Relocating to the Grand Canyon State? Lucky you! Arizona is much more than a cowboy movie backdrop. It has something for everyone, whether you are into cosmopolitan nightlife or outdoor adventures among some of the greatest natural wonders America has to offer. The 48th state to be admitted to the union, Arizona offers residents and visitors everything from sun-soaked desert to snow-brushed alpine highlands. Before you make the trek to this gorgeous, history-rich state, you may want to acquaint yourself with a few interesting facts about the Grand Canyon State.

A few fun facts about your new home state

• State motto: Ditat Deus (God enriches).
• State flag: The Arizona flag features a copper star amid 13 beams of red and orange on the top half, which represent the original 13 US colonies, and solid blue on the bottom half to signify liberty.
• State capital: With an estimated population of over 1.5 million people, the centrally-located metropolis Phoenix serves as Arizona's state capital. Phoenix is also Arizona's most populous city and one of the largest in the American Southwest. Nearby Scottsdale is a very popular snowbird destination, and college town Tempe is just minutes away.
• State flower: As you may have guessed, the Arizona state flower blooms on a cactus. The saguaro cactus flower blooms at night, then shuts forever the following day.
• State bird: Reddish-brown with black spots, the cactus wren builds its nest among protective cactus thorns.
• Climate: Arizona's climate is extremely diverse in range, though most regions have  mild winters and hot, dry summers. The desert town of Yuma can has an average high of 107 degrees Fahrenheit in July. Yet in Flagstaff you can see snow-covered pine trees in winter. The average January in Phoenix ranges between 65 and 43 degrees Fahrenheit; in July the temperature ranges between 104 and 81.
• Largest industries: Copper mining is still big, though modern industries like electronics and machinery are also some of the top industries in Arizona. Tourism is also a vital component to Arizona's economy.
• Famous Arizona natives: Apache chief Geronimo, singer Linda Ronstadt, labor activist Cesar Chavez, jazz great Charlie Mingus and politician Barry Goldwater are among the most well-known Arizonians.

Things to do and places to see

• The Grand Canyon. Millions of visitors flock there every year to witness the astonishing beauty of this immense natural formation, which the Colorado River carved over millions of years.
• The Meteor Crater. A vast monument to the power of nature, the Meteor Crater is the impact site of a larger meteorite. It hit 50,000 years ago and left a 4,000 foot wide, 570 foot deep hole in the Colorado Plateau 35 miles east of what is now Flagstaff.  
• Sedona. Serving as a mecca for mystic types and outdoor adventurers alike, this colorful town is surrounded by majestic red sandstone formations.
• Tucson. You do not even have to leave the city to find beauty and wonder in Arizona. Tucson offers residents and visitors a vast array of things to do. Among downton Tucson's landmarks are St. Augustine Cathedral (built in 1896) and the Art Deco Fox Theatre (designed in 1929). Mountains surround this city, including the Santa Rita, Tucson, and Rincon ranges, so if hiking is your thing, you have many trailheads practically at your doorstep. 

A bit of history

Westerners first glimpsed Arizona in 1539 with the arrival of Spanish Franciscan Marco de Niza. It became part of Mexico in 1821. The US seized it in the Mexican-American war  two decades later, then acquired it by way of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) and the Gadsden Purchase (1854). Among discarded names for the territory were “Montezuma” and “Gadsdonia.” It was a confederate territory until the end of the Civil War. Gaining statehood in 1912, Arizona was the last of the lower 48 to become a state.

Arizona–rich in culture, unparalleled in beauty

Take a ride down virtually any Arizona highway and you will witness some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. The Meteor Crater, Sedona, and the Four Corners area (where Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico meet) are only a few of the many rich landscapes within a few hours' drive, depending on where you are. Whether you move to Flagstaff, Tucson, Phoenix, or the tiny mountain town of Jerome, culture and adventure await you.