Pima County, County seat in Southern Arizona, United States
Pima County is an administrative unit in southern Arizona that covers desert areas, mountains, and river valleys. The landscape ranges from dry Sonoran Desert floor to forested slopes in the higher elevations of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
The administrative unit was created in 1864 during the Arizona Territory period and took its name from the Pima indigenous people of the region. Spanish missionaries and Mexican settlers shaped the early years before the area became part of the United States following the Gadsden Purchase in 1854.
The San Xavier del Bac, an 18th-century Spanish mission south of Tucson, draws visitors with its white domes and frescoes. The architecture combines baroque elements with local building techniques and remains in use by the Tohono O'odham community today.
The city of Tucson sits at the center and serves as a starting point for trips into the desert and surrounding mountains. A rental car makes it easier to travel between widely spread locations since the public transit network is limited.
Saguaro National Park, divided into two separate areas east and west of Tucson, protects dense stands of giant saguaro cacti. Many of these cacti reach ages over 150 years and only stretch out their arms after several decades.
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