Arizona

Arizona

Arizona is a southwestern state bordered by Utah to the north, New Mexico to the east, Mexico to the south, and California and Nevada to the west. It is the sixth largest state. Phoenix is the state's capital and largest city. The second largest city is Tucson. Arizona is noted for its desert climate in its southern half, where there are very hot summers and quite mild winters. The northern half of Arizona also features forests of pine, Douglas fir, and spruce trees, a very large, high plateau (the Colorado Plateau) and some mountain ranges as well as large, deep canyons, where there is much more moderate weather for three seasons of the year, plus significant snowfalls. There are ski resorts in the areas of Flagstaff and Alpine. Arizona has seven national forests.

No one is exactly sure where Arizona got its name. It may come from the Spanish version of the Pima Indian word for "little spring place." The state's name may also come from the Aztec word "arizuma," meaning "silver-bearing." The Spanish first used the name Arizona for mining camps by the Planchas de Plata mine. The state is nicknamed the "Grand Canyon State." On February 14, 1912, Arizona became the last of the contiguous states (that is, not including Hawaii and Alaska) to join the Union. Arizona has changed greatly since the 19th Century when the state was a typical mining and cattle territory of the Old West. Today, portions of the Old West remain for tourists, but Arizona has become a modern industrial state with large cities, modern farms, and quickly growing industries. With around 155,000 Indian residents, Arizona has the third largest Indian population in the country; only Oklahoma and California have larger Indian populations.

Arizona has many farm and mineral products. It is a leading producer of copper -- that's why one of it’s nicknames is the "Copper State." The state's chief crop is cotton. About 70 percent of Arizona's land is either controlled or owned by the United States Government. Dams built by the government or with federal funds irrigate the desert so that it can be used as farmland. The dams also provide electricity to the cities and industry. Along with growing industries, Arizona has a growing population. The state's population increased by five times between 1950 and 1990.

Each year, Arizona ranks as one of the top states in the United States to host international students. In fact, Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ, ranks as the 19th most populous universities in the country for international students. In descending order, this university is then followed by the University of Arizona in Tucson and Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.But no matter which of the numerous schools where an international student is studying in Arizona, the state has much to offer educationally and culturally at each location due to the uniqueness of the region.

List of colleges and universities in Arizona

Arizona's Official Web Site

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