The wonders of Arizona are endless. State definitions are filled with tidbits of interesting information. Consider the sun, for instance. It’s only because Florida plays fast and loose with the truth that they call themselves the Sunshine State.

Arizona is actually the sunniest state in the country. Yuma is in fact the sunniest place on Earth, located in the southwestern corner of the state. In Yuma, crops enjoy more sunshine hours than anywhere else, so it’s no wonder agriculture booms.

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As far as Florida is concerned, let them keep their little motto. “The Grand Canyon State” is way better. Check out these 15 cool, fun, weird facts about Arizona.

1. It was in 1912 when Arizona was named the 48th state of the United States of America.
2. Although Arizona is more commonly known as ‘The Grand Canyon State’, its nickname is the Copper State because its economy is substantially based on copper mining and production.
3. With a size almost the same as Italy, Arizona is the 6th largest US state. It can essentially fit Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island inside it.
4. Arizona houses 22 Native American tribes, some of which go as far back as 12,000 years ago.
5. The highest point in Arizona is Mount Humphreys with an elevation of 12,637 feet (3,852 meters), and its lowest point is the Colorado River. The average elevation in the state is 1,219 meters above sea level. There are 3,928 mountain peaks in Arizona. Twenty-six peaks rise above 10,000 feet (3,048 meters).
6. In 1997, hundreds of Phoenix residents reported that they saw UFOs in the sky.
7. Out of all 50 US states, Arizona was the first one to open a drive-through Mcdonald’s store. This took place in 1975.
8. The Grand Canyon isn’t the deepest canyon in the world. The title belongs to Tibet’s Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon.
9. The Barringer Meteor Crater is a one-mile meteor crater that can be found in Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona.
10. There is a law in Arizona that says you cannot refuse anyone a glass of water.
11. Arizona’s dish and delicacies are a mix of Western and Mexican cuisine. Its unofficial state food is a deep-fried burrito called chimichanga.

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12. Emma Stone and David Spade are two celebrities who come from Arizona.
13. Arizona experiences 70% sunny days every year. The sun is also bigger in this part of the country because of its high altitude and close location to the equator.
14. Arizona houses some wild and scary animals, including coyotes, jaguars, bark scorpions, and Gila monsters. Arizona has more rattlesnakes than any other state with 13 species. Over 200 snake bites are reported each year in Arizona.
15. The biggest and most common natural threats to Arizona include monsoons, flash floods, and dust storms. Monsoons are marked by seasonal changes in wind direction. Despite sounding harmless, this change in wind direction alters the climate and moisture levels, causing monsoon storms. The monsoon season is often associated with severe thunderstorms. These thunderstorms can then cause their own hazards, such as lightning, strong winds, flooding, and dust storms.

It’s so much fun learning about Arizona! Do you have other interesting and fascinating facts about the Copper State? Share it with us by posting a comment below.

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