Some Interesting Facts About The Grand Canyon
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One of the great natural wonders of the world.
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First set aside as a forest reserve in 1893 by President Benjamin Harrison, established as Grand Canyon National Monument in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt.
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Doubled in size in 1975 through an act of law signed by President Gerald Ford.
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Named World Heritage Site in 1979.
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Averages 5 million visitors per year.
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Spans 1,217,403.32 acres or 1,904 square miles.
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Is 277 river miles long.
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Measures minimum width of 600 feet (Marble Canyon); average width, rim to rim, 10 miles; maximum width, rim to rim, 18 miles.
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Drops almost one mile at deepest point.
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Rim elevations: South Rim 7,000 feet; North Rim 8,000 feet; Lake Mead Boundary 1,200 feet.
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Is home to 75 species of mammals, 50 species of reptiles and amphibians, 25 species of fish and more than 300 species of birds.
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Boasts approximately 2,500 species of plants, mosses and other vegetation.
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Averages temperatures of 18-85 degrees Fahrenheit, South Rim; 15-77 degrees, North Rim; 38-105 degrees, Phantom Ranch.
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