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The Greater Hartford region is a region located in the state of Connecticut centered around the state's capital of Hartford. It is roughly contiguous with the boundaries of Hartford County and Tolland County.
Culturally, the area is known for its rising Latino influences, its riverfront landscapes along the Connecticut River, and Hartford's role as a focal point for the American insurance industry. The region is home to the Greater Hartford Open (now known as the Buick Championship) golf tournament.
This area of Connecticut is different from other parts of the state that it isn't as dependent on other metropolitan areas such as New York City or Boston. It is on more level land as it is in the Connecticut river valley making it good for crops as the soil isn't as rocky as the other parts of the state.
The area has major contrasts from the affluent suburbs like Avon and Farmington and the depressed inner-city of Hartford. While Hartford is one of the poorest cities of the country, its suburbs can be known as some of the richest. But the gap between the rich and the poor isn't as extreme as in Fairfield County near New York City.
The population of Greater Hartford will reach 1 million by 2010, but this is the slowest-growing part of Connecticut, having barely grown two percent in the 1990s. But this is changing as more minorities and people from New York and Massachusetts move here for the relatively lower cost of living.
The area is served by Bradley International Airport and the economy is being more tied by the Springfield, Massachusetts area as Hartford and Springfield are twin cities.
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