Colorado
Centennial State · Capital: Denver · West (Mountain)
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Bordering states: Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah.
About Colorado
Colorado lies in the mountain West, bordered by Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Utah, and touching Arizona at the Four Corners. Its eastern two fifths belong to the Great Plains. At about the line of Interstate 25 the Front Range rises abruptly, which is why Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo sit in one north to south string. West of the crest the mountains give way to the canyons of the Colorado Plateau. Even the lowest ground, 3,315 feet on the Arikaree River, is high, and Mount Elbert reaches 14,440 feet. Plains towns get about 15 inches of precipitation a year, while Wolf Creek Pass collects more than 400 inches of snow.
Ancestral Puebloan farmers built the cliff villages of Mesa Verde, and the mountains belonged to the Ute. The United States acquired the land through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 and a purchase from Texas in 1850. Gold found near present Englewood in 1858 set off the Pikes Peak or Bust rush, and Colorado Territory followed in 1861. In 1864 volunteer cavalry attacked a Cheyenne and Arapaho camp at Sand Creek, killing around 230 people. Colorado became the 38th state on August 1, 1876, a century after the Declaration of Independence, hence the name Centennial State. In 1893 it became the first state to adopt women's suffrage by popular referendum.
The 2020 census counted 5,773,714 residents, up 14.8 percent from 2010, giving the state eight seats in the US House. Denver is both capital and largest city, and one step of its State Capitol sits exactly a mile above sea level. After 1941 federal spending brought the Air Force Academy and NORAD, under Cheyenne Mountain. Notable natives include the boxer Jack Dempsey, born in Manassa in 1895, and Florence Sabin of Central City, the first woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
4 fun facts about Colorado
- Denver is the "Mile High City": one step of the State Capitol sits exactly 5,280 feet, one mile, above sea level.
- Colorado has 58 peaks over 14,000 feet counting subsidiary summits, or 53 under the standard prominence rule, more than any other state. Climbers call them "fourteeners."
- Colorado was the first state to open legal recreational marijuana stores, on January 1, 2014.
- Denver's Humpty Dumpty Drive-In trademarked the name "cheeseburger" in 1935.
More about Colorado
Colorado geography and climate
Frequently asked questions about Colorado
Is Colorado a US state?
Yes, Colorado is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1876, making it the 38th state. Its capital is Denver and its largest city is Denver.
What is the capital of Colorado?
The capital of Colorado is Denver.
When did Colorado become a state?
Colorado became a US state in 1876. It is the 38th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for Colorado?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for Colorado is CO.
How big is Colorado?
Colorado ranks #8 of 50 US states by area. With 55.7 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 37th most densely populated state.
What is the population of Colorado?
Colorado had 5,773,714 residents at the 2020 census, the 21st largest population of the 50 states, up 14.8% since 2010. That count gives it 8 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is Colorado in?
Colorado is in the West region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is Colorado in?
Colorado observes Mountain Time.
Learn more
How to learn the 50 states (full guide)
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