Facts About Colorado

Colorado lies in the western United States. It is bounded on the north by Wyoming and Nebraska; on the east by Nebraska and Kansas; on the south by New Mexico and the Oklahoma Panhandle; and on the west by Utah. It is almost square in shape. Its greatest length, east to west, is 387 miles (622 kilometers). Its greatest width, north to south, is 276 miles (444 kilometers). It is the eighth largest state, with a total area of 104,091 square miles (269,595 square kilometers). The water area is 496 square miles (1,285 square kilometers).

The majestic peaks of Colorado reach out so high that the average elevation of the state is more than a mile above sea level, making it the highest of all the states. More than 800 of these peaks rise above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), and more than 50 of them are at least 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) high. Part of the Continental Divide, Colorado's Rocky Mountain ranges separate rivers that flow to the Gulf of Mexico from those that flow to the Pacific Ocean. The Rio Grande, Colorado, Arkansas, and South Platte rivers have their sources in Colorado.

Nickname: Centennial State
Song: "Where the Columbines Grow", words and music by A.J. Flynn.
Entered the Union: Aug. 1, 1876, as the 38th state.
Capital: Denver
Population (1990 census): 3,307,912 rank, 26th state. Urban, 80.6%; rural, 19.4%.
Elevation: Highest, Mount Elbert, 14,433 feet (4,399 meters), near Twin Lakes; lowest, Arkansas River near Kansas line, 3,350 feet (1,021 meters); average, 6,800 feet (2,073 meters)
Land Use: Crops, 16%; pasture, 43%; forest, 30%; other, 11%

• Natural Attractions: Few places on the planet display the natural world with such drama and abundance. The standard for it all, of course, is range after range of towering mountains. Forget, if you can, that Colorado boasts 54 peaks taller than 14,000 feet. Equally impressive is the fact that nearly 800 more rise above 13,000 feet, many of these equally impressive for their rugged appearance. A surprising percentage of these may be seen from major highways along popular tourist routes.
• Denver: Denver has so much to offer inclulding world-class shopping malls such as Park Meadows, Cherry Creek and Colorado Mills, Natural History and Art museums, theaters and within two hours of Rocky Mountain skiing, minutes from professional football - Denver Broncos, baseball - Colorado Rockies, basketball - Denver Nuggets and hockey - Colorado Avalanche.
• Aspen: Downtown Aspen is easily explored on foot. It's best to wander without a planned itinerary, although the Aspen Historical Society puts out a walking-tour brochure. You can spend an afternoon admiring the sleek window displays of the shops in the outdoor pedestrian malls, as well as the graceful Victorian mansions, many of which now house fine boutiques and restaurants.
• Rocky Mountain National Park: Rocky Mountain National Park is a majestic landscape sculpted long ago by violent volcanic uplifts and receding glaciers that savagely clawed the earth.
• Ghost Towns: Toss a dart at a map of western Colorado and you’ll likely hit a ghost—at least the kind of phantom represented by a long-departed town. The boom-and-bust syndrome that characterized the mining industry of more than a century ago left many dozens of relics scattered through the Colorado mountains. Some are relatively well preserved; others have decayed into, well, ghosts of their former selves. While mining towns such as Aspen, Breckenridge, Crested Butte and Telluride survived handsomely to become major four-season resorts, others faded into the pages of history and, alas, neglect.
• Hiking: Nothing could be easier, and more inviting, than choosing a hiking trail in Colorado. Trails range from easy meadow strolls to difficult climbs up steep mountainsides. To find the route that’s right for you consult maps ublished by these government agencies or, for more precise details, a topographical map from the U.S. Geological Survey. Outdoor shops sell maps and guidebooks and freely dispense advice.

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