AZArizona Map
Arizona on the US map
Arizona sits in the West region of the United States — specifically the southwest subregion as defined by the US Census Bureau. With an area ranking of #6 of 50, Arizona is one of the largest US states by total area. The map above highlights Arizona in gold and color-codes the 49 other states by region.
Whether you're a student studying US geography, a traveler planning a road trip, a teacher building a lesson plan, or simply curious, the goal of this page is to give you a complete picture of where Arizona is and what surrounds it. Click any other state on the map above to navigate to its dedicated page.
Capital and largest city
The capital of Arizona is Phoenix — which is also the largest city in the state. About 17 of the 50 US state capitals also hold the title of largest city; Arizona is one of them.
The historical reason for these mismatches dates to the late 18th and 19th centuries. When state founders chose capitals, they often deliberately picked smaller, more centrally located towns to avoid concentrating political and commercial power in the same place. They worried that a capital in a major port or commercial city would be too vulnerable to mob influence (a real concern at the time) and would skew political decisions toward commercial interests.
Borders and neighbors
Arizona shares land borders with 5 other US states: California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico. Each link goes to that state's dedicated page where you can see its own map, history, and facts.
Arizona also shares an international border with Mexico — one of only 4 US states to do so (California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas). The US-Mexico border runs roughly 1,954 miles total, the most-crossed international border in the world.
Geographic features at a glance
- Total area rank: #6 of 50
- Population: 5 to 10 million
- Coastline: landlocked (no ocean access)
- Mountain ranges: no major mountain ranges
- Time zone: Mountain (spans multiple)
- Region: West — southwest subregion
- Desert terrain: yes — significant desert
- Four Corners: one of the four states meeting at the Four Corners point
- Route 66: on the historic Route 66 corridor
Major highways and transportation
Arizona is connected to the rest of the country by the federal Interstate Highway System (planned by President Eisenhower in the 1950s). The historic Route 66 — the "Mother Road" running from Chicago to Los Angeles — passes through Arizona. Major airports serve Phoenix, with regional connections to the rest of the state. Amtrak rail service connects parts of Arizona to the national passenger rail network, though geographic isolation and population density vary.
Arizona notable firsts
- Arizona has a unique place among the 50 states — discoverable across its geography, history, and culture
🌟 Arizona trivia
- The Grand Canyon is so deep that an average of five layers of New York's Empire State Building could fit inside it.
- Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time (except on the Navajo Nation in the northeast).
- Phoenix is the 5th most populous city in the US — and the only state capital with over 1.5 million residents.
- The state flag features a copper star representing Arizona being the largest copper producer in the US.
Arizona vs similar states
How does Arizona compare with 3 other states in the same region and size category?
| State | Capital | Pop | Area rank | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Phoenix | 5 to 10 million | #6 | 1912 |
| Alaska | Juneau | under 1 million | #1 | 1959 |
| California | Sacramento | over 10 million | #3 | 1850 |
| Colorado | Denver | 5 to 10 million | #8 | 1876 |
Bordering states (5)
Arizona shares borders with 5 other US states, listed alphabetically below. Each link goes to the dedicated state page.
Practice US geography daily — free
Statedoku is a 3×3 daily geography puzzle. Arizona appears as an answer or constraint clue on most days that match its region, borders, time zone, or quirks. Five minutes a day.
Play today's puzzle →Similar states to Arizona
If this page interested you, you may also want to explore states with similar geography, history, or culture. These states share Arizona's region (West) and similar size category: