Boston Guide

Boston is the capital and the largest city of Massachusetts. Boston is one of the oldest, wealthiest, and most culturally significant large cities of the United States. Some of Boston’s nicknames are "The City on a Hill," "Beantown," "The Hub," "The Athens of America," "Puritan City," and the "Cradle of Liberty." Boston is considered by many to be America's greatest college town. Boston derives its nickname "The Athens of America" from the teaching and research carried out in over 100 colleges and universities located in the metropolitan area.

Economy: Boston is a Mecca of colleges. There are also a number of high-tech industries in the city, including Computer Hardware and software and biotechnology industries. Other core areas of Boston's economy are financial services, especially mutual funds and insurance. Boston is considered one of the top financial cities of the country. The city is also a major hub of venture capital. Its printing and publishing industries are also important. The city is also a major convention center of the world. Law and government are also two important industries.

Climate: The climate of Boston can be classified as the continental type of climate. The weather in Boston sees rapid changes. It is a common occurrence for the city to experience temperature swings of 54° F or more

in a couple of days.Boston experiences hot and humid summers and cold and windy winters. August is the hottest month of the year with an average high temperature of 80° F. January is the coldest month of the year with an average low of 22° F. For brief periods, the temperature has been known to exceed 100° F in summers and fall below 0° F in winters.

The best time of the year to visit Boston is late spring and early fall when the temperature is pleasantly warm.

Government Type: Boston has a Mayor-Council type of government. The Mayor of Boston has extensive powers. The Mayor is elected for a four-year term and the City Council is elected every two years. There are nine wards and four at-large seats. The Councilors elect the president of the City Council from among themselves.

Major Political Parties: Democratic Party, Republican Party

STATE	Massachusetts
COUNTRY	United States of America
LOCATION	It is located on Boston Bay in eastern Massachusetts on the eastern seaboard.
GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES	Latitude 42.22 N, Longitude 71.04 W
AREA	232.1 square km
POPULATION	589,141 (2000)
PERCAPITA INCOME	$23,353
RAINFALL	1,054 mm annually