TriCities

Tri-Cities, often written as TriCities, is a toponym used for several metropolitan regions in which three neighboring cities form a single, interconnected urban area. The exact lineup of cities varies by country and region, but the term typically denotes close economic and social ties among the municipalities involved.

In the United States, Tri-Cities, Washington refers to the three cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland along the Columbia River. The area grew from agriculture and river trade into a broader economy that includes energy production, science and technology, and higher education, with a shared regional identity centered on the three-city core.

In British Columbia, Canada, the Tri-Cities describes the municipalities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody in the Metro Vancouver area. The three cities share infrastructure and services and are connected by commuter networks, with the region blending residential, commercial, and light industrial activity within the larger Vancouver metropolitan economy.

In the southeastern United States, the Tri-Cities region encompasses Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol (the latter straddling Tennessee and Virginia). Located in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, the area is anchored by higher education, healthcare, manufacturing, and regional commerce, and it functions as a linked urban corridor across state lines.

The term is also used in other locales and contexts, reflecting a common pattern of three neighboring cities forming a recognizable regional identity.