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<br />002533 <br /> <br />78 percent of the area's total people in year 2000. Arizona will <br />have about 20 percent of the total, leaving only 2 percent for the <br />remaining regions. <br /> <br />Expected Pacific Southwest population growth is shown in figure 2 <br />as percentages of 1960 populations. The figure shows that the area is <br />expected to have about 260 percent more people in 2020 than it did in <br />1960. Arizona is expected to lead in percentage increase with 640 <br />percent, while Washington County, Utah, will experience an increase <br />of only about 50 percent. The stabilizing effect, of course, comes <br />from California with its dominating population numbers. This area is <br />expected to increase some 200 percent~ <br /> <br />The Select Committee on National Water Resources in the United <br />States Senate has published a graph (figure 3) on percentage increase <br />in projected total population from 1950-2000. These projections indi- <br />cate the Colorado River Resource Region will have increased its popu- <br />lation by about 320 percent during the 50-year period, and the South <br />Pacific Region shows an increase of 290 percent for the same period. <br /> <br />Economic Growth <br /> <br />The Pacific Southwest was a national leader in economic growth <br />rate during the decade from 1950 to 1960. All 5 of the States in <br />the area were among the top 10 States in percent-of-gain in popula- <br />tion, income, nonagricultural employment, manufacturing employment, <br />and in-force life insurance; only Utah was missing among the top <br />10 in growth of bank deposits. Impressively, this phenomenal growth <br />shows no immediate signs of abating. <br /> <br />Prior to World War II, agriculture, aircraft, and mining were <br />the predominant employers, and the area was heavily dependent upon <br />these industries. World War II greatly expanded the aircraft industry, <br />brought extensive military aircraft training facilities into the area, <br />and started a major economic transition. <br /> <br />Wartime industry operated on a mass-production basis, and many <br />people poured into the area. Employment in the market-oriented <br />industries was generated by the sheer magnitude of the defense effort, <br />and construction, service, and trade industries accelerated with the <br />crest of the wartime wave. <br /> <br />Subsequent to the war there was a softening of the new South- <br />western economy, as cutbacks in defense spending threatened the <br />continued rise of prosperity in the area. However, from the Korean <br />conflict a new industrial complex was formed in the now-dominant <br />missile, space, and nuclear fields. The Pacific Southwest's current <br />reliance upon defense spending cannot be ignored, as over 25 percent <br />of the Nation1s prime defense contract went to companies based in <br />the area in 19620 This expenditure amounted to over $6.25 billion. <br /> <br />1-6 <br />