Colorado Geography

Basic Facts

• Geographical Region: West
• Size: 104100 sq.mi., 8th rank overall.
• Admitted to Statehood: August 1, 1876
• Population: 5,024,748;22nd rank overall.
• Capital: Denver
• Other Major City: Colorado Springs
• Abbreviation: CO

Fun Facts

• Nickname: Centennial State / Colorful Colorado
• State Flag: Click Here (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Bird: Lark Bunting (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Flower: Rocky Mountain Columbine (opens window to 50states.com)

Geographical Description

• Colorado's 6,800 feet average elevation is the highest of any state in the nation
• The Great Plains cover a great deal of the eastern portion of the state. These flat and dry lands slope gently upwards to the west to meet the Rocky Mountains.
• The Rocky Mountains cover the central 2/5 of the state. The Front Range, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Park Range, the Sawatch Range and the San Juan Mountains make up the Colorado Rocky Mountains. 54 peaks reach altitudes of over 14,000 feet in these ranges.
• The Continental divide running through the Colorado Rockies serves as the starting point for the Rio Grande, North Platte, South Platte, Arkansas and Republican Rivers all flowing toward the Atlantic Ocean. Flowing toward the Pacific Ocean is the Colorado River.
• The Colorado Plateau runs to the west of the Rocky Mountains and along the Utah border. The hills, deep valleys, plateaus and mesas make up the western section of the state.
• The smallest land area in Colorado is the Intermontane Basin. This portion is characterized by rolling forested hills, plateaus and plenty of sagebrush.

Map: Relief Map of CO

Industry

Manufacturing computer equipment, scientific instruments, aerospace products, food processing, transportation equipment, machinery, chemical products, gold and other mining, tourism.

Agriculture

Cattle, sheep, wheat, dairy products, corn, hay, sugar beets.

Other Information

Fun Facts:

• In 1976, Colorado became the first state in history to turn down the Winter Olympics because of the cost, pollution and population boom it would have brought.
• The only place where a person can be standing in 4 different states at one time is where the southwest border of Colorado meets with Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
• Colorado means "colored red"
• Three-quarters of the land area with an altitude of 10,000 feet or above is located in Colorado.
• The longest continuous street in America is Colfax Avenue in Denver.

More Fun Facts: http://www.50states.com/facts/colorado.htm