Traditionally known for its dry and sunny climate, Tucson is gaining a new reputation for high culture and high technology. With record increases in population, the city has become a Southwest center for opera, theater, ballet, symphony, and visual arts as well as the economic and industrial focal point of an area known as the "Silicon Desert." Consistently pleasant weather and a beautiful desert setting continue to make Tucson a popular tourist attraction. Proud of a multicultural heritage composed of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo influences, residents call their hometown "Old Pueblo," a name hearkening back to rough and exciting pioneer days.