Located in the American Southwest, Arizona is a land of desert and pine-covered high country, divided by the enormous Grand Canyon. Ruins and remains of prehistoric civilizations are scattered throughout the desert, and the state capital of Phoenix takes its name from the concept of new life arising from the ashes of the old. Admitted to the union in 1912, Arizona was the 48th and last of the contiguous states to join the U.S.

The remnants of ancient irrigation canals were incorporated into the current system, and now the arid desert is dotted with lush, green farms and cattle ranches. Mining is a huge industry in Arizona; the open-pit and underground mines throughout the state provide nearly two-thirds of the nation's copper.