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Arizona is located in the southwestern United States. It is bordered by Utah to the north, New Mexico to the east, Mexico to the south, and, to the west across the Colorado River, Nevada and California.
Facts About Arizona
Area, 113,909 sq mi (295,024 sq km).
Pop. (2000) 5,130,632, a 40% increase since the 1990 census.
Capital and largest city, Phoenix.
Nickname, Grand Canyon State, Copper State.
Motto, Ditat Deus [God Enriches].
State bird, cactus wren.
State flower, blossom of the saguaro cactus. 
State tree, palo verde.
Arizona was historically known for its "5 C's" - Cattle, copper, cotton (most notably Pima cotton), citrus and the well-known climate. As the state has developed, some of these "C's" have dropped in importance as new industries have come to the forefront -such as construction.
The principal crops are cotton, lettuce, cauliflowers, broccoli, and sorghum. From a farming perspective, cattle, calves, and dairy goods are the most valuable Arizona farm products. Economically, manufacturing tops the list, with electronics, printing and publishing, processed foods, and aerospace and transportation leading sectors. Other important industries are high-technology research and development, communications, tourism and service industries. Arizona has a good number of military facilities that contribute to Arizona's economy. Some of these include Fort Huachuca, Luke and Davis-Monthan air force bases, and the Yuma Proving Grounds. Testing and training with military aircraft and desert storage of commercial and military planes are both major undertakings.
Arizona is mineral-rich. Copper was and continues to be the state's most valuable mineral and Arizona leads the nation in production. Other leading resources are molybdenum, sand, gravel and cement. 
Between 1940 and 1960, Arizona's population increased more than 100%, and since then growth has continued. By the 2000 census, the cumulative increase in population since 1940 amounted to more than 1000%. Recently, Arizona has been ranked among the fastest growing states in the nation. Northern Arizona, characterized by its mountainous terrain has not shared the population growth of the southern sections of the state. Over 80% of the residents are Caucasian and nearly 20% are Hispanic. There are 22 different Native American tribes in Arizona.
- Some information from Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition |