The layout of Indianapolis, the nation's twelfth-largest city, is a grid pattern modeled on that of Washington D.C. Its major thoroughfares intersect at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, in the heart of the city. The major east-west artery is Washington Street (I-40). The primary north-south road is Meridian Street, which is a major commercial center.
Population: 813,670
Area: 1,043 sq km (402.8 sq mi)
Ethnic composition: 77% white; 21% black
Nicknames: City of Churches, Crossroads of America
Population: 1,002,000
Description: Nine-county area including Boone,
Hendricks, Morgan, Hamilton, Marion, Johnson, Madison, Hancock, and Shelby counties
Area: 8,000 sq km (3,089 sq mi)
World population rank1: 364
Percentage of national population2: 0.4%
Average yearly growth rate: 0.9%
Ethnic composition: 85.2% white, 13.5% black, 1% Asian or Pacific Islander
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