Arizona: 20 Facts You Didn't Know About The Copper State

Arizona is a state located in the South-Western region of the United States. The state is known for its stunning deserts, rugged landscapes and a range of outdoor activities and it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about this US state (which is nicknamed the Copper State), but today my aim is to change that.

Here are 20 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About Arizona

1. Arizona is the sixth largest state in the United States by area. The state has an area of 295 254 square kilometres (113 990 square miles).

2. Arizona has a diverse population and is home to more than 22 tribes of Native Americans, more than any other state in the United States.

An estimated 7.2 million people call the state their home. 50 years ago the state had a population of 2 million.

3. Phoenix is the state capitol of Arizona. It’s also the biggest city in the state. The city’s metropolitan area has an estimated population of 4.95 million – that’s more than half of the state’s population.

4. The state is home to a number of national parks and monuments, including the Grand Canyon National Park, Saguaro National Park, Petrified Forest National Park and the Montezuma Castle National Monument.

5. The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s seven natural wonders. The canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters). It was carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, and is known for its unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms.

The Grand Canyon National Park receives over 5 million visitors a year, making it the second most visited National Park in United States. The park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.

6. Arizona was originally part of Mexico until the US seized around half of Mexico’s land after the Mexican-American War. While the land was ceded in 1848, Arizona didn’t become a state until 1912, making it the 48th state in the Union. Before Mexican ownership, it was owned by Spain.

7. If you ever plan to visit Arizona you should take note that the state has some interesting laws.

It’s is illegal to feed garbage to pigs without a permit.
It’s illegal to refuse a person a glass of water.
It’s also illegal to refuse to provide a name or address to a police officer when asked.
In Glendale it’s illegal to drive a car on a public street while wearing a robe.
In Tempe it is illegal to walk a horse and a cow at the same time down Mill Avenue.
In Bisbee it is illegal for women to wear pants.
In Phoenix it is illegal to hunt camels.
In Tombstone it is illegal to put ice cream on cherry pie.

8. The state has spawned some famous musicians. Stevie Nicks (the singer-songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band Fleetwood Mac), Alice Cooper (known for his theatrical stage performances and hit songs such as “School’s Out” and “Poison”), Linda Ronstadt (known for her successful career in pop, rock, and country music) and Chester Bennington (the lead singer of Linkin Park) were born in Arizona.

9. The state has also spawned some reputable rock bands. The Meat Puppets, Jimmy Eat World, The Gin Blossoms, The Ataris and The Refreshments hail from Arizona.

10. Phoenix is the hottest city in the United States. Between June and September, the average high temperature in the city is over 100 degress Fahrenheit (37.7 degrees Celcius).

11. The state motto is “God enriches”. “Ditat Deus” can be seen on the state’s seal. That’s “God Enriches” in Latin.

12. The Petrified forest is also called the rainbow forest. Here you’ll find colorful petrified wood that dates back 200 million years.

13. Arizona doesn’t observe daylight savings time. The only other state in the country that doesn’t observe this is Hawaii.

14. The saguaro cactus is native to the area. These cacti can grow to be as large as trees, and since they take so long to grow, the taller the cactus, the older it is.

15, Kitt Peak National Observatory (in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert) has the largest solar telescope in the world. The telescope tracks asteroids that could impact the earth.

16. The highest point in the state is Humphrey’s Peak. It has an elevation of 3,851 metres (12,633 feet) above sea level. Arizona is actually the US state with the most mountain peaks (almost 4000).

17. The US Postal Services make use of mules to deliver mail to parts of the state. The Havasupai (a group of Native Americans) call the bottom of the Grand Canyon home and reaching them by car is impossible.

18. The Miranda rights came into law in 1966 after a case that took place in Arizona. After a Supreme Court ruling, it became law that anyone being arrested or questioned needed to be told they weren’t obligated to answer any questions without a lawyer.

19. Tucson was founded in 1775 by Spanish colonizers and was originally known as “Tucson de los Apaches”, meaning “Tucson of the Apaches.” It’s the second largest city in the state. The Tucson metropolitan area has an estimated population of 1 million.

20. Barringer Meteorite Crater (also known as Meteor Crater) is a large impact crater located in the Northern Arizona desert, near the towns of Winslow and Flagstaff. It is considered one of the best preserved meteorite impact sites on Earth. The crater was formed about 50,000 years ago is about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) across and about 570 feet (170 m) deep.

21. As of November 2020, marijuana is legal for adult use in Arizona. Adult use legalization was passed by a voter initiative on November 3rd, 2020. People 21 years and older can possess up to one ounce of marijuana and can grow up to six plants at home. It is illegal to consume marijuana in public, to operate a vehicle under the influence of marijuana or to take marijuana across state lines.

Well, there you have it, 20 interesting facts you didn’t know about Arizona. If I’ve left out something important, feel free to comment below. If you’ve found this interesting, feel free to share this article with your friends on social media. Sharing is caring after all.

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