area
294,333 sq km.

population
5,863,810 (2005). Compared to 1980, the population increased by about 40 percent. About 80 percent of the population is white. Minorities include the 200,000 descendants of the pre-colonial population, of which the main groups are the Navajo and Hopi. About 700 000 inhabitants are of Spanish descent.

population density
20 per square kilometer.

Capital
Phoenix.

population
1,428,510 (2005)

geography
The landscape of Arizona is known from numerous films and especially characterized by barren plateaus, mountains, bizarre rock shapes and vast desert plains. The three most famous national parks are Grand Canyon, Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. In the Grand Canyon, the oldest exposed strata of the earth are visible, which date back to up to 2 billion years. Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, is a green oasis in the middle of a sandy and mountainous desert.

local time
CET – 8. No summer / winter changeover in Arizona. Difference to Central Europe in winter is -8 hours and in summer -9 hours.

General
Arizona is a state in the southwestern United States, bounded on the north by Utah, east New Mexico, south Mexico, and west California and Nevada. Much of the western border is formed by the Colorado River.

Arizona joined the United States as the 48th state on February 14, 1912.

The economy has developed rapidly since 1950.

The name of the state is derived from the word Arizonac, meaning “place of the little spring”.

The most important cities are the federal capital Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Glendale, Tempe and Scottsdale.

Administration and politics
Arizona is governed by the Constitution of 1912. At the head of the administration is the governor. He is elected by the people for a four-year term. The legislation lies with the parliament, which consists of senate and house of representatives. Both houses are elected for a two-year term.