Columbia, MD, developed by The Rouse Company, is the nation's most successful planned community. What began in 1962 as 14,100 acres of rural land has become a city of more than 97,000 residents, spread over 10 separate villages, with 2,500 businesses, more than 60,000 jobs, 21 million square feet of commercial space and a wide array of social, cultural, educational, entertainment and recreational programs and facilities. Columbia is managed by the Columbia Association. Columbia is situated in the thriving Baltimore-Washington corridor and has received international recognition for its innovative planning.