Colorado
U.S. state / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Colorado (/ˌkɒləˈrædoʊ, -ˈrɑːdoʊ/ ⓘ,[8][9] other variants[10]) is a state in the Mountain West sub-region of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. Colorado is the eighth most extensive and 21st most populous U.S. state. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population of Colorado at 5,839,926 as of July 1, 2022, a 1.15% increase since the 2020 United States census.[11]
Colorado | |
|---|---|
| Nicknames: | |
| Motto(s): | |
| Anthem: Where the Columbines Grow & Rocky Mountain High[1] | |
 Map of the United States with Colorado highlighted | |
| Country | United States |
| Before statehood | Territory of Colorado[2] |
| Admitted to the Union | August 1, 1876; 147 years ago (1876-08-01)[3] (38th) |
| Capital (and largest city) | Denver |
| Largest county or equivalent | El Paso |
| Largest metro and urban areas | Denver |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Jared Polis (D) |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Dianne Primavera (D) |
| Legislature | General Assembly |
| • Upper house | Senate |
| • Lower house | House of Representatives |
| Judiciary | Supreme Court (list) |
| U.S. senators | Michael Bennet (D) John Hickenlooper (D) |
| U.S. House delegation | 5 Democrats 3 Republicans (list) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 104,094[4] sq mi (269,601 km2) |
| • Land | 103,718 sq mi (268,875 km2) |
| • Water | 376 sq mi (962 km2) 0.36% |
| • Rank | 8th |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 280 mi (451 km) |
| • Width | 380 mi (612 km) |
| Elevation | 6,800 ft (2,070 m) |
| Highest elevation | 14,440 ft (4,401.2 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 3,317 ft (1,011 m) |
| Population (estimate as of July 1, 2022) | |
| • Total | 5,839,926 |
| • Rank | 21st |
| • Density | 56.25/sq mi (21.72/km2) |
| • Rank | 37th |
| • Median household income | $75,200[7] |
| • Income rank | 9th |
| Demonym | Coloradan |
| Language | |
| • Official language | English |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| USPS abbreviation | CO |
| ISO 3166 code | US-CO |
| Latitude | 37°N to 41°N |
| Longitude | 102.0467°W to 109.0467°W |
| Website | www |
| Symbols of Colorado | |
| Slogan | Colorful Colorado |
| Amphibian | Western tiger salamander Ambystoma mavortium |
| Bird | Lark bunting Calamospiza melanocoryus |
| Cactus | Claret cup cactus Echinocereus triglochidiatus |
| Fish | Greenback cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki somias |
| Flower | Rocky Mountain columbine Aquilegia coerulea |
| Grass | Blue grama grass Bouteloua gracilis |
| Insect | Colorado Hairstreak Hypaurotis crysalus |
| Mammal | Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis |
| Pet | Colorado shelter pets Canis lupus familiaris and Felis catus |
| Reptile | Western painted turtle Chrysemys picta bellii |
| Tree | Colorado blue spruce Picea pungens |
| Folk dance | Square dance Chorea quadra |
| Fossil | Stegosaurus Stegosaurus armatus |
| Gemstone | Aquamarine |
| Mineral | Rhodochrosite |
| Rock | Yule Marble |
| Ship | USS Colorado (SSN-788) |
| Sport | Pack burro racing (summer) Skiing & snowboarding (winter) |
| Tartan | Colorado state tartan |
The region has been inhabited by Native Americans and their ancestors for at least 13,500 years and possibly much longer. The eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains was a major migration route for early peoples who spread throughout the Americas. In 1848, much of the region was annexed to the United States with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The Pike's Peak Gold Rush of 1858–1862 created an influx of settlers. On February 28, 1861, U.S. President James Buchanan signed an act creating the Territory of Colorado,[2] and on August 1, 1876, President Ulysses S. Grant signed Proclamation 230 admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state.[3] The Spanish adjective "colorado" means "colored red" or "ruddy". Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it became a state one century (and four weeks) after the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Colorado is bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east, Oklahoma to the southeast, New Mexico to the south, Utah to the west, and touches Arizona to the southwest at the Four Corners. Colorado is noted for its landscape of mountains, forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers, and desert lands. Colorado is one of the Mountain States and is often considered to be part of the southwestern United States. The high plains of Colorado may be considered a part of the midwestern United States.
Denver is the capital, the most populous city, and the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor. Colorado Springs is the second most populous city. Residents of the state are known as Coloradans, although the antiquated "Coloradoan" is occasionally used.[12][13] Major parts of the economy include government and defense, mining, agriculture, tourism, and increasingly other kinds of manufacturing. With increasing temperatures and decreasing water availability, Colorado's agriculture, forestry, and tourism economies are expected to be heavily affected by climate change.[14]
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