Arizona - Based on the Basque word aritz onak meaning "good oak" or the Spanish word Arizonac meaning "having a little spring"

The 13 rays of red and gold on the top half of the flag represent both the 13 original colonies of the Union, and the rays of the Western setting sun. Red and gold were also the colors carried by Coronado's Spanish expedition in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola in 1540. The bottom half of the flag has the same Liberty blue as the United States flag. Since Arizona was the largest producer of copper in the nation, a copper star was placed in the flag's center. Flag adopted 1917.

Arizona Facts and Trivia

• The Arizona trout is found only in the Arizona.

• The saguaro cactus blossom is the official state flower. The white flower blooms on the tips of the saguaro cactus during May and June. The saguaro is the largest American cactus.

• Arizona leads the nation in copper production.

• Petrified wood is the official state fossil. Most petrified wood comes from the Petrified Forest in northeastern Arizona.

• The bola tie is the official state neckwear.

• The Palo verde is the official state tree. Its name means green stick and it blooms a brilliant yellow-gold in April or May.

• The cactus wren is the official state bird. It grows seven to eight inches long and likes to build nests in the protection of thorny desert plants like the arms of the giant saguaro cactus.

• Turquoise is the official state gemstone. The blue-green stone has a somewhat waxy surface and can be found throughout the state. 

• The amount of copper on the roof of the Capitol building is equivalent to 4,800,000 pennies.

• Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time on a year round basis. The one exception is the Navajo Nation, located in the northeast corner of the state, which observes the daylight savings time change.

• The battleship USS Arizona was named in honor of the state. It was commissioned in 1913 and launched in 1915 from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. 

• The geographic center of Arizona is 55 miles (89 kilometers) southeast of Prescott.  

• Located in Fountain Hills is a fountain believed to be the tallest in the world.

• Four Corners is noted as the spot in the United States where a person can stand in four states at the same time.

• The age of a saguaro cactus is determined by its height. 

• The world's largest solar telescope is located at Kitts Peak National Observatory in the city of Sells.

• At one time camels were used to transport goods across Arizona.