•Organized as a territory on February 24, 1863.

•Entered the Union on February 14, 1912 (48th State).

•Present Constitution adopted in 1911.

•Capital: Phoenix

•Governor: Janet Napolitano, D (in office to January 2005)

•Senators: Jon Kyl, R (in office to January 2007)
John McCain, R (in office to January 2005)

•State Motto: Ditat Deus (God Enriches)

•State Flower: Flower of the Saguaro Cactus (1931)

•State Bird: Cactus Wren (1931)

•State Colors: Blue and Old Gold (1915)

•State Song: “Arizona” (1919)

•State Tree: Palo Verde (1954)

•State Gemstone: Turquoise (1974)

•State Fossil: Petrified Wood (1988)

•State Attractions:
-The Grand Canyon
-The Petrified Forest
-The Painted Desert
-The Hoover Dam
-The reconstructed London Bridge at Lake Havasu City

•Number of counties: 15

•State parks: 28

•Residents: Arizonan, Arizonian

•Nickname: Grand Canyon State

•Origin of Name: From the Indian “Arizonac,” meaning “little spring” or “young spring”

•Land area: 113,642 sq mi. (296,400 sq km)

•Largest county by population: Maricopa, 3,072,149 (2000);

•Largest county by area: Coconino, 18,562 sq mi.

•Arizona 10 Largest Cities by Population (2000)

Phoenix 1,321,045
Tucson 486,699
Mesa 396,375
Glendale 218,812
Scottsdale 202,705
Chandler 176,581
Tempe 158,625
Gilbert 109,697
Peoria 108,364
Yuma 77.515

•Arizona 2000 resident census population (rank): 5,130,632 (20)

•Male: 2,561,057 (49.9%)

•Female: 2,569,575 (50.1%)

•White: 3,873,611 (75.5%)

•Black: 158,873 (3.1%)

•American Indian: 255,879 (5.0%)

•Asian: 92,236 (1.8%)

•Other race: 596,774 (11.6%)

•Two or more races: 146,526 (2.9%)

•Hispanic/Latino: 1,295,617 (25.3%)

•2000 percent population 18 and over: 73.4; 65 and over: 13.0; median age: 34.2.