Colorado Information
Colorado is the highest state of the United States of America. The landscape used to be the setting for gold miners, now it is mainly ghost towns that are used in movies. Colorado is a great state to visit in both summer and winter. The capital, Denver, used to be the city of the Wild West. See all cities in Colorado. If you visit Colorado Springs, the US Airforce Academy is worth a visit, as is Rocky Mountains National Park. If you like skiing, Aspen is the perfect location, for other mountain sports, Ouray is paradise. Ouray is located in a valley and is surrounded by steep mountains.
Geography
Colorado is located in the western United States and is located at the junction of the High Plains and the Rocky Mountains. Colorado borders the states of Nebraska, Kansas Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Wyoming. Colorado is 615 kilometers from north to south and 445 kilometers from east to west.
Colorado has a very diverse landscape. To the east, the High Plains is a flat area with virtually no elevation changes. In the middle are the mighty Rocky Mountains with peaks above 4,000 meters. Most of the snow in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains melts in the summer months. The highest point in Colorado is the 4,400 meter high Mount Elbert. To the west, the Great Basin is a desert region with large mountain ranges and valleys. This area is also known as the Western Slope.
Colorado was originally inhabited by Native American peoples such as the Cheyenne, Comanche and Ute. In 1548, Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez invaded the area and renamed the state Colorado because of its many red rocks. Colorado is nicknamed The Centennial State because on August 1, 1878, exactly one hundred years after the signing of the independence treaty, it became the 38th state to join the United States.
Colorado National Monument
The Colorado National Monument is located near the Utah border in western Colorado. It was declared in 1911 and since then this unique rocky landscape has been under its protection. This area is part of the great Colorado Plateau, which covers the territory of four American states – Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.
This deep valley was created by the separation of two continental plates and the action of the Colorado River. The plateau thus rises to a height of up to 600 meters above the valley and looks really monumental. Due to erosion, red sandstone rocks have formed into strange forms and many shapes over millions of years. This created lone rock needles, which stand next to the deep canyons. On the rock blocks you can observe cracks that were caused by long-term geological shifts in the area.
The largest cities around the park are Grand Junction and Fruita. There is a 23-mile road that crosses the entire park and leads to the upper edge of the plateau. From the road you can enjoy the view of individual canyons and rock blocks. In addition, several stops have been built along the road, from which there is a wonderful panoramic view of the various rock formations, the Grand Valley and the Colorado River.
The local rocks are rich in fossil finds, which are evidence of the prehistoric settlement of the area. Prehistoric dinosaur fossils are documented at the Museum of Westwrn Colorado’s Dinousaur Journey, which you can visit in Fruita. In the northern part of the park you will find a visitor center and a camp, where you can stay. You will also be provided with information about the whole area and you will also learn about its history.
History
In the 17th century, Colorado was entirely in French hands. In 1803, the French sold a portion west of the Mississippi and east of the Rocky Mountains to the Americans through the Louisiana Purchase. After the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, America took control of the rest of Colorado.
When gold was first discovered in 1858, hundreds of thousands of prospectors flocked to the area to try their luck. This period will go down in the history books as The Gold Rush. After railroads were built, Colorado’s cities exploded, forcing the original Native Americans to leave. On November 7, 1893, women were also given the right to vote, making Colorado the first state to introduce universal suffrage.
Economy
In the 19th century mining was of great economic importance, but today it has become agriculture due to improved irrigation methods. As in many states, the government also provides many jobs, such as the United States Geological Survey, the United States Air Force Academy and NORAD. But tourism also provides the state with a lot of income.
| Abbreviation: | CO |
| Nickname: | Centennial State |
| Joined the US as the 38th state on: | 1 augustus 1876 |
| Capital city: | Denver |
| Census: | 5.616.796 |
| Surface: | 269.837 km² |
| Geography: | Neighbors New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, |
| Governor: | Jared Polis |
| state motto: | Nil Sine Numine (Nothing Without the Deity) |
| Colorado official website: | colorado.gov |
