The city of Pueblo, Colorado is a Home Rule Municipality and is the county seat of Pueblo County. Pueblo is situated at the confluence of Fountain Creek and the Arkansas River. Pueblo is the main city of the Pueblo Metropolitan Statistical Area and a significant part of the Front Range Urban Corridor. The city of Denver lies 166 km to the north of Pueblo.
The city of Pueblo is located within the semi-arid desert area known as the "banana belt". Annual precipitation within the region averages only 305 mm. Pueblo experiences less snow as opposed to any other major cities within Colorado State.
The city of Pueblo is referred to as the "Steel City" because of its major steel-producing sector, the largest in the nation.
Pueblo was "Fort Pueblo" during the middle part of the 19th century. During 1859, the Colorado Gold Rush led to the settlement of four towns, which ultimately merged to become the City of Pueblo. Pueblo was the site of one of the most catastrophic floods in the nation's history. The Great Flood of the year 1912 is among Colorado's most well known natural disasters. Thousands of people died and the city of Pueblo sustained millions of dollars in damage. The Historic Arkansas River Project (HARP) features information and displays regarding the Pueblo Flood.
The 20th century ushered in the era of steel, and Pueblo's economy depended a lot on steel production. More recently, the city of Pueblo has created a revitalized downtown and an industrial park in an effort to expand. Numerous aviation and electronics companies are now situated here. The key employment sectors in Pueblo are government, education, healthcare, construction and the hospitality and leisure. Service jobs provide over 80% of employment. A lot of inhabitants are still working in steel fabrication. Newer sources of employment include manufacturing, telemarketing call centers, electronics and aviation companies. Many Pueblo people commute to the Colorado Springs area for work.
Parkview Medical Center, St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center, and the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo are the biggest healthcare employers within the city of Pueblo. Other significant employers consist of the school system of Pueblo, Pueblo County, Convergys Corporation, Trane, Rocky Mountain Steel Mills and Walmart.