Geographical Information

The geographical center of the Consortium is the City of Knoxville, which lies along the Tennessee River. The river not only adds beauty to the region, but provides the area with perfect sites for recreation and special events. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park, is within 35 miles of downtown Knoxville. Geographically, the city's location is also a major advantage. It lies within 600 miles of 76 percent of America's market-place. For more information about Knoxville, please see the Chamber of Commerce.

When most Tennesseans think of the center of higher education in their state, they think of Knoxville -- home of the flagship campus of The University of Tennessee. UT, Knoxville attracts more than 23,000 students each year who pursue majors from astronomy to zoology. The University includes the Institute of Agriculture and the UT Medical Center -- Knoxville's teaching and research hospital.