General Facts

Statehood
Admitted to the union in 1912 as the 48th state.

Size
6th largest state. 114,000 square miles; about 340 miles wide and 400 miles in length.

Population
Almost 5 million. The capital city of Phoenix is the 7th largest in the nation with about 1.2 million residents.

Highest Elevation
Humphreys Peak, 12,643 feet, located in the San Francisco Mountains north of Flagstaff.

Grand Canyon
Located in north central Arizona, the Canyon is 277 miles long, 600 feet to 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep.

State Tree
The palo verde tree, Spanish for "green stick", referring to the greenish bark and thin foliage.

State Flower
The saguaro cactus bloom, a large white flower which grows on the ends of the majestic saguaro, the largest cactus in the U.S. It grows to a height of 50 feet and lives up to 200 years.

State Bird
The cactus wren, a woody-brown colored bird with a spotted breast. It builds its well-protected nest in the thickest and thorniest sections of cacti.

State Gemstone
Turquoise, varying in color from sky blue to shades of green. The stone has been used for centuries in Native American jewelry.

Attraction Facts

Arizona is known around the world for its natural beauty, pleasant desert winters, varied recreational activities and diverse cultural opportunities.

There are:
23 national parks, monuments and wildlife preserves.
25 state parks.
67 recreational lakes.