While Arizona isn't included in the United States' Megalopolis region of the East Coast, Arizona does have areas of dense population, urban lanscapes, and other characteristics of a Megalopolis.
Phoenix is Arizona's largest city and state capital. It is also the nation's 5th most populous city with 1.5 million residents and the nation's 14th largest metro area by population with over 4.1 million people. It is also the most populated capital in the United States. The early economy of Phoenix was primarily agricultural, dependent mainly on the "5Cs" which were copper, cattle, climate, cotton and citrus. In the last four decades most of the farmlands have been turned into suburbs, and the economy has diversified as swiftly as the population has grown. Many residents in the area are employed by the government. ASU has also enhanced the area's population through education and its growing research capabilities. Numerous high-tech and telecommunications companies have also recently relocated to the area. Due to the warm climate in winter, Phoenix benefits greatly from seasonal tourism and recreation, such as the golf industry. (Daniel Bubb, "McCarran International and Phoenix Sky Harbor International: Airport Expansion, Tourism, and Urbanization in the Modern Southwest")
Phoenix's transportation systems have also progressed in recent years. Phoenix and Tucson's metropolitan areas are served by public bus transit systems as well as a recently added light rail system called the Valley Metro Rail. Phoenix also contains one of the nation's largest and fastest growing freeway systems with almost 1500 lane miles. (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/viewpoints/articles/2008/09/07/20080907vip-lavsphx0907.html)
Seven Fortune 1000 companies call Phoenix home as well as four professional sports teams including the Phoenix Coyotes, the Arizona Cardinals and Diamondbacks, and the Phoenix Suns.
The metropolitan area surrounding Phoenix is only going to get bigger. According to urban researchers, Phoenix and Arizona's second largest metropolitan area (exceeding 1 million people) are due to merge within the next decade. (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0409merge0409.html)
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