Pennsylvania Facts for Kids

A Map of the U.S. state Pennsylvania
  • U.S. State: Pennsylvania
  • Abbreviation: PA
  • Joined the USA: December 12th, 1787 (2nd State)
  • Located: Northeastern United States
  • Capital City: Harrisburg, PA
  • Most Populated City: Philadelphia, PA

32 Pennsylvania Facts for Kids

  1. Pennsylvania is a state in the United States of America.
  2. Pennsylvania is in the northeastern region of the United States.
  3. Pennsylvania became a U.S. state on Wednesday, December 12th, 1787.
  4. Pennsylvania was the 2nd state to join the United States.
  5. The U.S. state of Pennsylvania covers 46,055 square miles.
  6. Pennsylvania is the 33rd largest state by area in the United States.
  7. In 2019, the population of Pennsylvania was estimated to be 12,800,000 residents by the U.S. Census Bureau.
  8. In 2019, Pennsylvania was the 5th most populated state in the United States.
  9. A person who is from or lives in Pennsylvania is called a Pennsylvanian.
  10. The capital city of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg.
  11. The three largest cities in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown.
  12. The largest city in by population in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia.
  13. The largest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania is Delaware Valley.
  14. The U.S. state of Pennsylvania has 67 counties.
  15. The most populated county in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia County with 1,584,000 residents (2019, U.S. Census Bureau).
  16. The largest county by area in Pennsylvania is Lycoming County with 1,244 square miles.
  17. The highest elevation point in Pennsylvania is Mount Davis at 3,213 feet above sea level.
  18. The lowest elevation point in Pennsylvania is the Delaware River at sea level.
  19. The average precipitation (rain and snow) in Pennsylvania is 42.7 inches.
  20. Pennsylvania is the 22nd wettest state by precipitation (rain and snow) in the United States.
  21. The average temperature in Pennsylvania is 49.8 °F.
  22. Pennsylvania is the 31st warmest state in the United States.
  23. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Pennsylvania was 111 °F on July 10th, 1936.
  24. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Pennsylvania was -42 °F on January 5th, 1904.
  25. A few natural disasters that can affect Pennsylvania are heat waves, hurricanes, ice storms, lightning and nor’easters.
  26. Pennsylvania is in one time zone, Eastern Time Zone (ET).
  27. The USPS abbreviation for Pennsylvania is PA.
  28. Pennsylvania is also known as the Keystone State and the Quaker State.
  29. The motto for the U.S. state of Pennsylvania is “Virtue, Liberty and Independence”.
  30. The official state flower of Pennsylvania is the mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia).
  31. The official state tree of Pennsylvania is the hemlock (Conium maculatum).
  32. The official state bird of Pennsylvania is the ruffed goose (Bonasa umbellus).

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