Colorado Springs, the second most populous city in Colorado, boasts a city population of 372,437 and metro population of 609,096, according to a 2006 census. The city spans a total of 186.1 square miles. Several tourists are attracted to Colorado Springs because of Pikes Peak, next to the Rocky Mountains, which contains several beautiful trails and parks.
The city’s economy is primarily driven by the military, technology, and tourism. Most residents are employed in the defense industry, which develops and operates several projects in the missile defense agency. Defense corporations in the city include ITT, Boeing, and General Dynamics. There are also several high tech corporations including Agilent, Verizon Business, and Hewlett-Packard.Colorado Springs’ medical needs are covered by two main hospital systems: Memorial Health System and Penrose-St. Francis Health Services. Memorial Health System has two locations: Memorial Hospital Central in downtown and Memorial Hospital North located off Briargate Parkway. Penrose- St. Francis’ two main hospitals are located off I-25 and the other is St. Francis Medical Center on Powers and Woodmen Road. Penrose-St. Francis’ is the only full-service health e facility in the northern part of the city.To get around the city, residents and travelers have access to Metro, an extensive bus system which serves the whole city.