Describing Kansas City
From humble beginnings as a trading post in 1821, Kansas City has become the largest city in a metropolitan area of 1.8 million people. Kansas City , Mo., is the nation's 36th largest city in population (441,500) and the 13th largest in land area ( 318 square miles). Located near the geographic and populations centers of the nation, it truly is the "Heart of America."

The metro area straddles the Missouri-Kansas state line and includes more than 176 cities and 15 counties.

Kansas City boasts more fountains than any other city except Rome and more boulevards than any except Paris. Its 1,769-acre Swope Park is one of the largest urban parks in America. Major sports spectators can enjoy baseball with the Royals, football with the Chiefs, and NASCAR racing at Kansas City’s recently built speedway. However, Kansas City is perhaps best known for its steaks, barbecue and jazz. Kansas City became a hotbed of jazz shortly after World War I in the now-famous area around 18th & Vine.

Kansas City is the hometown headquarters of Hallmark Cards, Sprint Corp., Russell Stover Candies, Yellow Corp., H&R Block, Interstate Bakeries, AMC Entertainment, American Century, DST Systems, Ferrellgas Partners, Great Plains Energy, Black and Veatch, Cerner, and numerous other businesses.

It ranks first in inland foreign trade zone space, underground storage space, greeting card publishing, frozen food storage and distribution, and hard winter wheat marketing. It ranks second in wheat flour production and the size of its rail center. General Motors, Ford, and Harley Davidson all have major plants here, ranking Kansas City eighth in the nation in auto assembly.

Kansas City is also a major transportation hub. About 400 flights a day come and go from Kansas City International Airport , where the maximum distance from aircraft to curb is less than 75 feet. KC is one of only five U.S. cities with three intersecting interstate highways (I-70, I-29 and I-35). The city's rail system carries 300 daily freight arrivals and departures.