Indianapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. The United States Census estimates the city's population (excluding included towns) at 795,458. It is by far Indiana's largest city and is the 13th largest city in the U.S.,the third largest city in the Midwest, and the second most populous state capital (behind Phoenix, Arizona).

For much of its history, Indianapolis oriented itself around government and industry, particularly manufacturing. Today, Indianapolis has a much more diversified economy, contributing to the fields of education, healthcare, and finance. Tourism is also a vital part of the economy of Indianapolis, and the city plays host to numerous conventions and sporting events. Of these, perhaps most well known is the annual Indianapolis 500 race. Other major sporting events include the Allstate 400 and the Men's and Women's NCAA Basketball Tournaments.

Greater Indianapolis has seen moderate growth among U.S. cities , especially in nearby Hamilton, Hendricks, and Johnson counties. The population of the combined statistical area is estimated at 2,014,267, making it the 23rd-largest CSA in the U.S.

History

The city lies on the original east-west National Road. The first railroad to service Indianapolis, the Madison & Indianapolis, began operation on October 1, 1847, and subsequent railroad connections made expansive growth possible. Indianapolis was the home of the first Union Station, or common rail passenger terminal, in the United States. By the turn of the century, Indianapolis had become a large automobile manufacturer, rivaling the likes of Detroit. With roads leading out of the city in all directions, Indianapolis became a major hub of regional transport connecting to Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis, befitting the capital of a state whose motto is "The Crossroads of America." This same network of roads would allow quick and easy access to suburban areas in future years.

City population grew rapidly throughout the first half of the 20th century. While rapid suburbanization began to take place in the second half of the century, race relations deteriorated. Even so, on the night that Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, Indianapolis was the only major city in which rioting did not occur . Many credit the speech by Robert F. Kennedy, who was in town campaigning for President that night, for helping to calm the tensions. Racial tensions heightened in 1970 with the passage of Unigov, which further isolated the middle class from Indianapolis's growing African American community. Court-ordered school desegregation busing by Judge S. Hugh Dillon was also a controversial change.