Welcome to Arizona
"The Grand Canyon State" Aside from the world-renowned Grand Canyon, the sun-drenched, cactus-laden desert is arguably Arizona's most iconic feature. But the state's geography offers much more: mountains and plateaus cover half its area, and it also claims the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine in the world. And yes, there's plenty of sun, but sun worshippers flocking to Arizona's dry desert climate might be surprised when the weather offers some extreme swings in temperature—variations between daytime highs and nighttime lows can be as great as 50 degrees in the summer months. Of course, Arizona's economy doesn't exclusively rely on the tourism fueled by its enviable weather. Copper is a major industry in the state, accounting for two-thirds of the entire country's output (the State Capitol building in Phoenix even features a distinctive copper dome). Although staunchly Republican and largely middle-class, Arizona attracts more than its share of free spirits. Sedona, located in Upper Sonoran Desert, is a world center of the New Age movement, likely due to its breathtaking natural vistas—for instance, that famous Arizona sun setting over the landscape-defining Thunder Mountain. State Name: Arizona State Nickname: "The Grand Canyon State" State Motto: Ditat Deus ("God Enriches") Name for Residents: Arizonan, Arizonian Abbreviation: AZ Time Zones:    Mountain (most of state), GMT/UTC -7    Mountain (Navajo nation), GMT/UTC -7 / -6 (Daylight Savings        Time) Capital City: Phoenix Date of Statehood: February 14, 1912 Statehood Rank: 48th State Area: 113,998 square miles (295,254 km²) Area Rank: 6 of 50 Number of Counties: 15 State Population: 6,500,180 (2008 estimate) Largest Cities:     Phoenix - 1,567,924 (2008)     Tucson - 541,811 (2008)     Mesa - 463,552 (2008) Major Rivers:     Colorado River - Length: 2,330 mi (1,450 km)     Gila River - Length: 650 mi (1,044 km)     Salt River - Length: 322 mi (200 km) Highest Point: Humphreys Peak, 12,637 ft (3,851 m) Lowest Point: Colorado River, 70 ft (22 m) Bordering States and Countries:     Utah (North)     New Mexico (East)     Mexico (South)     California (West)     Nevada (Northwest)     Colorado (Northeast) Record High Temperature:     128°F (53°C)     June 29, 1994 at Lake Havasu Record Low Temperature:     -40°F (-40°C)     January 7, 1971 at Hawley Lake
	Arizona State Flag Arizona State Seal Arizona Location Map Arizona
	Author: World Trade Press