Sonoran Desert National Monument
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Location:	Arizona, USA
Nearest city:	Phoenix, AZ
Coordinates:	32°59′66″N, 112°26′78″W
Area:	496,337 acres (2,008 km²)
Established:	January 17, 2001
Visitation:	(in )
Governing body:	U.S. Bureau of Land Management

Sonoran Desert National Monument is located in the U.S. state of Arizona. Created by Presidential proclamation on January 17, 2001, the 496,337 acre (2,008 km²) monument is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management already managed the lands, however under monument status, the level of protection and preservation of resources is enhanced. Sonoran Desert National Monument protects but a small portion of the Sonoran Desert, which is 120,000 square miles (311,000 km²), and extends well into California and the country of Mexico. The North Maricopa Mountains, South Maricopa Mountains and the Table Top Wildernesses protect the richest regions of desert habitat from any future development. The World Conservation Union or International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... A Natural Monument is a natural/cultural feature which is of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative of aesthetic qualities or cultural significance. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Image File history File links US_Locator_Blank. ... Official language(s) None Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  - Total   - Width   - Length   - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 6th 113,998 sq mi  295,254 km² 310 miles  500 km 400 miles  645 km 0. ... Nickname: Valley of the Sun Official website: http://www. ... January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... US BLM logo The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers Americas public lands, totaling 262 million acres (1,060,000 km²) or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. ... A state of the United States (U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states, four of which officially favor the term commonwealth which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... Official language(s) None Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  - Total   - Width   - Length   - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 6th 113,998 sq mi  295,254 km² 310 miles  500 km 400 miles  645 km 0. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... US BLM logo The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers Americas public lands, totaling 262 million acres (1,060,000 km²) or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. ... The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally-owned land. ... Sonoran Desert wildlife Mountains in the Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert (sometimes also called Gila Desert after Gila River) is a North American desert which straddles part of the U.S.-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the Mexican state... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total   - Width   - Length   - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 158,302 sq mi  410,000 km² 250 miles  402. ...

External links

• Sonoran Desert National Monument-U.S. Bureau of Land Management mainpage
• National Landscape Conservation System-Sonoran Desert National Monument
• Topozone map of monument region