Economy

Service industries make up the largest portion of Pennsylvania's economy. About 80 per cent of the state's workers are employed by these industries. Pennsylvania is also an important manufacturing state.

Community, business, and personal services form Pennsylvania's leading service industry. This includes such businesses as professional sports franchises, and private health care. Philadelphia is home to some of the nation's leading law firms. Pittsburgh has many engineering firms. The Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas are also national financial centers. Several large holding companies and banks have headquarters located in the two areas. Tourism is also important throughout Pennsylvania.

Until the 1970's, Pennsylvania's economy relied heavily on manufacturing steel and machinery. The state still ranks among the leading producers of these items, but they are now much less important to the economy. The leading types of goods produced in the state today are chemicals, especially pharmacuticals, and processed foods and beverages. Most of the manufacturing is located in the southeastern and southwestern parts of the state, centering on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Some of the nation's largest corporations have their headquarters in these areas.

Because so much of Pennsylvania is hilly to mountainous and lacks good soil, only about 25 per cent of the land—mainly in the Piedmont Plateau and in the Great Valley—is used for farming. The Piedmont, home to the Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsylvanians of German descent), has long been one of the most productive and prosperous farming areas in the nation.

Milk is the state's leading source of farm income. In milk production, Pennsylvania normally ranks among the top states in the nation. Hay, cattle, corn, eggs, and mushrooms are also major agricultural products.

Pennsylvania's leading fruit crops are apples, peaches, and grapes. Other important sources of agricultural income in the state are nursery and greenhouse products.

By value of output, Pennsylvania ranks among the top states in coal production. Bituminous coal is the leading product. Anthracite is mined in eastern Pennsylvania. Limestone, petroleum, and natural gas are also produced in the state. The world's first drilled well producing commercial quantities of petroleum was at Titusville in 1859.

Plant life. Forests cover about 60 per cent of Pennsylvania. Mixtures of hardwood and softwood trees are found in the north and on the higher ridges in the south. They consist mainly of beeches, birches, hemlocks, maples, and pines. Hardwoods, including hickories, oaks, and walnuts, grow chiefly in the lowlands of the southeast and southwest.

Despite its hilly to mountainous terrain, Pennsylvania has long had a highly developed transportation network. Among the numerous Interstate highways are the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I–76) and the Keystone Shortway (I–80), which cross the state from east to west and link the Atlantic Coast and the Midwest.

The state has ready access to three kinds of water transportation: ocean shipping via Philadelphia and other ports on the Delaware River; Great Lakes shipping by way of Erie's port; and barging on the Ohio River. The busiest air terminals are the international airports at Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.