Yuma County, Arizona
| Yuma County, Arizona | |
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Yuma County Courthouse
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 Location in the U.S. state of Arizona |
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 Arizona's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | November 9, 1864 |
| Seat | Yuma |
| Largest city | Yuma |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5,519 sq mi (14,294 km2) |
| • Land | 5,514 sq mi (14,281 km2) |
| • Water | 5.1 sq mi (13 km2), 0.09% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2015) | 204,275 |
| • Density | 37/sq mi (14/km²) |
| Congressional districts | 3rd, 4th |
| Time zone | Mountain: UTC-7 |
| Website | www |
Yuma County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 195,751. The county seat is Yuma.
Yuma County comprises the Yuma, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The county borders the Colorado River to the southwest, with three other states across the river: California of the United States and the Mexican state of Baja California to the west, and Sonora, Mexico, 60 miles to the south.
Long settled by Native Americans of indigenous cultures for thousands of years, this area was controlled by the Spanish Empire in the colonial era. In the 19th century, it was part of independent Mexico before the Mexican–American War and Gadsden Purchase.
Yuma County was one of four original Arizona counties created by the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature. The county territory was defined as being west of longitude 113° 20' and south of the Bill Williams River. Its original boundaries remained the same until 1982, when La Paz County was created from its northern half.
The original county seat was the city of La Paz; in 1871 it was moved to Arizona City, later renamed as Yuma in 1873.
Because of Yuma County's location along the U.S.-Mexico border, large numbers of illegal aliens entering the United States illegally pass through Yuma County. From October to July 2005, some 124,400 illegal foreign nationals were apprehended in the area, a 46% increase over the previous year. In 2015, however, only 6,000 people were apprehended, as the border was fortified and augmented. The number of illegal immigrants also declined with slumps in the US economy.
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