|
ARIZONA: FRONTIERS NEW AND OLD
A sprawling natural wonderland at the heart of the American Southwest, Arizona is also one of the fastest-growing states in the country. A vast, largely uninhabited desert landscape as recently as the early 20th century, Arizona is now home to more than five million residents. to A national leader in electronics, software, aerospace engineering and agriculture among other industries, Arizona offers a flourishing economy, breathtaking natural scenery, countless options for outdoor recreation and leisure, affordable housing and a rich cultural life. From the Grand Canyon to Lake Powell, from the old frontier towns to the modern metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona is a land of great promise and boundless opportunity.
Encompassing an area of over 100,000 square miles, the state of Arizona is widely known for its striking geologic features and natural beauty. Though best known for its deserts, Arizona also encompasses several mountain ranges, the Colorodo Plateau region in the north of the state, six National Forests, several man-made lakes, and the largest stand of Ponderosa pines in the United States.
Chief among Arizona’s natural attractions is the Grand Canyon, a colorful, steep-sided 277-mile long gorge carved out by the waters of the Colorado River over millions of years. With a maximum depth of more than one mile, the Canyon offers more than thirty miles of spectacular vistas along the South Rim and a vast network of trails. Grand Canyon National Park, established in 1919, receives upwards of 4 million visitors each year.
Arizona is also home to one of the largest and most well-preserved meteorite impact sites in the world. The Barringer Meteorite Crater (better known simply as "Meteor Crater") is a gigantic hole in the middle of the high plains of the Colorado Plateau, about 25 miles west of Winslow. A rim of smashed and jumbled boulders, some of them the size of small houses, rises 150 feet above the level of the surrounding plain. The crater itself is nearly a mile wide, and 570 feet deep.
The state of Arizona boasts a history as colorful and expansive as its terrain. When European explorers arrived in the 16th century, Native Americans had already inhabited the region for more than 10,000 years. Meeting its original native inhabitants, Marcos de Niza, a Spanish Franciscan, explored the area in 1539. Father Eusebio Kino developed a chain of missions and taught the Indians Christianity in Pimería Alta (now southern Arizona and northern Sonora) in the 1690s and early 1700s. Spain founded fortified towns (presidios) at Tubac in 1752 and Tucson in 1775.
When Mexico achieved its independence from Spain in 1821, what is now Arizona became part of the Mexican State Nueva California, also known as Alta California. In the Mexican–American War (1847), the U.S. occupied Mexico City and forced the newly founded Mexican Republic to give up its northern territories, including the later Arizona. In 1853 the land below the Gila River was acquired from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase. Arizona was administered as part of the Territory of New Mexico until southern New Mexico seceded from the Union as the Confederate Territory of Arizona on March 16, 1861. This is the first official use of the name. A new Arizona Territory, consisting of the western half of New Mexico Territory was declared in Washington, D.C. on February 24, 1863. Arizona became a U.S. state on February 14, 1912; it was the 48th state admitted into the U.S. and the last of the contiguous states admitted.
In the late 1800s, steamboats, mining, cattle and trains became vital parts of the Arizona economy, leading to boomtowns being formed as prospectors found gold, and the boomtowns becoming ghost towns as the miners left. Mexicans, who still were the majority in Arizona during the time shortly following the Mexican-American War, constituted most of the mining labor force.
After Arizona became a U.S. state, industries such as cotton, copper, agriculture, and mining began to flourish in the state. The military began using Phoenix and Tucson for military bases and academies, with the army becoming the communities’ largest source of revenue. Following the outbreak of World War II, people began to move to Arizona from other regions of the country because of its inland position and protection from aerial attacks.
Arizona's population grew tremendously after World War II, in part because of the development of air conditioning, which made the intense summers more comfortable. The 1960s saw the establishment of retirement communities, special age-restricted subdivisions catering exclusively to the needs of senior citizens who wanted to escape the harsh winters of the Midwest and the Northeast. Sun City, established by developer Del Webb and opened in 1960 was one of the first such communities. Green Valley, south of Tucson, was another such community designed to be a retirement subdivision for Arizona's teachers.
In recent times, Arizona has become a major warm-weather tourist and retirement destination, much like Florida. A major part of the tourism industry is based on the presence of the Grand Canyon. With a gorgeous natural landscape, countless historical sites, parks and museums, a booming high-tech economy, excellent state services and a progressive approach to future growth, Arizona remains a great place to live, work and explore.
Why Live in Arizona?
Because…
- It combines the best aspects of rural and urban living
- It is prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century
- It offers rugged desert vistas, majestic mountains, sprawling canyons, historic frontier towns, ancient cave dwellings, towering skyscrapers and more, all just a short drive away
Arizona Facts
First explored by the Spanish in 1539, the land that now comprises Arizona became part of the Mexican State of Vieja California upon the Mexican assertion of independence from Spain in 1821. The United States took possession of most of Arizona at the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, securing the remainder with the Gasden Purchase of 1853. Arizona was administered as part of the Territory of New Mexico until it was organized into a separate territory on February 24, 1863. Arizona was admitted into the Union—officially becoming a U.S. state—on February 14, 1912.
Weather
Arizona Population
One of the fastest-growing states in the nation, Arizona has a population of over 6.1 million, an increase of more than 1 million since the year 2000. The state’s population is largely concentrated in the metropolitan areas of Phoenix and Tucson, the state’s two largest cities. While there are smaller population centers around Yuma (in the southwest corner) and Flagstaff (in north-central Arizona), vast areas of the state remain largely uninhabited, due in great part to the desert climate.
According to U.S. Census Population Estimates for the year 2006, Arizona’s five largest cities by population are: Phoenix, 1,512,986; Tucson, 518,956; Mesa, 447,541; Glendale, 246,531; and Chandler, 240,595.
Arizona population estimates by county, 2007:
Apache – 71,118
Cochise – 127,757M
Coconino – 124,953
Gila – 52,209
Graham – 33,660
Greenlee – 71,118
La Paz – 20,256
Maricopa – 3,768,123
Mohave – 193,035
Navajo – 111,399
Pima – 946,362
Pinal – 271,059
Santa Cruz – 43,080
Yavapai – 208,014
Yuma – 187,555
(Courtesy of the Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, October 15, 2007)
http://factfinder.census.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona
Arizona Government
Arizona’s capital is Phoenix, which lies in the Salt River Valley in the central region of the state.
The state government has three branches:
|
