Salt Lake City, home to the University of Utah, offers an unrivaled blend of city life and extraordinary outdoor recreational opportunities. With 179,894 residents, Salt Lake City is the largest city in the state and its metro population of 1,333,914 ranks in the top 40 in the United States. Even so, Salt Lake City maintains the charm of a small western city. Employment opportunities, culture, quality of living and recreation are some of the reasons why Salt Lake City was named "The Best City for Jobs" in 2007 and 2008 by prominent business publishing company Forbes.
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One of the most beautiful cities in the world, Salt Lake City offers majestic views in all directions. To the east are the 11,500-foot peaks of the Wasatch Mountains ("mountains of many waters," as named by the Paiute Indians), which belong to the Rocky Mountain range. To the west soar the Oquirrh Mountains (pronounced Oaker and meaning "the shining mountains"). The lowest point within city boundaries is 4,210 feet near the Great Salt Lake, and the highest is Grandview Peak, at 9,410 feet. The Great Salt Lake--which is 48 miles wide and 90 miles long--is the world's second largest saltwater lake and the largest lake in the western United States.
Unique geography is just one of Salt Lake City's many virtues. The city is the cultural, financial, educational, technological, commercial, and communications hub of the Intermountain West. It is also the center of world-renowned medical and technological industries.
Utah was named the most technologically advanced state in the 2008 Digital States Survey and Salt Lake City ranked second in the nation among cities with a population range of 125,000 to 249,999.
Cultural and ethnic activities also flourish in Salt Lake City. Downtown is home to restaurants and shopping, music and ethnic festivals, art galleries, professional symphony, opera, theater and dance.
With four distinct seasons, a humidity average of 15 percent and sunny days, Salt Lake City offers pleasant weather conditions year round. Residents enjoy skiing, fly fishing, backpacking, mountain biking, river running and other outdoor activities in the nearby mountains, which boast 14 world-class ski resorts within an hour's drive from the airport. With the "Greatest Snow on Earth" in close proximity to Salt Lake International Airport, the capital city attracts numerous world-class winter sports events, such as the 2002 Olympic Games.
Salt Lake City joins forces with the nearby resort town of Park City to host the annual Sundance Film Festival, which is the largest independent film festival in the U.S. and attracts movie stars, celebrities, and thousands of film buffs to the area every year. According to P3/Production Update Magazine, Utah is one of the top 10 best states in the nation for film.
Professional sports are yet another source of entertainment. Pro franchises in Salt Lake City include the Utah Jazz (NBA), Real Salt Lake (Major League Soccer), the Salt Lake Bees (AAA baseball) and the Utah Grizzlies (East Coast Hockey League).
Salt Lake City's charms are easily accessible even to those visiting from out of state. Salt Lake International Airport is a two-and-a-half-hour flight for half of the country's population. The airport, located just 15 minutes from the University of Utah, was the 23rd busiest in the country and 59th busiest in the world in 2008.
