Bordered by New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, and Mexico, and having one point in common with the southwestern corner of Colorado, Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union, achieving statehood in 1912. It was previously part of the territory of Alta California in New Spain before being passed down to independent Mexico and later annexed by United States after the Mexican–American War. The name of the state appears to originate from an earlier Spanish name, Arizonac, derived from the O'odham name alĭ ṣonak, meaning “small spring”, which initially was applied only to an area near the Mexican silver mining camp of Planchas de Plata, Sonora.
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