The Grand Canyon is found in the US state of Arizona.
Many people consider it to be one of the seven wonders of the natural world.
The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 kilometres) in length.
At its widest point the Grand Canyon stretches 18 miles (29 kilometres) across.
At its narrowest point it stretches 4 miles (6.4 kilometres) across.
The Grand Canyon is around 6000 (1800 metres) feet deep.
The Colorado River runs through the Grand Canyon, it has been eroding its steep sides for millions of years.
The different types of rock visible in the Grand Canyon make it an important site for geological research.
The rock found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon (schist) is around 2 billion years old.
The rock found on the upper rim (limestone) is around 230 million years old.
American Indians have been living in and around the canyon for thousands of years.
John Wesley Powell led the first expedition down the Grand Canyon in 1869. He was the first to use the name “Grand Canyon” after it had previous been known as the “Big Canyon” or “Great Canyon”.
The Grand Canyon became a national park in 1919.
It was the 17th national park to be established in the United States.
While the Grand Canyon is neither the widest, longest nor deepest canyon in the world, it is an extremely popular tourist destination with around 5 million visitors enjoying its immense beauty every year.
As well as sightseeing, hiking and rafting are also popular in the area.
Overnight camping in the Grand Canyon requires a permit from the Backcountry Office.
