John Cletheroe's
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Pennsylvania - Introduction
Name
Officially Pennsylvania is a commonwealth, not a state. In everyday usage it is normally referred to as a state.
Area
46,058 square miles. 33rd largest state of the USA.
Furthest North to Furthest South
170 miles.
Furthest East to Furthest West
308 miles.
Population Density
258 per square mile.
Licence Plate
See Pennsylvania Department Of Transportation Driver And Vehicle Services (PENNDOT) - License Plates (external link verified Dec-05)
State Highway Marker Shield Design
A white keystone shape on a black square background.
Derivation of Name
From the surname of Admiral William Penn, the father of William Penn, to whom King Charles II granted the colony in 1681, and "sylva", Latin for wood.
Nickname
The Keystone State, from the state's central location amongst the first few states.
Climate
Philadelphia: January high 40F, July high 87F.
Pittsburgh: January high 35F, July high 83F.
Official State Tourism Office
Tel (US): 1-800-VISIT-PA (1-800-847-4872) (for ordering copies of the visitors' guide only)
Verified Jan-99.
Verified Dec-05.
Highway Conditions
Tel (US): 1-800-331-3414 (then 2 and 1 after the prompts for the Pennsylvania Turnpike); For interstates in Pennsylvania 1-888-783-6783; 1-717-939-9551 (old number, may no longer be available); 1-814-355-6044 (old number, may no longer be available. In the Philadelphia
area, traffic information from SmarTraveler is available at (215) 567-5678 or #211 from mobile (cell) phones.
Departments of Transportation etc for each US state and Canadian province
State Parks
Official site. Checked Mar-99.
Sales Tax
Generally 6% but 7% in Allegheny County and Philadelphia County. Additional local sales taxes may apply.
Pennsylvania
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Most recently modified 29-Dec-05