Arizona is considered the home of the world-famous Grand Canyon National Park. This is one of the reasons why the southern state is often called Grand Canyon State.
Arizona, the sixth largest state in the USA, is best known for its canyon and desert-rich landscape in the southwestern United States. The US state has more than 20 national parks. The Grand Canyon National Park is world famous with its more than 450 km long canyon formations in northern Arizona. For this reason, Arizona is often called Grand Canyon State. About seven million people live in the approximately 295,000 km² state. Together with the US states of Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, Arizona is part of the so-called Four Corners, the Four Corners Monument marks the only place in the United States where four states meet.
Arizona – the history of the Grand Canyon State
Arizona was already settled in prehistoric times – among other things by the so-called Clovis culture. One of the early local indigenous people is the Hohokam culture, which existed between 300 and 1500 AD in what is now Arizona and is attributed to the so-called Pueblo culture. The Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca is considered the first European in the region. In the 19th century, Arizona became part of the state of Mexico, but large parts of today’s territory fell to the United States after the Mexican-American War. Finally, in 1912, Arizona officially became the 48th state of the United States.
Arizona – cities and landmarks in the state
The capital of Arizona is Phoenix with over 1.6 million residents. With over 4.8 million residents, the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area is also the most populous region of its kind in Arizona. In addition to Phoenix, Tucson (about 540,000 residents), Mesa (about 500,000 residents) and Chandler (about 255,000 residents) are among the largest settlements in the southern US state. In addition to the Grand Canyon, the sunny state is also home to national parks such as the Petrified Forest National Park and the Saguaro National Park. In terms of climate, Arizona is mainly characterized by deserts and semi-deserts with little rainfall.
Largest Counties in Arizona by Area
According to Countryaah, the biggest counties in Arizona are listed as below:
| Ranking | County | Area |
| 1 | Coconino County | 48,332 km2 |
| 2 | Mohave County | 34,887 km2 |
| 3 | Apache County | 29,054 km2 |
| 4 | Navajo County | 25,794 km2 |
| 5 | Maricopa County | 23,890 km2 |
| 6 | Pima County | 23,799 km2 |
| 7 | Yavapai County | 21,051 km2 |
| 8 | Cochise County | 16,107 km2 |
| 9 | Yuma County | 14,294 km2 |
| 10 | Pinal County | 13,919 km2 |
| 11 | Gila County | 12,422 km2 |
| 12 | Graham County | 12,020 km2 |
| 13 | La Paz County | 11,689 km2 |
| 14 | Greenlee County | 4,786 km2 |
| 15 | Santa Cruz County | 3,206 km2 |
PHOENIX
When it comes to culture, Phoenix is also well ahead. There are numerous museums and art galleries that make the hearts of residents, tourists and newcomers beat faster. Among other things, a visit to the “Musical Instrument Museum” is recommended. It is the museum with the world’s largest collection of musical instruments.
Sports fans and those who don’t know what to do with too much free time at the weekend will get their money’s worth in the metropolis of Arizona. The city is one of twelve cities in America that is represented in all four of the top four leagues (ice hockey, football, baseball, basketball) in the USA. The most famous team at the moment is the Phoenix Suns basketball team.
Location: State of Arizona, north of Mexico, south-east of California
Population: approx. 1.5 million
Area: 1,230.5 km²
Nicknames: Arizona’s Urban Heart, Valley of the Sun
Famous People: Chester Bennington (Linkin Park singer), Jerryd Bayless, (NBA basketball player), Gabrielle Carteris (actress), Billy Mayfair (professional golfer)