Arizona and New Mexico: The Four Corners Region of the Southwest

Arizona and New Mexico are core states of the Southwestern United States. They meet at the Four Corners Monument—the only point in the U.S. where four states touch: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado.

Regional Identity

• Southwest culture: Native American (Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Apache, Pueblo), Hispanic (Nuevo México legacy), Anglo frontier.
• Landscape: Canyons (Grand Canyon, Canyon de Chelly), mesas, deserts (Sonoran, Chihuahuan), high mountains (San Francisco Peaks, Sangre de Cristos).
• Climate: Arid/semi-arid, intense sun, monsoon summer rains.

Why "Four Corners"?

The 1868 survey placed the territorial boundaries at 37°N / 109°03'W. The monument (rebuilt 1992) sits on Navajo Nation land. It's a geographic curiosity and tourism draw.

Arizona and New Mexico belong to the Southwest—sometimes grouped with West Texas, southern Utah/Colorado/Nevada/California as the "Greater Southwest." But the Four Corners quadripoint is their unique shared landmark.