Arizona, located in the southwestern region of the United States, was admitted into statehood in February 14, 1912. Also known as the “Grand Canyon State”, it is home to beautiful state and national parks and forests and has a population of 6,595,778 (2009 est.).*
The state’s capital and largest city is Phoenix, followed by Tucson. Arizona is well-known for its arid climate, extremely hot summers and mild winters.
The United States Bureau of Economic Analysis has reported Arizona’s gross state product as of 2008 to be at $148 billion or $32,343 per capita.** In the state’s early history, the economy heavily relied on copper mining, cotton and cattling. Today, copper mining in Arizona still accounts for a large part of the nation’s production. As a result of the boom in population in recent decades, the state also now heavily invests in technology and service industries, as well as financial services and banking. In metropolitan areas like Phoenix, major industrial products like aircraft parts, electronic equipment, agricultural chemicals and air-conditioning equipment are manufactured. Additionally, steel casting fabrications, aluminum products, mobile homes, creamery products and flour are also produced in Arizona. Since tourism is also a vital part of the economy, leather goods and Native American crafts are widely produced for retail.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arizona’s unemployment rate is at 9.7% as of August 2010.***
| Unemployment Agency | Website | Phone Number | State |
| Dept. of Economic Securitys | Arizona Website | Arizona Unemployment Benefits |
Below is a list of the 50 largest employers in Arizona:****
| Employer | City |
| RAYTHEON MISSILE SYSTEMS | Tucson |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | Tucson |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | Tucson |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY | Tempe |
| PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL-PHX | Phoenix |
| INTEL CORP. | Chandler |
| GENERAL DYNAMICS C4 SYSTEMS | Scottsdale |
| PROVIDENCE SERVICE CORP. | Tucson |
| INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION DIV | Phoenix |
| SCOTTSDALE HEALTHCARE OSBORN | Scottsdale |
| BOEING CO. | Mesa |
| MAYO CLINIC | Scottsdale |
| ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL AND MED CTR. | Phoenix |
| UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CTR. | Tucson |
| DEER VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DIST. | Phoenix |
| BANNER GOOD SAMARITAN MEDICAL | Phoenix |
| HONEYWELL AEROSPACE | Phoenix |
| AMERICAN EXPRESS | Phoenix |
| ARIZONA STATE PRSN STATE COMPLEX | Florence |
| HONEYWELL AEROSPACE | Phoenix |
| JOHN C. LINCOLN HOSPITAL | Phoenix |
| PHOENIX POLICE DEPT. | Phoenix |
| SOUTHWEST EMERGENCY ASSOC. | Tucson |
| ESTRELLA BANNER MEDICAL CENTER | Phoenix |
| PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL | Phoenix |
| BANNER THUNDERBIRD MEDICAL CENTER | Glendale |
| MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFC | Phoenix |
| PHOENIX SUNS | Phoenix |
| GO DADDY GROUP INC. | Scottsdale |
| BANNER BOSWELL MEDICAL CENTER | Sun City |
| ISOLA | Chandler |
| AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL | Phoenix |
| CARONDELET HEALTH CARE | Tucson |
| CHANDLER REGIONAL HOSPITAL | Chandler |
| FREEPORT-MCMORAN COPPER & GOLD | Morenci |
| KENYON PLASTERING INC. | Phoenix |
| NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTHCARE | Flagstaff |
| SCG INTERNATIONAL DEVMINT LLC | Phoenix |
| SCHOOL OF EXTENDED EDUCATION | Tempe |
| SHAMROCK FARMS DAIRY | Phoenix |
| US AIRWAYS GROUP INC. | Tempe |
| US AIRWAYS INC. | Tempe |
| YUMA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER | Yuma |
| MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | Mesa |
| CITY OF CHANDLER | Chandler |
| CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIV | Phoenix |
| FIRSTFLEET INC. | Gilbert |
| NORTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER | Tucson |
| YAVAPAI REGIONAL MED CTR-WEST | Prescott |
| ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL | Tucson |
Sources:
* http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/04000.html
** http://www.bea.gov/regional/gsp/action.cfm
*** http://data.bls.gov:8080/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet;jsessionid=6230fa671d5f60367e11
**** http://www.acinet.org/acinet/oview6.asp?printer=&next=oview6&id=11&nodeid=12&stfips=04&group=1