Arizona is one of the 50 states of the United States of America. The state is located in the West region and has a population of 6,482,505 (2011). The capital is Phoenix and the standard designation for the state is AZ.
Arizona borders Utah and Colorado to the north, Nevada and California to the west, and New Mexico to the east. In the south, the state borders Mexico.
The state is divided into three parts. To the north is the horizontally stratified Colorado Plateau, which reaches a height of up to 2,200 meters here. In this, the Colorado and its tributaries carved deep canyons.
Among these canyons is the Grand Canyon, which lies west of the Painted Desert.
An ore-rich mountain area is located in the middle of Arizona
In the southwest of the state is a desert-like area that consists mainly of mountain ridges and plains. This region is flowed by the Gila River.
Climate and Tourism
The climate in Arizona is hot and dry. Being in the state mainly grows steppe and desert steppe vegetation.
Only in the higher, wetter mountain regions does some forest occur.
For tourists, Arizona counts many remarkable natural phenomena such as the Grand Canyon area, the Painted Desert, Monument Valley, the. Petrified Forest, with petrified prehistoric trees, and Saguaro National Park.
The protected saguaros grow in the Saguaro National Park. This is a type of giant cactus.
Some other places of interest include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Desert Botanical Garden, the Hoover Dam, Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, Sedona.
Barringer Crater is a large meteor crater located 50 kilometers east of Flagstaff, near Winslow.
Cities
Besides the capital Phoenix are a number of cities in Arizona: Tucson, Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tempe, Peoria, Yuma, Surprise, Avondale, Flagstaff, Lake Havasu City, Goodyear.
Counties Arizona
Arizona is administratively subdivided into 15 counties.
Arizona
The western American state of Arizona borders the states of Utah, Colorado, Nevada, California and New Mexico. To the south, the state borders Mexico. The capital is Phoenix.
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area
The Yuma Crossing Conservation Area is located around Yuma, on the Colorado River. Administratively, Yuma belongs to Arizona, USA. The city is situated at an altitude of 1374 meters and has a permanent population of about 84 thousand. The original inhabitants of the area were the Indian tribes Quechan and Cocopah.
The nearest tourist attractions in the surroundings of Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park include Joshua Tree National Park and more. As in the past, Yuma still preserves many cultural and natural attractions. In the local museum you can learn about the rich history of the city. The area is surrounded by wetlands, which have become home to many species of wildlife – especially waterfowl.
The Grand Canyon is one of the oldest national parks in the United States.
Today, almost everyone knows the colorful rocks of the Grand Canyon. However, few people know that the area was declared a national park as early as 1919, making it one of the oldest national parks in the United States.
Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful nature parks in North America is located in the northwestern state of Arizona, near the borders of Utah and Nevada. Every year, five million visitors come here to admire this miraculous creation of nature. But don’t worry, there is enough space in the Grand Canyon for everyone, because the area on which it stretches is almost 5,000 km2. Tourists come here mainly for red-brown-gray-white rock formations, which appear in different shades depending on the impact of light. This creates incredible views, over which the hearts of many romantics dance. Seventeen hundred meters deep and 450 km long gorge, which sometimes reaches a width of 30 km, is literally a mosaic of steep walls, side canyons, viewing platforms, gorges and temples.
The Colorado River flows through the park, which springs in the Rocky Mountains and empties into the sea in distant Mexico. For more than 6 million years, it has been biting through layers of sedimentary rocks, and with the help of erosion, it has managed to literally create a gem of nature. No wonder the Grand Canyon is often included on the unofficial list of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
Most often visitors come to the southern edge of the canyon. Although it is slightly lower than its northern counterpart, there are accommodation services, a tourist center and 3D video projection, where you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Grand Canyon. The undeniable advantage of the 16 km distant northern edge is the smaller number of tourists. There is a shuttle service between the northern and southern edges. Hiking trails lead to the bottom of the canyon on both sides of the canyon. You can go here both on your own feet and in the saddle of mules or on water on rafts. Whatever method you decide on, take plenty of drinking water with you, as sunburn and dehydration are unfortunately not rare here. If you decide to spend the night at the bottom of the canyon, it is possible, but you must report your intention to the park administrator.
The southern rim of the Grand Canyon is accessible year-round. Due to the snow conditions, the visitor center, which is located on the northern edge, is only open from mid-May to mid-November. Entrance to the park costs USD 25. This fee applies to the entire crew of the car and allows free entry to both parts of the park throughout the week. If you travel by bus, admission is $ 12 per person.
