Portal:Arizona

Arizona
Arizona
State
	State of Arizona
	Flag Seal
	Location of Arizona in the United States
Website	az.gov

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Arizona is a state in the Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the northwest and California to the west, and shares an international border with the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California to the south and southwest. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix, which is the most populous state capital and fifth most populous city in the United States. Arizona is divided into 15 counties.

Arizona is the 6th-largest state by area and the 14th-most-populous of the 50 states. It is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union, achieving statehood on February 14, 1912. Historically part of the territory of Alta California and Nuevo México in New Spain, it became part of independent Mexico in 1821. After being defeated in the Mexican–American War, Mexico ceded much of this territory to the United States in 1848, where the area became part of the New Mexico Territory. The southernmost portion of the state was acquired in 1853 through the Gadsden Purchase.

Southern Arizona is known for its desert climate, with extremely hot summers and mild winters. Northern Arizona features forests of pine, Douglas fir, and spruce trees; the Colorado Plateau; mountain ranges (such as the San Francisco Mountains); as well as large, deep canyons, with much more moderate summer temperatures and significant winter snowfalls. There are ski resorts in the areas of Flagstaff, Sunrise, and Tucson. In addition to the internationally known Grand Canyon National Park, which is one of the world's seven natural wonders, there are several national forests, national parks, and national monuments.

Arizona is home to a diverse population. About one-quarter of the state is made up of Indian reservations that serve as the home of 27 federally recognized Native American tribes, including the Navajo Nation, the largest in the state and the country, with more than 300,000 citizens. Since the 1980s, the proportion of Hispanics has grown significantly owing to migration from Mexico and Central America. A substantial portion of the population are followers of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Arizona's population and economy have grown dramatically since the 1950s because of inward migration, and the state is now a major hub of the Sun Belt. Cities such as Phoenix and Tucson have developed large, sprawling suburban areas. Many large companies, such as PetSmart and Circle K, have headquarters in the state, and Arizona is home to major universities, including the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University. The state is known for a history of conservative politicians such as Barry Goldwater and John McCain, though it has become a swing state in recent years. (Full article...)

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State Route 85 (SR 85) is a 128.86-mile-long (207.38 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Arizona. The highway runs from the United States–Mexico border near Lukeville to the north ending at Interstate 10 (I-10) in Buckeye. The highway also intersects I-8 in Gila Bend and serves as a connector between I-8 and I-10 and for travelers between Phoenix and Yuma as well as San Diego. SR 85 between I-10 and I-8, as well as I-8 between SR 85 and I-10 in Casa Grande, is touted as a bypass of the Phoenix area for long-distance travelers on I-10.

SR 85 was established in 1936 as a route between Gila Bend and Ajo. It was extended southward to the Mexican border in 1955, and was extended northward to Phoenix when it replaced U.S. Route 80 (US 80) in 1977. The northern end of the highway was realigned in 1994 onto the connecting highway between I-10 and Buckeye. The remaining portion of the highway between Buckeye and Phoenix was gradually turned over to the cities and county along the route during the 1990s, with the final portion turned over in 2001. (Full article...)

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... that two days after it had ignited, the Tiger Fire had already burned 5,567 acres (2,253 ha) of land near Black Canyon City, Arizona?
... that the Boundary Fire burned 17,788 acres (7,199 ha) of the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests in Arizona?
... that 75 years ago today, it was KOOL in Phoenix?
... that the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals set multiple NFL playoff records during their 2009 NFC Wild Card playoff game?
... that Abraham Hamadeh lost one of the closest elections in Arizona history by 280 votes, and has filed multiple lawsuits challenging the results?
... that Hurricane Heather caused the normally dry Santa Cruz River to reach a 100-year flood stage?
... that Arizona state senator W. P. Mahoney became an acquaintance of Wyatt Earp when he was a miner?
... that the first tequila distillery in the United States was opened in 1936 in Nogales, Arizona, by Harry J. Karns, former Arizona state senator and Nogales mayor?

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Credit: Daniel Schwen

Petrified wood, such as this sample found in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, United States, is a fossil wood where all the organic materials have been replaced with minerals, while retaining the original structure of the wood.

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...that the American football team the Cardinals has had 36 head coaches?

...that the Navajo Times was the first daily newspaper published by an American Indian Nation?

...that although the epicenter of the 1887 Sonora earthquake was in Mexico, it was the only historical earthquake to cause considerable damage in Arizona?

...that holiday mail seeking a Christmas postmark continued to be sent to Christmas, Arizona, two decades after the town's post office had closed?

... that prospector John Brackett Allen did not strike it rich until he turned to pies?

... that Representative J. D. Rumberg of the 10th Arizona Territorial Legislature tried to ban all horse racing in the territory but was only able to have it outlawed on his own ranch?

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You are invited to participate in WikiProject Arizona, a WikiProject dedicated to developing and improving articles about Arizona.

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Official portrait, 2009

John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and naval officer who represented the state of Arizona in Congress for over 35 years, first as a Representative from 1983 to 1987, and then as a U.S. senator from 1987 until his death in 2018. He was the Republican Party's nominee in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.

McCain is a son of Admiral John S. McCain Jr. and grandson of Admiral John S. McCain Sr. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958 and received a commission in the U.S. Navy. McCain became a naval aviator and flew ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers. During the Vietnam War, he almost died in the 1967 USS Forrestal fire. While on a bombing mission during Operation Rolling Thunder over Hanoi in October 1967, McCain was shot down, seriously injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese. He was a prisoner of war until 1973. McCain experienced episodes of torture and refused an out-of-sequence early release. He sustained wounds that left him with lifelong physical disabilities. McCain retired from the Navy as a captain in 1981 and moved to Arizona. (Full article...)

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Ed Hochuli Steve Nash Wayne Gretzky Frederick Russell Burnham Emma Stone Joan Ganz Cooney Ian Kinsler Frank Borman Ike Davis Wyatt Earp Julie Ertz Bazy Tankersley Rose Mofford

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The following are images from various Arizona-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1The luxury Harvey House hotel opened in 1905 overlooking the South Rim of the Grand Canyon; it remains in operation as the El Tovar Hotel. (from History of Arizona)
Image 2The Great House at the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (from History of Arizona)
Image 3Panorama of Kinishba Ruins, an ancient Mogollon great house. The Kinishba Ruins are one building that has over 600 rooms. (from History of Arizona)
Image 4Major airfields in Arizona during World War II. (from History of Arizona)
Image 5A map showing the extent of the Ancestral Puebloan, Hohokam, and Mogollon cultures within the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, all three of which were based in what is now Arizona and/or New Mexico in around 1350 CE (from History of Arizona)
Image 6Water delivered by the Central Arizona Project's canal. (from History of Arizona)
Image 7Connor Hotel in Jerome (from History of Arizona)
Image 8Hourly re-enactment for tourists of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (from History of Arizona)
Image 9Keet Seel cliff dwellings (from History of Arizona)
Image 10The Gadsden Purchase (shown with present-day state boundaries and cities) (from History of Arizona)
Image 11Arizona's counties (from Geography of Arizona)
Image 12Signing of Arizona statehood bill in 1912 (from History of Arizona)
Image 13Arizona Territory in 1866 (from History of Arizona)
Image 14Inspiration Copper Company smelter at Miami, Arizona, c. 1915 (from History of Arizona)
Image 15Fort Defiance, painted 1873 by Seth Eastman (from History of Arizona)
Image 16This ornate grain basket by Akimel O'odham dates from the early 20th century, showing the Native American dimension to the state's culture (from History of Arizona)
Image 17The location of Arizona in the United States (from Geography of Arizona)
Image 18Arizona's average rainfall (from Geography of Arizona)
Image 19Humphreys Peak seen on its western side from U.S. Route 180, with Agassiz Peak in the background (from Geography of Arizona)
Image 20Köppen climate types of Arizona, using 1991–2020 climate normals. (from Geography of Arizona)
Image 21The Sonoran Desert 35 miles (56 km) west of Maricopa, Arizona (from Geography of Arizona)
Image 221898 map of the Arizona Territory (from History of Arizona)
Image 23Sinagua cliff dwelling (Montezuma Castle), Arizona, built in around 1100 CE (from History of Arizona)
Image 241903 editorial cartoon by Bob Satterfield, depicting Arizona and New Mexico as crazed gunfighters intent on gaining access to the "E pluribus unum tavern". (from History of Arizona)
Image 25Hohokam pottery from Casa Grande (from History of Arizona)

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State facts

Nickname: The Grand Canyon State
Capital and largest city: Phoenix
Governor: Katie Hobbs (D)
Total area: 295,254 km² (113,998 sq mi)
Population (2020): 7,151,502
Date admitted to the Union: February 14, 1912
Senators: Kyrsten Sinema (I), Mark Kelly (D)
Representatives: Tom O'Halleran (D), Ann Kirkpatrick (D), Raúl Grijalva (D), Paul Gosar (R), Andy Biggs (R), David Schweikert (R), Ruben Gallego (D), Debbie Lesko (R), Greg Stanton (D)

State symbols:

Animal: Ring-tailed Cat
Bird: Cactus wren
Butterfly: Two-tailed Swallowtail
Colors: Federal Blue and old gold
Firearm: The Colt Single-Action Army Revolver
Fish: Apache trout
Flower: Saguaro blossom
Fossil: Araucarioxylon arizonicum
Gem: Turquoise
Neckwear: Bolo tie
Reptile: Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake
Songs: "Arizona March Song", "Arizona"
Tree: Blue Palo Verde

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This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it is tagged or categorized (e.g. Category:WikiProject Arizona articles) correctly and wait for the next update. See WP:RECOG for configuration options.