The state of Arizona is located in the Western United States and belongs to the mountainous states. In terms of territory, Arizona ranks 6th in the United States (295,254 km2). The capital is the city of Phoenix. Arizona borders California and Nevada to the west, New Mexico to the east, Utah to the north, and Mexico to the south. Arizona is one of the states of the “four corners” (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona), the border between which runs along straight lines – the meridian and the parallel. Arizona’s climate is characterized by hot summers and mild winters.
STATE NAME
There is no consensus on the origin of the name of the state of Arizona.
According to one version, the word “Arizona” in Spanish means “source of silver.”
According to another popular version, the name “Arizona” comes from the Basque language, from the expression “good oak” or from the Spanish “dry territory”.
GEOGRAPHY
According to the features of the relief in Arizona, two main areas can be distinguished – the desert plains in the south and the Colorado Plateau in the north of the state. The height of the plateau varies from 1,500 to 2,400 meters above sea level. The Colorado Plateau is called the “land of the red mountains” because of the characteristic bright red hue of the rocks. Several mountain ranges rise above the plateau, including the highest point in Arizona – Humphrey Peak (3,851 meters). Although Arizona as a whole is one of the hottest states in the US and deservedly included in the “US Sunshine Belt”, nevertheless, snow can lie on the tops of some mountains all summer.
HYDROGRAPHY
The largest river in Arizona is the Colorado. Almost all the rivers of the state flow into it, it was the Colorado River that formed the famous Grand Canyon, it was on its tributaries that the largest dams of Arizona were built.
In the 1970s and 1990s, the giant Central Arizona Canal was built in the state, diverting water from the Colorado River to irrigate the dry central and southern regions of the state.
CLIMATE
The climate of Arizona is dry, in the south it is hot all year round, in the northern regions it is cooler. Precipitation mainly falls in early winter, brought in by winds from the Pacific Ocean, and during the summer, when moist air comes from the Gulf of Mexico. In the north of the state, snow often falls in the mountains. Thunderstorms often come in summer. The temperature in January in the area of the capital ranges from 8°С to 20°С, in July – from 28°С to 41°С. In the north of Arizona, in Flagstaff, in January from -8°С to 5°С, in July – from 9°С to 27°С.
ECONOMY
Mining, agriculture, and tourism have traditionally played important roles in Arizona’s economy. In recent decades, high-tech industries have been rapidly developing, including the aerospace industry, the production of components for computers, and others.
It is not for nothing that Arizona is called the “Copper State”, the state provides about 60% of all copper production in the United States. Along the way, lead, zinc, manganese, gold and silver are mined. Due to the rapid growth of Arizona’s population, the state is constantly under active construction.
In northern and central Arizona, a lot of timber is grown, mostly conifers. Arizona’s main crops are cotton, citrus fruits, cauliflower, and broccoli.
TOURISM
The state of Arizona is interesting for tourists primarily for its unique natural sites, among which the most famous is the Grand Canyon, one of the most famous attractions in the United States. The length of the Grand Canyon is almost 450 km; The depth of the Grand Canyon reaches 1,800 meters.
Barringer Crater (also known as Devil’s Canyon Crater) is a giant meteorite crater located east of the city of Flagstaff in central Arizona. Its diameter is about 1200 meters and its depth is about 170 meters. It was formed by a meteorite that fell about fifty thousand years ago.
In the 1960s, at the bottom of the crater, members of the American Apollo space program were preparing for an expedition to the moon. The landscape of the crater was perfect for training astronauts and testing lunar suits. There is a museum next to the crater, where you can see many photos taken during these trainings.
Petrified Forest National Park (“Petrified Forest”) is located in the east of the state and occupies about 380 km2. On its territory you can see a lot of fossils, mostly trees, whose age exceeds two hundred million years.
Antelope Canyon, which is located in the north of Arizona, is very unusual. This natural object was formed in the thickness of sandstone by rainwater flows and wind erosion. During heavy rains, streams of water carrying sand penetrate the canyon, smoothing out the unevenness of its walls and giving them a unique shape. Once every few years, floods occur and the canyon is completely filled with water.
Largest Counties in Arizona
Originally part of Mexico, Arizona became a U.S. territory after the Mexican-American War and achieved statehood in 1912. It’s known for Native American heritage and landmarks like the Grand Canyon. Arizona has 15 counties. 10 Largest Counties in Arizona 1….
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