Arizona: A Guide to the Grand Canyon State - Geography & Culture

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Introduction to Arizona

Arizona, one of the states of the southwestern United States. A dry land of great natural beauty, it consists largely of high plateaus and mountains, deep canyons, and colorful deserts. Its settlements are equally varied, ranging from Indian pueblos to such cities as Phoenix and Tucson. Irrigation has changed many of the state's desert areas into highly productive farmland.

Arizona's state bird is the cactus wren.

Physical Geography

Arizona is a state in the Southwest region of the United States.Land

Arizona lies within two principal physiographic regions of the United States: the Colorado Plateau in the north and east and the Basin and Range in the south and west.

The Colorado Plateau is a tableland of soft sedimentary rock, some 5,000 to 9,000 feet (1,520 to 2,740 m) above sea level. Into it, rivers have cut a fantastic array of deep canyons and gorges—the region's most distinctive landforms. By far the largest and deepest is the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River.

Projecting from the plateau's surface, which in many areas appears quite flat, are scattered high mountains and flat-topped mesas and buttes. Highest are the San Francisco Mountains in the north-central part of the state. They rise to 12,633 feet (3,851 m) in the volcanic rocks of Humphreys Peak, Arizona's highest point.

The plateau is also marked by other land-forms, including sharp spires and pinnacles, natural arches, and great escarpments, or cliffs. A series of high rimlike escarpments runs along the southern edge of the plateau, beyond which lies the Basin and Range region.

Arizona's state flower is the saguaro cactus bloom.Water

Almost all of Arizona lies in the drainage basin of the Colorado River. Like most major streams in the state, the Colorado has been dammed for irrigation, hydroelectric power, flood control, and other purposes. In the far north, near the point where the river enters the state, is Glen Canyon Dam, one of the largest dams in the West. Behind it, mainly in Utah, is Lake Powell. After flowing through the Grand Canyon, where it receives the water of the Little Colorado River, the Colorado is further controlled by Hoover Dam and Lake Mead on the Arizona-Nevada line. Farther down-stream are the reservoirs of Davis, Parker, and Imperial dams.

The Colorado's longest tributary in Arizona is the Gila. It crosses the southern part of the state and joins the Colorado at Yuma. The Salt River is the principal tributary of the Gila. Below the junction of the two rivers there is little or no flow because of heavy use of water upstream. Most other rivers carry water only seasonally or after brief rains. Some dry up in basins having no outlet.

Climate

The climate is determined mainly by the state's southerly location and its variation in altitude. In general, rainfall is light and humidity low. Temperature variations between day and night are usually wide. Sunshine is one of Arizona's greatest assets—the state is one of the sunniest in the Union.

The mean monthly temperature in Phoenix varies from about 50° F. (10° C.) in January to about 90° F. (32° C.) in July. Throughout the south, highs of more than 110° F. (43° C.) are recorded nearly every summer. Highs seldom exceed 90° F. (32° C.) on the plateau and in the high mountains. Winters in those areas are cold, and there are occasional periods when temperatures fall below 0° F. (-18° C.).

Total annual precipitation varies from 2 to 14 inches (50–360 mm) throughout most of the state. The mountains receive as much as 30 inches (760 mm), including some snow.

Natural Vegetation

On high mountain slopes are forests of Ponderosa pine, fir, and other evergreen trees. These stands, especially those of Ponderosa pine, are the chief source of Arizona's commercial timber. At lower elevations, trees include pi$non, juniper, and oak.

Arizona's state tree is the paloverde.

The Economy

Arizona's economy was long based on mining, stock raising, and some dry farming. Just before World War I, the rivers began to be harnessed for irrigation, making large-scale commercial farming possible. With later damming came large amounts of hydroelectric power and the development of manufacturing.

During World War II, the military air-craft industry built large plants in the state. With the space age came large military test facilities and many defense contracts. Since the late 1950's manufacturing has been the principal source of income, replacing minerals. Tourism, which is also of major importance, has developed rapidly.

The federal government owns nearly 44 per cent of the land. More than 25 per cent of Arizona's land, including some federal land, is in Indian reservations. The federal government plays a key role in the state's economy, chiefly through the development of water resources. The most extensive project is the Central Arizona Project (CAP), which carries Colorado River water from Lake Havasu to Phoenix and Tucson.

Manufacturing

The spectacular growth of manufacturing dates from the 1940's. Manufacturing income increased almost fivefold between 1950 and 1960 and continues to increase.

In addition to defense industries, many nonmilitary plants have moved to Arizona. They are attracted by the warm climate and favorable taxation.

Leading manufacturing industries produce computer and electronic equipment, aircraft and missile parts, chemicals, and processed food. Most of the large industrial plants are in the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas.

Mining

Since the days of the early settlers, metals have been abundantly produced. By far the chief metal is copper. More than half of the United States' annual production comes from Arizona. Most of the large copper mines are in the southeastern quarter of the state. Other metals produced in Arizona include gold, silver, and molybdenum. Molybdenum, sand and gravel, and gold follow copper in value of production.

Agriculture

Few crops can be grown in Arizona without the aid of irrigation. Many streams provide water, but only three are of major importance—the Colorado, Gila, and Salt. In some areas underground supplies provide all or part of the irrigation water.

Total area in crops is small, amounting to less than 5 per cent of the state. Yields, however, are extremely high. Among the chief crops are cotton, nuts, wheat, and barley; vegetables, notably lettuce; and fruits, especially citrus fruits. Arizona is one of the leading states in the production of fresh market vegetables.

Grazing lands cover more than half of the state. Many, however, are of poor quality because of the lack of rain. Beef cattle are grazed on the open range; sheep are pastured on the drier lands.

Transportation

Several Interstate highways serve the state and link Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Tucson. Most of the railway lines have east-west routes. Phoenix and Tucson have the largest airports.

The People

In 1990, Arizona's growth rate was the second highest in the nation. (Only Nevada's was greater.) In rank among the states in population, Arizona moved from 24th place to 20th. The population density was 45.1 persons per square mile (17.4 per km2), slightly more than half that of the United States as a whole.

Whites made up 75.5 per cent of the population; American Indians, the largest non-white group, 4.9 per cent; and blacks, 3.1 per cent. People of Hispanic origin made up 25.3 per cent of the population.

One of the state's most distinctive urban developments, based largely on the sunny weather and dry climate, is the increase of planned retirement communities.

Education

Arizona's superintendent of public instruction is chief of the state department of public instruction. The superintendent is also a member of the state board of education with the governor and six officials appointed by the governor. The first compulsory attendance law was enacted in 1899. The present law requires attendance from age 6 to 16.

As early as 1692, Indians of the area were being taught farming by Jesuit missionaries. Under a 1958 state plan for Indian education, federal and state funds support public schools attended by Indian children. Phoenix Indian School is one of the largest boarding schools in the nation. A Hopi reservation school is at Keams Canyon.

The University of Arizona, a land-grant school at Tucson, was established in 1885 and opened in 1891. It has colleges of agriculture, architecture, business and public administration, education, engineering and mines, law, fine arts, humanities, social and behavorial science, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and graduate studies.

Arizona State University (established 1885, opened 1886), with campuses at Tempe and Phoenix, and Northern Arizona University (1899), at Flagstaff, were both founded as teachers colleges. Their programs have been expanded to include such fields as liberal arts, engineering, and business.

Government

Arizona's State Capitol is in Phoenix, the capital since 1889.

Arizona's constitution was ratified in 1911 and was modified in 1912 when statehood was achieved. It has since been amended numerous times. The constitution grants the people direct political power by providing for initiative, referendum, and recall. These provisions give the people the power to introduce legislation, to authorize a popular vote on important legislative questions, and to remove public officials by popular vote.

Elected officials include the governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction, all elected for four years. There is no lieutenant governor. The legislature meets annually. It consists of the Senate, which has 30 members, and the 60-member House of Representatives. Members are elected for two-year terms.

The judiciary consists of a supreme court of five justices, an appellate court, and several lower courts.

There are 15 counties in the state. Arizona sends two senators and eight representatives to the U.S. Congress.