Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

plains, valleys, and smaller mountain

ranges. Most of Arizona is very hot and

dry during the summer and pleasant

during the winter.

People

Though the majority of Arizonans are of

European origin, the state is notable for

its large Hispanic and Native American

minorities. About one quarter of the

people are Hispanic, mainly of Mexican

heritage. The Native American population

is larger than those of all states

except Oklahoma and California. The

Navajo are Arizona’s largest native

group. Many of them live on a huge

reservation that covers parts of Arizona,

Utah, and New Mexico. The state also

has small African American and Asian

minorities.

Most of Arizona’s people live in the

southern half of the state. Located in

south-central Arizona, Phoenix is the

state’s major city. Other cities include

Tucson, Mesa, Glendale, and Scottsdale.

The University of Arizona is located in

Tucson. Arizona State University’s main

campus is in Tempe, which is near Phoenix.

In the north are Prescott and Flagstaff,

the home of Northern Arizona

University.

Economy

Businesses dealing in real estate and

tourism are important parts of Arizona’s

economy. The state’s main manufactured

goods include computers and

178 Arizona BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

other electronic equipment, transportation

equipment, and metal goods. Cotton

and citrus fruit are major farm

products. Other crops include vegetables

and a variety of grains. Cattle are raised

on large ranches. Arizona is also a major

producer of copper.

History

Arizona has been home to Native

Americans for thousands of years. Prehistoric

peoples such as the Hohokam,

the Anasazi, and the Mogollon developed

advanced cultures in the region.

When Spanish explorers arrived in the

1500s they found Hopi, Papago, and

Pima Indians. Later the Apache, the

Navajo, and other tribes moved into the

area.

In 1539 a Roman Catholic priest

named Marcos de Niza claimed the

land for Spain. For nearly 300 years the

Spanish continued to explore and settle

in the Arizona area. After gaining

independence from Spain in 1821,

Mexico ruled the area. The United

States took control of the land in 1848,

following its victory over Mexico in the

Mexican War.

The discovery of gold, silver, and

copper in the 1850s brought many

miners to the area. The opening of

railroads in the 1880s also brought

settlers from the eastern United States

into the area. Arizona became a

territory of the United States in 1863

and a state in 1912. Copper mining

remained the state’s most important

industry until the 1950s.

Arizona’s population grew quickly after

WorldWar II. Many of the soldiers that

had trained at military bases in Arizona

returned with their families after the war

ended.

Since the late 20th century Arizona has

been one of the country’s fastestgrowing

states. In 2000 it was the 20th

state in population. By the end of the

decade it had moved up to 14th.

..More to explore

Anasazi • Colorado River • Grand

Canyon • Hohokam Culture • Navajo

• Phoenix

The Hohokam people carved many designs

into rocks hundreds of years ago. Today

these carvings can be seen at Saguaro

National Park in Arizona.

Facts About

ARIZONA

Flag

Population

(2000 census)

5,130,632—

rank, 20th state;

(2008 estimate)

6,500,180—

rank, 14th state

Capital

Phoenix

Area

113,998 sq mi

(295,254 sq

km)—rank, 6th

state

Statehood

February 14,

1912

Motto

Ditat Deus (God

Enriches)

State bird

Cactus wren

State flower

Blossom of the

saguaro cactus

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Arizona 179

 

Arkansas

The U.S. state of Arkansas got

its name from a word that early

French explorers used for the local Quapaw

Indians and the river along which

they settled. Arkansas’s official nickname

is the Natural State, which refers to the

state’s beautiful countryside of mountains,

lakes, and streams. The capital is

Little Rock.

Geography

Arkansas is located in the south-central

United States. It borders Missouri on the

north, Oklahoma and Texas on the west,

and Louisiana on the south. On the east

the Mississippi River separates Arkansas

from Tennessee and Mississippi.

Highlands cover northern and western

Arkansas, and lowlands cover the south

and east. The Arkansas River divides the

highlands into the Ouachita Mountains

on the south and the Ozark Mountains

(or Ozark Plateau) on the north. The

highlands are densely forested. The lowlands

are plains with good farmland and

some hills. Arkansas generally has mild

winters and hot, humid summers.

People

About four fifths of Arkansans are of

European heritage. African Americans

are the largest minority, making up more

than 15 percent of the state’s population.

Almost half of the people live in

rural settings. Little Rock is the largest

city. It is located in the middle of the

state on the south bank of the Arkansas

River. The main campus of the University

of Arkansas is in the northern city of

Fayetteville.

Economy

Leading farm products in Arkansas are

poultry (especially broiler chickens),

cattle, soybeans, and rice. The processing

of farm products is the state’s leading

manufacturing industry. Many

Arkansans are employed as service pro-

A waterfall tumbles over a rock ledge in the

Ozark Mountains in Arkansas.