Current Time in Phoenix, United States

Phoenix is the capital and largest city of Arizona in the southwestern United States, located in the Sonoran Desert at an elevation of approximately 330 meters. With a population of over 1.6 million people in the city and nearly five million in the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area, it is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and one of the fastest-growing major metropolitan areas in the country. Phoenix is known for its year-round sunshine, dramatic desert landscape, vibrant arts scene, and status as a major business and technology hub of the American Southwest.

The area around Phoenix has been inhabited for thousands of years. The ancient Hohokam people built one of the most sophisticated irrigation canal systems in pre-Columbian North America here, supporting agriculture in the desert for over a thousand years before mysteriously abandoning the area around 1450 CE. European-American settlement began in the 1860s when settlers began farming the desert using the ancient Hohokam canals. The town was incorporated in 1881 and grew rapidly, fueled by the development of agriculture made possible by irrigation projects on the Salt River. The city's mythological name, Phoenix, references the legendary bird reborn from ashes — a fitting symbol for a city built on the ruins of the Hohokam civilization.

Phoenix's attractions range from natural wonders to world-class museums. Camelback Mountain, a distinctive camel-shaped peak rising from the city's residential areas, offers challenging hikes with panoramic views. Saguaro cactus forests surround the city and are protected in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The Heard Museum, dedicated to the art and culture of Native American peoples of the Southwest, is one of the finest of its kind in the United States. The Desert Botanical Garden showcases the extraordinary diversity of desert plants. The Musical Instrument Museum is a globally unique institution displaying instruments from virtually every country on earth.

Phoenix has a year-round calendar of cultural events, a vibrant restaurant scene, and an increasingly recognized arts district in the Roosevelt Row neighborhood. The city is home to the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Phoenix Mercury professional sports teams, reflecting the strong sports culture of the region. Southwestern cuisine, blending Native American, Mexican, and Anglo-American traditions, offers distinctive dishes featuring chili peppers, corn, beans, and grilled meats.

Transportation in Phoenix is dominated by highways, but the Valley Metro Rail light rail system provides urban transit across the metropolitan area. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is one of the busiest in the United States, connecting the city to destinations worldwide.

Phoenix is home to Arizona State University, one of the largest universities in the United States by enrollment, and several other universities and community colleges that educate the region's rapidly growing population.

Phoenix's economy is driven by real estate, financial services, healthcare, high technology, and tourism. Its extraordinary growth over recent decades, from a small desert town to a major American metropolis, makes Phoenix a compelling example of Sun Belt urbanization and the enduring human ability to make the desert bloom.