The Gettysburg region is a popular visit for Civil War buffs.

When first discovered by Europeans, Pennsylvania, like the rest of the continent, was inhabited by groups of American Indians. Swedish explorers established the first permanent settlement in 1643. In 1655, the Dutch seized the settlement but lost it to the British in 1664. In 1681, King Charles II, gave William Penn a huge tract of land in North America and named it, in honor of Penn's father, the Admiral, "Pennsilvania," or Penn's Woods and thus began Penn's Holy Experiment — tolerance for all religions and a refuge for every faith. After playing a crucial role in America's Independence, Pennsylvania became the second state admitted to the Union in 1787. During the 19th century, Pennsylvania was a focal point for the Civil War and hosted its most pivotal battle in Gettysburg. The Commonwealth led the nation and the world into the Industrial Revolution during the latter part of the 19th century and into the 20th. Today Pennsylvania is a leader among states and competitor among nations in new, emerging industries and traditional industries.

The Liberty Bell is one of the nation's most visible symbols. It is located in Philadelphia - in the center of Pennsylvania's Philadelphia region.

Tourism is Pennsylvania's second-largest industry. The total impact of travelers' spending on Pennsylvania's economy was $34.1 billion for the year 2000, a 7.1 percent increase over 1999. The total impact includes both the direct and the multiplier effects from travelers' spending. In 2000 there were 563,440 jobs, generating more than $11.5 billion in wages attributed to tourism and more than $4 billion in federal, state and local taxes. Pennsylvania is the fifth most visited state in the United States, accounting for 4.6 percent of all leisure travel in the country, and 3.9 percent of all business travel. Pennsylvania offers access to vital markets. Six out of 10 major U.S. market areas lie within a 500-mile radius of Pennsylvania's capital. Within this radius lies access to vital markets that encompass: 40 percent of the U.S. population and purchasing power More than 60 percent of Canada's population 45 percent of U.S. manufacturers 41 percent of the nation's domestic trade and service industries

Population: 12,281,054 Capital: Harrisburg Ratified U.S. Constitution: December 12, 1787 Counties: 67 Local Tourism Promotion Agencies/ Convention & Visitors Bureaus: 45

Area: 45,820 square miles Width: 310 miles (east to west) Length: 180 miles (north to south) Geographic center: Aaronsburg, Centre County Highest point: Mt. Davis, Somerset County (3,213 ft.) Lowest point: Delaware River Lakes: One Great Lake (Lake Erie), 50 natural lakes, 2,500 man-made lakes Rivers and streams: 54,000 miles

Elk are abundant in Pennsylvania's Alleghenny National Forest region.

State name's meaning: Penn's Woods (after Admiral Penn) Motto: Virtue, Liberty and Independence Nickname: Keystone State Flower: Mountain Laurel Bird: Ruffed Grouse Tree: Hemlock Animal: Whitetail Deer Insect: Firefly Dog: Great Dane Fish: Brook Trout Beverage: Milk Ship: United States Brig Niagara

State Parks: 116 Campsites: 7,000 and 286 cabins Forests: 20 state and one national (Allegheny National Forest) Public Lands: 4.5 million acres Amusement Parks: 25 Wineries: 64 Breweries: 80+ Rails-to-Trails: 1,121 miles Museums: More than 1,000 Skiing Resorts: 33 Outlet Shopping: 11 outlet malls; tax-free clothing and shoes Railroad Heritage: More than 30 tourist railroads Heritage Regions: 11 Covered Bridges: 213 (most in the nation; only twin-covered bridges in nation)

Pennsylvania's Pocono region is home to the Steamtown National Historic Site.

Roads: The interstate highway system covers 1,758 miles. The 505-mile Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940 as the first high-speed, multi-lane highway in the United States. Airports: 142 public use airports and almost 800 airports and landing facilities in total – 6 international; 2 with daily flights to Europe; 16 scheduled service airports handling more than 23 million passengers annually Mass Transit & Railroads: From subways to regional and local bus systems, Pennsylvania has some of the most advanced urban and inter-urban transit systems in the nation. The Commonwealth also has 60+ railroads and 5,600 miles of railways – 6th in the nation. The state is served by cross-state Amtrak passenger service and is at the hub of the Northeast corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C. Ports: Pennsylvania has three distinct types of ports: freshwater, inland and Great Lakes. Philadelphia is one of the largest freshwater ports in the world. Erie is a major Great Lakes port and Pittsburgh is the nation's largest inland port, providing access to the extensive 9,000-mile U.S. inland waterway system.