Indianapolis Tourism and Travel Guide

Indianapolis /ˌɪndiəˈnæpɵlɨs/ is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County. With an estimated population of 843,393 in 2013, Indianapolis is the largest city in Indiana, second largest in the American Midwest, and 14th largest in the U.S. The Indianapolis metropolitan area is the 33rd largest metropolitan area in the U.S., with nearly 2 million inhabitants. Residents of the city are occasionally referred to as 'Indianapolitans,' although this archaic term is rarely used. It is listed as a 'high sufficiency' global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.Indianapolis has a diverse economy, relying on trade, transportation, and utilities, professional and business services, education and health services, government, retail trade, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. Three Fortune 500 companies are based in the city: Anthem Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, and Calumet Specialty Products Partners. Indianapolis hosts several notable sporting events annually, including the Brickyard 400, Grand Prix of Indianapolis, NFL Scouting Combine, the largest half marathon in the U.S., and the largest single-day sporting event in the world, the Indianapolis 500. The cars competing in the latter race are known as IndyCars as a reference to the event. As headquarters for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the city frequently hosts the Men's and Women's basketball tournaments. Indianapolis hosted Pan American Games X in 1987 and Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.Indianapolis was founded in 1821 on the White River as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government. Nicknamed the Crossroads of America, Indianapolis is the junction for four Interstate highways, six U.S. highways, and three state roads. Indianapolis International Airport is a major international cargo hub, ranking as the 23rd busiest airport in the world by cargo traffic in 2014.