Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
Arizonans already know our state is pretty awesome. If you’ve ever wanted more proof, you’re in luck because today we’re going to focus on all the things that Arizona is great at. Check them out.
1. Arizona is the top producer of copper in the country.
8. About 28 percent of Arizona’s lands are designated reservation lands for the state’s 21 federally recognized tribes. This makes it the largest percentage of reservation land in the country.
9. Arizona is also home to the largest number of speakers of an Indigenous language in the continental U.S. Navajo is the language most widely spoken, with more than 22,500 native speakers.
12. Another resource fact: Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, which sits near Tonopah, is a top electricity producer. It generated 32,320,917 megawatthours in 2014, the largest number in the country.
15. And, finally, Arizona is home to the oldest rodeos in the country. Prescott is home to the oldest professional rodeo (1888) and Payson is home to the oldest continuous rodeo (1884).
