Facts About Arizona

Arizona is a contiguous state located in the southwestern region of the United States, bordering a total of 4 other US states, California to the west, Nevada to the northwest, Utah to the north, New Mexico to the east, and also the Mexican state of Sonora to the south. Arizona is the 14th most populous state and is the 6th largest state in terms of landmass in the US. Let’s check out some awesome facts about Arizona.

There is so much that Arizona has to offer, from its incredibly scenic landscapes to fascinating cities, cultures, history, and, of course, the world-famous Grand Canyon!

Arizona is every explorer’s dream location, being home to not only 3 of the most iconic national parks (Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and Saguaro), there are also 28 state parks located in Arizona and 4 national monuments. This is just a brief indication of what kind of natural beauty is on offer within the 113,990 square miles of Arizona’s landscape.

When considering facts about Arizona, it is important to highlight the main cities, counties, and regional areas. Arizona is home to many fantastic cities, none more special than the state capital of Phoenix. Phoenix is the most populous city within Arizona by a country mile, with a population of over 1.7 million, the city continues to grow at a rapid rate. The second most populated city is Tucson, which has a population of over 550,000, which is more than two-thirds less than Phoenix.

Phoenix is as cultural and cosmopolitan as it gets, with large, welcomed populations of Hispanics, Asians, African Americans, and Caucasians all calling Phoenix and Arizona their homes. With modest taxes, a good education system, college availability, booming industries, a strong economy, and an abundance of opportunities for entrepreneurs and specialized employees, Phoenix really is becoming one of the top places in the US to relocate to.

Interesting facts in Arizona

Arizona has always been considered by many to be an extremely popular place to live or visit, with a plethora of things to do, business opportunities presented to companies large, small, and everything in between, and with an abundance of booming industries such as tourism, aerospace and defense, electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, bioscience and health care, and film and digital media.
The success of leading industries and more specifically tourism has seen a huge impact on Arizona’s economy, with an estimated figure of over 5.9 million people visiting the state each year just to check out the iconic Grand Canyon. This has contributed to creating a substantial amount of interesting facts in Arizona.

Here are some more interesting facts in Arizona that you may not know

• There are over 100 wineries in Arizona.
• Arizona is home to over 75 licensed craft breweries.
• Arizona-based restaurants and chefs have received over 50 James Beard nominations since 2010.
• The Sonoran Desert is the only place on earth where the saguaro cactus grows.
• Arizona has a total of 35 state parks and natural areas combined.
• The Arizona Trail is over 800 miles long.
• Two of the highest-rated waterfalls in the US are located in Arizona, Grand Falls, and Havasu Falls.
• The Grand Canyon is part of the exclusive group; 7 wonders of the world.
• Arizona has a population of over 7 million.
• The Arizona state abbreviation is AZ.
• Arizona is home to a total of 15 counties.
• There are 13 different species of Rattlesnake in Arizona – be careful!
• There are 21 federally recognized Native Indian American tribes in Arizona.
• The Arizona cities of Phoenix and Tucson get approximately 85% of sunshine per year and Yuma gets approximately 90% of sunshine per year!
• Over 50% of Arizona lies at an elevation of more than 4,000 feet above sea level.
• Arizona’s highest point is Humphreys Peak, at 12,633 feet.
• Arizona is the largest copper producing state in the Union.
• Phoenix, AZ is the hottest city in the United States.
• The best-preserved crater in the world is in Arizona.
• Arizona also has the largest aperture solar telescope located at the Kitt Peak National Observatory.
• Arizona has the largest reservoir in the United States, Lake Mead.
• Arizona’s timezone is Mountain Standard Time.
• Arizona is home to the two largest man-made lakes in the US – Lake Mead (largest) and Lake Powell (second-largest).
• Copper was discovered in Arizona in 1854.
• Ditat Deus (God enriches) is the state motto.
• The Grand Canyon State is the state’s nickname.
• NASA astronauts did some of their moon landing training at Meteor Crater.
• The women of Arizona won state suffrage 8 years before the rest of the US.
• Arizona is home to the first-ever McDonald’s drive-thru!
• Turquoise is Arizona’s state gem.
• The Cactus wren is Arizona’s state bird.
• Picacho Peak, Arizona was the site of the westernmost Civil War battle.
• The Ringtail Cat is Arizona’s state animal.
• Arizona only has one official state food, which is its state fish, the Apache trout.
• There are some more interesting facts in Arizona from the Governor’s website here.
• The maximum speed limit you can drive in Arizona is 75 mph.

Arizona State Facts on the Economy

Arizona’s economic and business climate has been growing and excelling at a rapid rate over the last few years. People who decide to move to Arizona do so because it isn’t just an affordable place to live, with the average house price being on the lower end of all states, but it is home to some of the most stunning scenery, as well as some of best, most consistently pleasant weather in the whole country.

With all the opportunities this presents to companies and those seeking new start-up opportunities, or anyone simply looking for employment, the state’s economy has been growing well, and at a steady rate over the years.

If you would like to learn how to register a business in Arizona so you can start your entrepreneurial journey, we have created a checklist walking you through the process.

Arizona’s industries have deep-seated roots within the state, for example, tourism has been so prevalent within the state that, since 2008, Arizona has been attracting more than 4 million tourists per year, with 2019 seeing just under 6 million tourists visit the Grand Canyon from all over the country and world. Tourism alone generated over $26 billion for the state in 2019 according to the Arizona Office of Tourism website.

Let’s take a look at some Arizona state facts in relation to the economy

• Arizona’s GDP is over $300 billion.
• Arizona’s GDP per capita is over $38,590.
• Arizona ranks 2nd in the US for its workforce (CNBC’s Top States for Business, 2019).
• Arizona ranks 12th for its economic strength in the US (CNBC’s Top States for Business, 2019).
• Arizona ranks 9th in the US for business friendliness (CNBC’s Top States for Business, 2019).
• Arizona’s leading industries, as well as economic contributors, are; manufacturing, mining, and tourism.
• Arizona is home to over 592,000 small businesses.
• Arizona is home to over 1.1 million small business employees.
• Small businesses make up for over 99% of all Arizona businesses.
• Arizona’s sales tax rate is 5.6%.
• Arizona’s income tax rate ranges between 2.59% to 4.50%
• The minimum wage in Arizona is $12.15 per hour and so is the minimum wage for the city of Phoenix.
• Arizona has the 10th strongest economy in the US (US News & World Report).

A snapshot of the Arizona state facts above illustrates why many people choose Arizona to either start a new business or franchise or relocate to the state for work or personal reasons. It is hard to argue why an average of over 125,000 people relocates to the state each year!

Arizona Facts and History

Arizona was admitted to the union as the 48th official state (February 14th, 1912), making it one of the youngest US states.

There are many reasons as to why there are a copious amount of Arizona state facts, all of which stem from the culture, history, weather, geography, and economy. When considering these facts, and more specifically historical facts, there is no better place to look than the state nickname, and how it became associated with Arizona.

The Arizona nickname, “The Grand Canyon State” is one of the more self-explanatory nicknames out there, however, regardless of being a predictable nickname, it is an extremely relevant one. Arizona’s nickname stems from the iconic Grand Canyon, which is known worldwide as one of the most fascinating and beautiful natural wonders of the world.

Arizona’s nickname was adopted in 1912, shortly after the state becoming official, and subsequently being admitted to the union.  The Grand Canyon is a deep valley within the desert of Arizona, the difference between this and other Canyons is the sheer size, the Grand Canyon is approximately 277 miles long, and 18 miles wide, and over a mile deep!

The majority of this natural wonder is can be found in the Canyon national park. If you have an interest in learning more about Arizona’s nickname, and the other nicknames Arizona has adopted over the years, take a look at our page on this.