Arizona
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| Abbreviation | AZ Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Phoenix |
| Population | 6,392,017 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | Jan Brewer (Republican, to January 2015) |
| Entered the Union | February 14, 1912 as the 48th state |
| Motto | Ditat Deus (God Enriches) |
| Nickname | The Grand Canyon State |
| Flower | Flower of the saguaro cactus |
| Bird | Cactus Wren |
| Song | “Arizona March Song” |
| Professional Sports Teams | Phoenix Suns (Men’s Basketball); Phoenix Coyotes (Hockey); Arizona Cardinals (Football); Arizona Diamondbacks (Baseball); Phoenix Mercury (Women’s Basketball) (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | Historians disagree about the origin of the word Arizona. Here are two popular ideas: one, it comes from the Piman Native American word for “place of little spring”, or two, it comes the Basque Native American word for “Good Oak Tree”. |
| Historical Sites | Tombstone, site of the famous shootout at the O.K. Corral; Prescott, the first territorial capital of Arizona; the Yuma Crossing, first used in the 1600s by Spanish traveling to California |
| Points of Interest | The Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, the Hoover Dam, Monument Valley |
| Bordering States | Arizona borders California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Mexico. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Arizona from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Arizona’s Official Web Site
http://az.gov/
This is the official website for the State of Arizona. - Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
http://www.lib.az.us/
Here is the homepage for the Arizona State Library Agency. - Arizona Historical Society
http://www.ahs.state.az.us/
Here is the homepage for the Arizona State Historical Society. - Arizona State Museum at The University of Arizona.
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/
Here is the homepage for the Arizona State Museum. - Arizona History and Archives Division
http://www.lib.az.us/archives/
Here is the homepage for the Arizona State Archives. - Arizona State Parks
http://www.pr.state.az.us/
Here is the homepage for Arizona State Parks. - Arizona Guide: the Official Website of the Arizona Office of Tourism
http://www.arizonaguide.com/
Here is the official state tourism website for Arizona. - Arizona Secretary of State Kids’ Page
http://azsos.gov/public_services/kids/
Here’s an official state site with information about Arizona for kids!
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Arizona
http://www.50states.com/arizona.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Arizona. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Arizona
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/AZ/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Arizona’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Arizona Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/az.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Arizona. - University of Arizona Library Web Exhibits
http://www.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/
Lots of virtual exhibits featuring images, digitized documents, and more on the history and cultural heritage of Arizona and other regions of the Southwestern U.S. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Arizona
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/04000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Arizona.
- Arizona has the largest Native American population of any state. More than 14 tribes are represented on 20 reservations, including part of the Navajo Nation, which is located in the Four Corners region of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
- Arizona is full of beautiful natural attractions like the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest. But did you know that Arizona’s tourist attractions also include the old London Bridge, brought over from London and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City? (They built another one in London, of course!)
- Monument Valley, with its stunning sandstone formations, has long been a favorite place of movie directors. Many popular Western movies were filmed there.
- When you travel on the Grand Canyon Railway, you can experience a staged train robbery in true Old West style!
Some Famous People from this State
- Cesar Chavez, labor leader
- Geronimo, Apache chief
- Zane Grey, author of many popular Western novels
- Helen Hull Jacobs, tennis champion, writer
- Linda Ronstadt, country-western singer