Quiz challenge
Which state is NOT a land-border neighbor of Arizona?
Select an answer to continue.
The correct answer is D) Oregon.
The state that is NOT a land-border neighbor of Arizona is Oregon.
Testing your knowledge of American geography often comes down to visualizing the precise boundaries on a map. Arizona is famous for its desert landscapes, canyon vistas, and iconic Southwestern history. Nestled in the American Southwest, the Grand Canyon State shares borders with multiple neighboring states as well as an international boundary with Mexico to the south. While several adjacent states form the distinct perimeter of Arizona, one option listed in the question is located much farther north in the Pacific Northwest region.
The correct answer
D) Oregon
The state that is NOT a land-border neighbor of Arizona is Oregon.
Oregon is located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and does not share a border with Arizona. Between Oregon and Arizona lie the entire states of California and Nevada. Arizona shares land borders with five United States states: California to the west, Nevada to the northwest, Utah to the north, New Mexico to the east, and Colorado at a single boundary point in the northeast. Because Oregon is separated from Arizona by hundreds of miles and other state territories, it is the correct answer to this geography challenge.
More context
Arizona became the forty-eighth state admitted to the Union on February 14, 1912, completing the contiguous United States. Its physical geography is defined by a diverse range of terrain, from high plateau regions in the north to low-lying Sonoran desert basins in the south. At the northeastern corner of Arizona sits the famous Four Corners monument, the unique geographic location in the United States where four states meet at a single point. There, Arizona touches Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico simultaneously. Arizona also features a notable international border with Mexico, sharing over three hundred miles of borderland with the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California. The major natural boundary defining Arizona's western margin is the Colorado River, which carved the Grand Canyon and flows south to shape the borders with Nevada and California.
Quick facts
- Arizona shares the Four Corners landmark with Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, making it the only place in the nation where four states meet.
- The Colorado River acts as a natural boundary defining most of Arizona's western borders with Nevada and California.
- Arizona was admitted to the Union on Valentine's Day in 1912 as the forty-eighth state and final piece of the contiguous lower forty-eight.
- Oregon lies over three hundred miles northwest of Arizona, separated entirely by California and Nevada.
Sources
- Arizona State QuickFacts and Demographic Profile — U.S. Census Bureau Arizona borders California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.
- Oregon State QuickFacts and Geographic Data — U.S. Census Bureau Oregon is located in the Pacific Northwest region, bordering California, Nevada, Idaho, and Washington.
- The National Map Geospatial Data — U.S. Geological Survey Arizona is separated geographically from Oregon by California and Nevada.
