Philadelphia, located in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the mid-Atlantic region, is the fifth most-populous city in the United States. Often referred to as "Philly," the city is coterminous with Philadelphia County. Philadelphia sits adjacent to the New Jersey and Delaware borders, and as such, its metropolitan area encompasses counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
For most visitors, the focal point will be Center City and Old City, which comprise the "downtown" section of Philadelphia. It is bounded by Vine St. to the north, the Delaware River to the east, South St. to the south, and the Schuylkill River to the west. The 2010 Center City residential population of 57,000 makes it the third most populated central business district in America, behind New York City and Chicago. Other popular districts to visit are West Philly and South Philly.
Philadelphia, often called the "Birthplace of America", is the birthplace of the country's modern democracy. Philly was founded by William Penn in 1681, and assumed its present-day shape and size in 1784 when Montgomery County was split off from Philadelphia. The city's name translates to "City of Brotherly Love" and it has been a seat of freedom since its inception; originally founded by Quakers, the colony promoted religious freedom among its residents in stark contrast to the England of the time.
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