The state of Arizona has a varied and localized climatic condition due to its large area and alternating elevations. The climate varies from primarily desert arid weather, with mild winters and extremely hot summers in the lower elevations to a pleasant cooler climate, with cold winters and mild summers in the higher elevations of the northern plateau regions.
C) from late fall to early spring and is the coldest with occasional frosts from November through February with temperatures ranging from 40 to 75
C). The all time highest and the lowest temperatures of the state were recorded, with 128F(53C) at Lake Havasu City and -40C at Hawley Lake
.
During the monsoon season, Arizona receives an average annual rainfall of 12.7 in (323 mm) with lightning, thunderstorms, wind, and torrential, The highest dew point recorded was 81F (27C) and the dew point rises steeply for a short period in July or August. Arizona is also very prone to devastating floods due to heavy downpours.
The Economy of Arizona is fast growing. The gross state product of Arizona in the 2011 was $259 billion. The per capita personal income of the state is $40,828
[5]. The unemployment rate of the state according to November 2014 estimation is 6.8%
[6]. Arizona’s largest employer is the state government and the largest private employer of the state is Wal-Mart.
The top employment sectors of Arizona include Trade, transportation, and utilities, Government, Education and health services, Professional and business services, Leisure and hospitality, Financial activities, Manufacturing, Construction and Agriculture.
Among the major sectors that contribute in generating revenues in Arizona include tourism, manufacturing, construction, tourism, mining and agriculture along with cattle ranching.
According to the Arizona Republic 100, the leading private employers of Arizona as of 2014 are [7]
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.: 32,438
Banner Health: 30,021
Kroger Co.: 17,001
Albertsons Inc.: 16,148
Wells Fargo: 15,323
McDonald's Corp.: 12,770
Intel Corp.: 11,200
Bank of America Corp.: 10,500
JP Morgan Chase & Co.: 10,500
Honeywell International Inc.: 10,000
American Airlines Group Inc.: 10,000
Agricluture in Arizona
Agriculture in Arizona comprises of 53% productions in crops and 47% productions in livestocks. The main crops of the state are cotton, wheat, lettuce, broccoli, sorghum, barley, cauliflower, corn, greenhouse and nursery production and fruits such as cantaloupes and citrus fruits. The major live stocks include cattle/calves, hogs and sheep/lambs. The top five agricultural products that generate maximum revenue of the state are dairy products, cotton, cattle and calves, lettuce, and hay.
Manufacturing in Arizona
Industries of various sectors have contributed immensely to the economic growth of the state. The main manufactured products of the state include high tech value added products like computers, printing, foods, fabric, metals, apparels, electronic equipments, aerospace and transportation equipments, chemical products, fabricated metal products (structural and sheet metals, window and door frames), machinery and primary metals.
Mining in Arizona
Resources of the state include copper, copper ore, gold, silver, molybdenum, coal, gravel and crushed stone. These precious products mined in Arizona contribute a major part in the economic growth of the state including the soil that supports the essential agricultural department of the state. Currently, copper is the top and the most important product mined in Arizona.
Tourism in Arizona
Tourism is also a principal part of Arizona’s economy and is one of the largest employers of the state. Many plans and programs are implemented to improve Arizona’s transportation network and accordingly enhance the tourism sector. Some of the major tourist attractions of the state include The Grand Canyon, Painted desert, Petrified Forest National Park, London Bridge, Lake Havasu City, Biosphere 2, and Monuments.
Education in Arizona
The Arizona State Board of Education supervises and administers the entire education system of Arizona. The Education system comprises of public and private schools, colleges, and Universities. The public schools in Arizona are divided into local school districts that function as an independent body but are managed and supervised by the elected county school superintendents. The three major universities that serve the state for higher education are Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University and these are supervised by the Arizona Board of Regents. The State Board of Directors manages and supervises the state’s two-year vocational schools and community colleges.
http://azed.gov/
Some of the main private universities and colleges in Arizona include
American Indian College,
Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine,
Apollo College,
Arizona Christian University,
Brown Mackie College,
Art Center College of Design,
Art Institute of Phoenix,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,
International Baptist College,
Northcentral University,
A.T. Still University,
Collins College,
University of Phoenix,
Phoenix School of Law,
Prescott College,
Thunderbird School of Global Management,
Midwestern University,
University of Advancing Technology,
Western Governors University, Western International university,
Art Institute of Tucson,
Grand Canyon University
Sports in Arizona
http://www.azcardinals.com/
The major professional sports of Arizona are basket ball, baseball, football, soccer, ice hockey and golf. The state has many golf courses. The state has three universities and so college level sports are common and fondly followed in Arizona. Some of the major professional sport teams are Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Coyotes, Arizona Rattlers, Arizona Sundogs, Phoenix Mercury, Arizona United SC, and TC Tucson.
Demographics of Arizona
Arizona had an estimated population of 6,626,624 as of 2013, which is an increase of 3.7%, since the year 2010. The population density of the state is 45.2 people per square mile
[8]. Over half of the population of Arizona live in cities.
As of 2009, Arizona's five largest ancestry groups are Mexican, German, Irish, English, and Italian. In 2013, the Census Bureau reported Arizona's population as 84.0% White alone, 30.3% Hispanic, 5.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, and 56.7% non-Hispanic or non-Latino white
[9]. The major languages spoken in Arizona are Spanish, Navajo, German, Chinese (including Mandarin), Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Other North American Indigenous Languages (especially Native American Languages of Arizona). Arizona has the largest number of speakers of Native American languages in the 48 contiguous states.
Arizona Population Quick Facts [10]:
Population, 2014 estimate: 6,731484
Population, 2013: 6,634,997
Population, percent change, April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014: 5.3%
Persons under 5 years, percent, 2013: 6.5%
Persons under 18 years, percent, 2013: 24.4%
Persons 65 years and over, percent, 2013: 15.4%
Female persons, percent, 2013: 50.3%
Estimated population 2013 of various races:
Race: 2013
White alone: 84.0%
Black or African American: 4.6%
Asian: 3.2%
Native American or Alaska Native: 5.3%
Native Hawaiian & other Pacific Islander: 0.3%
Two or More Races: 2.6%
Hispanic or Latino: 30.3%
According to 2010 estimation, the Association of Religion Data Archives in Arizona reported that there are three largest denominational groups in Arizona that include the Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and non-denominational Evangelical Protestants. Larger group of people in Arizona supports the Catholic Church followed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then comparatively smaller group follow non-denominational Evangelical Protestants.
Government of Arizona
The Government of Arizona is guarded by the
Constitution of Arizona. Arizona became a 48th state of the United
States on February 14, 1912. The government is divided into three
distinct branches: the executive branch (Governor of Alaska and state
agencies), the legislative branch (the House of Representatives and the
Senate) and the judicial branch (Supreme Court and lower courts).
The
executive branch of Arizona consists of the elected officials of the
Governor, Attorney General, Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Secretary of State, State Treasurer and State Mine Instructor.
Republican, Janice K Brewer is the current and the 22nd Governor of
Arizona, since 2009.
Arizona State Legislature is the body of the
state government of Arizona which is divided into two separate
assemblies, namely Arizona House of Representatives and Arizona Senate.
The
Judiciary branch applies and administers laws and regulations to ensure
justice in the state. The Arizona Court system structure comprises of
the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Trial Courts. Scott Bales
is the current chief justice of the Supreme Court of Arizona, since July
1, 2014.
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Arts and Culture in Arizona
http://azmnh.org/
Besides the scenic landscape, Arizona also has rich arts and culture. The arts and culture of the state range from contemporary high class fine arts to traditional arts featuring the unique works of the Native Americans tribes. The state has several museums and exquisite galleries that exhibit the unique fine arts of the state. Some of the famous museums of the state include Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona Capitol Museum, Arizona Museum for Youth, Arizona State University Art Museum, Mesa Arts Center, Mills Collection, Mohave Museum of History and Arts, Tubac Center for the Arts, Tucson Museum of Art, and West Valley Art Museum. Additionally, Arizona is a much sought for destination for film and television shows shootings. Some of the famous Hollywood movies filmed in Arizona include Billy Jack, U Turn, Waiting to Exhale, Just One of the Guys, Can't Buy Me Love, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, The Scorpion King, The Banger Sisters, Used Cars, and Raising Arizona. Mesa Contemporary Arts (MCA) Museum is providing education of contemporary art to the art loving people. MCA organized many tours, activities and various educational programs so that all people can learn the beauty of arts.
Transportation of Arizona
The Arizona Department of Transportation (DOT) is a transportation agency that overviews the entire transportation network of the state of Arizona. The main transportation system in Arizona consists of roadways, railways and airways. The main interstate routes in Arizona include I-17, I-19, I-8, I-10, I-40 and I-15.
The Arizona State rail Plan (SRP) is the first program implemented to manage the entire rail needs of the state. The major passenger trains include Amtrak (AMTK), Grand Canyon Railway (GCRX), and Paradise and Pacific Railroad.
Air transport is an essential gateway of Arizona and serves the locals and tourists from all over the world. The major airports of Arizona include Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Tucson International Airport , Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport,and Yuma International Airport.
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Interesting Facts about Arizona
http://www.mesaartscenter.com
- Arizona has more mountains than any one of the other mountain states. The state has
roughly 3,928 mountain peaks and summits (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming).
- Arizona has the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the world stretching from near Flagstaff along the Mogollon Rim to the White Mountains region.
- Yuma is the highest producer of winter vegetables, especially lettuce in the United States.
- It is commonly known that Arizona is represented by “Five C’s”: Cattle, Copper, Citrus, Cotton, and Climate.
- Copper is most important and top product mined in Arizona than all the other states combined. The Morenci Mine is the largest copper producer in all of North America.
- Arizona is one of the country’s largest producers of cotton. So surplus is the production that it is enough to stitch more than one pair of jeans for every person in the United States.
- The village of Supai, located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is the only place in the country where mail is delivered by mule.
- The world’s largest collection of miniature airplane models is kept in the library at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.
- Parker Dam, located on the western border is the deepest dam in the world.
- The official state fossil is Petrified wood.
- The city of Phoenix was named after the mythical Egyptian phoenix bird. It was believed that it burst into flame and re-incarnate from its ashes. Similarly it was believed that the town sprouted from the ruins of a former civilization.
- Winslow, Arizona housed the best-preserved meteor crater in the world.
- The State Motto is Ditat Deus, which means “God Enriches” in Latin.
- "Turquoise" is the official gemstone of Arizona.
- Petrified wood was designated the state fossil of Arizona
- Charles Poston was designated as the "Father of Arizona"
References:
- Arizona Geographical Facts
- Arizona Statehood
- Arizona Forests
- Arizona Climate
- Arizona Income
- Arizona Unemployment rate
- Arizona Leading Private Employers
- Arizona Population Density
- Arizona Race
- Arizona Population Facts