A mesa is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs.
Mesais a city inMaricopa County, in theU.S. stateofArizona, and is asuburblocated about 20 miles (32km) east of Phoenix. It is the central city of theEast Valleysection of thePhoenix Metropolitan Area. It is bordered byTempeon the west, theSalt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Communityon the north,ChandlerandGilberton the south, andApache Junction on the east.Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona, after Phoenix andTucson, and the38th-largest cityin the US. The city is home to 439,041 people as of 2010 according to theCensus Bureau. Mesa is home to numerous higher education facilities including thePolytechnic campusofArizona State University.