)
is land and 15.4 sq mi (40.0 km²), or 5.24%, is
water.
The city of Memphis is located in southwestern Tennessee
and sits on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River.
It is the regional hub for a tri-state area of Arkansas,
Mississippi and Tennessee. Interstate 40 (I-40) enters
the city from the northeast, and loops above the central
part of the city, exiting across the Mississippi River
and travelling to the west. Interstate 55 approaches
the city from the south and connects with Interstate
240, which completes the loop around central Memphis
with I-40, and also leaves to the west.
Three bridges over the Mississippi (2007)Shelby County
is located over four natural aquifers, one of which is
recognized as the "Memphis sand aquifer" or
simply as the "Memphis aquifer". This particular
water source, located some 350 to 1100 ft (100 - 330
m) underground, is stated to contain more than 100 trillion
gallons (380 km³) of water by Memphis Light, Gas,
and Water.
Climate
Memphis has a humid subtropical climate, with four distinct
seasons. The average high and low in July are 92°F
(33°C) and 73°F (23°C), with high levels
of humidity due to moisture encroaching from the Gulf
of Mexico. Afternoon thunderstorms are frequent during
some summers, but usually brief, lasting no longer
than an hour. Early Autumn is pleasantly drier and
mild, but can remain hot until late October. Winters
are mild to chilly, with average January high and low
temperatures of 49°F (9°C) and 31°F (-1°C).
Late Autumn is rainy and colder; December is the third
rainiest month of the year. Snow does occur sporadically
in winter, with an average annual accumulation of 5.1
inches (12.9cm).
Demographics
Memphis skyline, view from Tom Lee Park (2006)As of
the census[2] of 2000, there were 650,100 people, 250,721
households, and 158,455 families residing in the city.
The population density was 2,327.4 people per sq mi (898.6/km²).
There were 271,552 housing units at an average density
of 972.2 per sq mi (375.4/km²). The racial makeup
of the city was 61.41% African American, 34.41% White,
1.46% Asian, 0.19% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander,
1.45% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.97% of the population.
The Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), the
42nd largest in the United States, has a 2003 population
of 1,239,337, and includes the Tennessee counties of
Shelby, Tipton, and Fayette, as well as the Mississippi
counties of DeSoto, Marshall, Tate, and Tunica, and the
Arkansas county of Crittenden.
Special Thanks to : Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Top of
Page
Web Design by Emediamasters.com
|
