Colorado ( or ) is a
U.S. state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of
America
. It may also be considered to be part of the
Western and Northwestern
regions of
the United States. In many cases Eastern Colorado is
considered part of the
Midwestern United
States. Colorado entered statehood in 1876 and was nicknamed the
“Centennial State”.
It is bordered to the north by Wyoming
, to the
south by New
Mexico
and Oklahoma
, at the southwest corner by
Arizona
, to the east by Nebraska
and Kansas
and to the
west by Utah
.
The state
is well known for its magnificent scenery of mountains, rivers, lakes and plains
. The
United States Census
Bureau estimates that the state population was 4,939,456 in
2008, a 14% increase since the
U.S.
Census 2000.
Denver
is the
capital of Colorado and the
state's most
populous city. Residents of Colorado are properly known
as "
Coloradans",
although the archaic term "Coloradoan" is still used.
Geography
An enlargeable map of the State of
Colorado
The State of Colorado is defined as the geoellipsoidal rectangle
that stretches from
37°N to
41°N latitude and from
102°03'W to
109°03'W longitude
(
25°W to
32°W from the
Washington Meridian).
Colorado, Wyoming, and
Utah are the only three U.S.
states that have only lines of latitude
and longitude for boundaries and that have
no natural borders. When
government
surveyors established the border markers for the
Territory of Colorado, minor surveying
errors created several small kinks along the borders, most notably
along the
border with the
Territory of Utah. The
surveyors' benchmarks, once agreed
upon by the interested parties, became the legal boundaries for the
Colorado Territory.
The summit
of Mount
Elbert
at elevation in Lake County
is the state's highest point and the highest point
in the entire Rocky
Mountains. Colorado has more than 100 mountain peaks
that exceed elevation. Colorado is the only U.S. state that lies
entirely above elevation.
The point where the Arikaree River flows out of Yuma County,
Colorado
, and into Cheyenne County, Kansas, is the
lowest point in the State of Colorado at elevation. This
crossing point holds the distinction of being the highest low point
of any
U.S. state.
Nearly a third of the state is flat or rolling in stark contrast to
Colorado's rugged
Rocky
Mountains.
East of the Rocky
Mountains are the Colorado
Eastern Plains of the High Plains, the section of the
Great
Plains within Colorado at elevations ranging from roughly
. This is also the part of Colorado that is usually
considered part of the
Midwest.
The states of
Kansas and Nebraska border Colorado to the east. The Colorado
plains are usually thought of as
prairies,
but actually have a handful of
deciduous forests. Eastern Colorado is
mainly covered in farmland as well as small farming communities.
Precipitation is fair,
averaging from annually. The summers in the plains are usually hot
and humid, whereas the winters are often bitter cold, snowy and
icy.
Corn,
wheat,
hay,
soybeans and
oats are all typical crops and most small towns
in the region boast both a
water tower
and a
grain elevator. As well as
crop farming Eastern Colorado has
livestock farming, such as
cattle farming and
hog farming. It
also contains many
dairy farms and
poultry farms.
The bulk of Colorado's population lives along the eastern edge of
the Rocky Mountains in the
Front Range Urban Corridor. This
region is partially protected from prevailing storms by the high
mountains to the west.
To the
west lies the eastern slope of the Rocky
Mountains with notable peaks such as Longs Peak
, Mount
Evans
, Pikes
Peak
, and the Spanish Peaks
near Walsenburg
in the south. This area drains to the east,
is forested, and partially urbanized.During the drought of 2002
devastating
forest fires swept this
area.
Hinsdale County, with Lake City (population appx. 300) as its seat,
has been judged the most remote county in the 48 contiguous states.
It has only one incorporated town (Lake City). It is one of the
only places within the continental United States that one can
venture more than from any road.
The
Continental Divide stretches
across the crest of the Rocky Mountains. To the west of the
Continental Divide is the
Western
Slope.
Water west of the Continental Divide drains
west into the Sea of
Cortez
via the Colorado River
.
Within the interior of the Rocky Mountains are several large parks
or high broad basins. In the north, on the east side of the
Continental Divide is
North
Park.
North Park is drained by the North Platte River, which flows north
into Wyoming. Just
south but on the west side of the Continental Divide is
Middle Park, drained by the
Colorado River.
South
Park is the
headwaters of the South
Platte River.
To the south lies the San Luis Valley, the headwaters of the
Rio
Grande
, which drains into New Mexico. Across the
Sangre de Cristo Range to the east of
the San Luis Valley lies the
Wet
Mountain Valley. These basins, particularly the San Luis
Valley, lie along the
Rio Grande
Rift, a major
geological
formation, and its branches.
The Rocky Mountains within Colorado contain 54 peaks that are or
higher elevation, known as
fourteeners. The mountains are timbered
with
conifers and
aspens to the
tree line, at
an elevation of about in southern Colorado to about in northern
Colorado; above this only alpine vegetation grows. The Colorado
Rockies are snow-covered year round; a lot of the snow melts by
mid-August with the exception of a few small glaciers.
The Colorado Mineral Belt, stretching from
the San Juan Mountains in the
southwest to Boulder
and Central City
on the front range, contains most of the historic
gold- and silver-mining districts of Colorado.
The Western Slope is generally drained by the Colorado River and
its tributaries.
Notable to the south are the San Juan Mountains, an extremely rugged
mountain range, and to the west of the San Juans, the Colorado Plateau, a high semi-desert
bordering Southern Utah.
Grand
Junction
is the largest city on the Western Slope. Grand Junction
is served by Interstate Highway
I-70. To the southeast of Grand
Junction is
Grand Mesa, the world's
largest flat-topped mountain.
Further east are the ski resorts of Aspen
, Vail
, Crested
Butte
, and Steamboat Springs
. The northwestern corner of Colorado
bordering Northern Utah and Western Wyoming is mostly sparsely
populated ranch and rangeland.
From west to east, the state consists of semi-desert-like basins,
turning into plateaus, then alpine mountains, and then the
grassland and a few forests of the Great Plains.
The famous Pikes Peak is just west of Colorado
Springs
. Its lone peak is visible from near the
Kansas border on clear days.
Colorado
is also one of only four states in the United States to share a
common border (Four
Corners), along with Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. At
this intersection, it is possible to stand in four states at
once.
Climate
The
climate of Colorado is quite complex
compared to most of the United States. Unlike in other states, the
southern Colorado is not necessarily warmer than the northern
Colorado. Mountains and surrounding valleys greatly affect local
climate. As a general rule, with an increase in elevation comes a
decrease in
temperature and an increase
in
precipitation. A main climatic
division in Colorado occurs between the Rocky Mountains on the west
and the plains on the east with the foothills forming a
transitional zone between the two.
Eastern Plains
The climate of the Eastern Plains is a
continental climate (
Koppen climate classification
BSk) of low humidity and moderate precipitation, usually
from annually. The area is known for its abundant sunshine and cool
clear nights, which give this area the highest average
diurnal temperature range in
the United States . In summer, this area can have many days above
and sometimes , although is the maximum in the front range cities
above . In the plains, the winter extremes can be from to and . The
all time low in the area was . About 75% of the precipitation falls
within the growing season, from April to September, but this area
is very prone to droughts. Most of the precipitation comes from
thunderstorms, which are often severe,
and from major
snowstorms that occur most
often in the early spring, late autumn, and sometimes winter.
Otherwise, winters tend to be mostly dry and cold. In much of the
region, March and April are the snowiest months. April and May are
normally the rainiest months, while April is the wettest month
overall. The Front Range cities closer to the mountains tend to be
warmer in the winter due to
chinook
winds which warm the area, sometimes bringing temperatures of
or higher in the winter. The average July temperature is in the
morning and in the afternoon. The average January temperature is in
the morning and in the afternoon, although variation between
consecutive days can be .
West of the plains and foothills
West of the plains and foothills, the weather of Colorado is much
less uniform. Even places a few miles apart can experience entirely
different weather depending on the topography of the area. Most
valleys have a semi-arid climate, which becomes an
alpine climate at higher elevations. Humid
microclimates also exist in some areas.
Generally, the wettest season in western Colorado is winter while
June is the driest month. This is the opposite of precipitation
patterns in the east. The mountains have cool summers with many
days of high temperatures around to , although frequent
thunderstorms can cause sudden drops in temperature. Summer nights
are cool or even cold at the highest elevations, which sometimes
get snow even in the middle of the summer. The winters bring
abundant, powdery snowfall to the mountains with abundant sunshine
in between major storms. The western slope has high summer
temperatures similar to those found on the plains, while the
winters tend to be slightly cooler due to the lack of warming winds
common to the plains and Front Range. Other areas in the west have
their own unique climate. The
San Luis
Valley is generally dry with little rain or snow, although the
snow that falls tends to stay on the ground all winter.
Extreme weather
Snow highlights the rugged mountains
as well as the urban and agricultural landscapes of the Colorado
plains.
Extreme weather is a common occurrence in Colorado. Thunderstorms
are common east of the Continental divide in the spring and summer,
and Colorado is one of the leading states in deaths due to
lightning.
Hail is a common
sight in the mountains east of the divide and in the northwest part
of the state. The Eastern Plains have some of the biggest hail
storms in North America. Also the Eastern Plains are part of
Tornado Alley and produce some of the
deadliest U.S. tornadoes.
Some damaging tornadoes in the Eastern
Plains include the 1990 Limon
F3 tornado and the 2008 Windsor
EF3 tornado,
which devastated the town.The plains are also susceptible to
floods, which are caused both by thunderstorms
and by the rapid melting of snow in the mountains during warm
weather. Denver's 1901 record for number of consecutive days above
was broken in the summer of 2008. The new record of twenty-four
(24) consecutive days surpassed the previous record by almost a
week. Colorado is a relatively dry state averaging only of rain per
year and rarely experiences a time when some portion of the state
is not in some degree of drought. The lack of precipitation
contributes to the severity of
wildfires in
the state such as the
Hayman Fire, one
of the largest wildfires in US history.
Records
The
highest temperature ever recorded in Colorado was on July 11, 1888,
at Bennett
, while the lowest was on February 1, 1985, at
Maybell
.
| Monthly
Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Colorado Cities
(°F) |
|
City |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Alamosa |
33/-4 |
40/5 |
50/16 |
59/23 |
68/32 |
78/40 |
82/46 |
79/45 |
72/36 |
62/24 |
46/11 |
35/-1 |
|
Colorado Springs |
42/13 |
45/18 |
52/24 |
59/31 |
68/41 |
79/50 |
86/55 |
82/54 |
74/45 |
63/34 |
50/23 |
42/16 |
|
Denver |
43/15 |
47/19 |
54/25 |
61/34 |
70/44 |
82/53 |
88/59 |
86/57 |
77/47 |
66/36 |
52/24 |
44/16 |
| Grand
Junction |
37/16 |
45/23 |
56/31 |
64/38 |
74/46 |
87/55 |
96/61 |
92/60 |
83/50 |
67/39 |
50/26 |
39/18 |
|
Pueblo |
45/14 |
50/19 |
57/26 |
65/34 |
75/45 |
86/54 |
91/59 |
89/58 |
81/49 |
69/35 |
54/22 |
45/15 |
|
History
The region that is today the State of Colorado has been inhabited
by
Native
Americans for more than 13 millennia.
The Lindenmeier
Site
in Larimer County
contains artifacts dating from approximately
11200 BCE to 3000 BCE. The
Ancient Pueblo Peoples lived in the
valleys and
mesas of the
Colorado Plateau. The
Ute Nation inhabited the mountain valleys of the
Southern Rocky Mountains
and the
Western Rocky
Mountains. The
Arapaho Nation and
the
Cheyenne Nation moved west to
hunt across the
High
Plains.
The
United
States
acquired a territorial claim to the eastern flank
of the Rocky Mountains with the
Louisiana Purchase from France in
1803. The U.S. claim conflicted with Spain's claim that a
huge region surrounding its
colony of
Santa Fé de Nuevo
Méjico was its
sovereign trading
zone.
Zebulon Pike led a
U.S. Army reconnaissance expedition into the disputed region in 1806.
Pike and
his men were arrested by Spanish cavalry in
the San Luis Valley the following
February, taken to Chihuahua
, and expelled from México
the
following July.
The
United States relinquished its claim to all land south and west of
the Arkansas
River
as part of the U.S. purchase of Florida
from Spain with the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819.
México finally won its independence from Spain in 1821, but it
surrendered its northern territories to the United States after the
Mexican-American War with the
Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo in 1848. In 1849, the Mormons
of Deseret (now Utah) organized
the extralegal State of Deseret
which claimed all land drained by the Green River and the Colorado
River
. The federal government refused to recognize
the new government, and the Mormons declined to settle east of the
Green River for more than 20 years.
The United States divided the area of the
future Colorado among the Territory of New Mexico and the
Territory of Utah organized in
1850, and the Territory of
Kansas and the Territory of Nebraska
organized in 1854.
Most
American settlers traveling west to Oregon, Deseret, or California
avoided the rugged Rocky
Mountains and instead followed the North Platte River and Sweetwater River through what is now
Wyoming.
On April
9, 1851, Hispanic settlers from
Taos, New
Mexico
, settled the village of San
Luis
, then in the New
Mexico Territory, but now Colorado's first permanent European settlement. Gold was discovered along the
South Platte River in western
Kansas Territory in July 1858,
precipitating the
Pike's Peak Gold
Rush. The
placer gold deposits
along the rivers and streams of the region rapidly played out, but
miners soon discovered far more valuable seams of
hard
rock gold,
silver,
and other minerals in the nearby mountains.
The
Provisional Government of the
Territory of Jefferson was organized on August 24, 1859, but
the new territory failed to secure federal sanction. The election
of
Abraham Lincoln for
U.S. President
on November 6, 1860, led to the
secession
of six
slave states and the threat of
civil war. Seeking to augment the
political power of the
free
states, the
Republican led
U.S. Congress
hurriedly admitted the eastern portion of the Territory of Kansas to the Union as the free State of
Kansas
on January 29, 1861, leaving the western portion of
the territory, and its gold fields, unorganized.
Thirty days later on February 28, 1861, outgoing
U.S. President
James Buchanan signed an act of
Congress organizing the
free Territory of Colorado. The original
boundaries of Colorado remain unchanged today.
The name Colorado was
chosen because it was commonly believed that the Colorado
River originated in the territory.Early explorers
identified the Gunnison River in
Colorado as the headwaters of the
Colorado
River. The Grand River in
Colorado was later identified as the headwaters of the river.
Finally in 1916, E.C. LaRue, Chief
Hydrologist of the United States Geological
Survey, identified the Green
River in Wyoming as the
proper headwaters of the Colorado River. Early Spanish
explorers named the river the
Rio
Colorado for the reddish-brown silt the river carried from the
mountains.
In fact, the Colorado River did not flow
through the State of Colorado until House Joint Resolution 460 of
the 66th United States
Congress changed the name of the Grand River to the Colorado River on July 25, 1921.
Colorado state history plaque
The
United States Congress
passed an enabling act on March 3, 1875, specifying the
requirements for the
Territory of
Colorado to become a state. On August 1, 1876 (28 days after
the
Centennial of the
United States),
U.S. President Ulysses
S. Grant signed
a proclamation admitting the State of Colorado to the Union as the 38th state and
earning it the moniker "Centennial State
". The discovery of a major silver lode near Leadville
in 1878, triggered the Colorado Silver Boom. The
Sherman Silver Purchase
Act of 1890 envigorated silver mining, but the repeal of the
act in 1893 led to a major collapse of the mining and agricultural
economy of the state.
Colorado women were granted the
right to
vote beginning on November 7, 1893, making Colorado the second
U.S. state to grant
universal suffrage and the first by
popular vote. By the
1930 U.S. Census, the population of
Colorado exceeded one million residents. The state suffered through
the
Great Depression and the
Dust Bowl of the 1930s, but a major wave
of immigration following
World War II
boosted Colorado's fortune.
Tourism became a
mainstay of the state economy, and
high
technology became an important economic engine. Colorado's
population exceeded 4.3 million at
U.S. Census
2000.
Three
warships of the
United States Navy have been named
USS Colorado.
The first USS
Colorado was named for the Colorado River. The later two ships were named in honor of
the
landlocked state.
Demographics
Colorado Population Density Map
The
state's most populous city, and capital, is Denver. The
Denver-Aurora-Boulder
Combined Statistical Area, home to 2,927,911 people, contains
more than two-thirds of the state's population. Residents of
Colorado are properly referred to as
Coloradans, although
the term
Coloradoans is still used.
As of 2005, Colorado has an estimated population of 4,665,177,
which is an increase of 63,356, or 1.4%, from the prior year and an
increase of 363,162, or 8.4%, since the year 2000. This includes a
natural increase since the last census of 205,321 people (that is
353,091 births minus 147,770 deaths) and an increase due to net
migration of 159,957 people into the state.
Immigration from outside
the United States resulted in a net increase of 112,217 people, and
migration within the country
produced a net increase of 47,740 people.
The largest increases are expected in the
Front Range Urban Corridor,
especially in the
Denver
metropolitan area.
The state's fastest growing counties are
Douglas
and Weld
. Large numbers of new residents in the state
originate from California, which led some locals to feel that their state was
"Californicated" in
the 1990s (esp. Denver resembled more of Los Angeles) when
lower cost of living and a healthier economy drew in over 100,000
Californians at the time.
The center
of population of Colorado is located just north of the town of
Critchell in Jefferson County
.
Colorado has a high proportion of
Hispanic
citizens and Denver and some other areas have significant
Mexican populations, while southern
Colorado has a large number of
Hispanos,
the descendants of early New Mexican settlers of colonial
Spanish origin. The
2000 U.S. Census reports that 10.52% of people aged 5
and over in Colorado speak Spanish at home.
Colorado, like
New
Mexico, is very rich in archaic Spanish
idioms.
Colorado also has some
African-Americans communities which are
located in northeast Denver in the Montbello, Green Valley Ranch,
Park Hill and Colfax Park areas. The state has sizable numbers of
Asian-Americans of
Chinese,
Filipino,
Korean,
Southeast Asian and
Japanese descent. The Denver metropolitan
area is considered more liberal and diverse than much of the state
when it comes to political issues and environmental concerns.
According to the 2000 Census, the largest ancestry groups in
Colorado are
German (22%) including of
Swiss and
Austrian nationalities,
Irish (12.2%), and
English (12%). Persons reporting
German ancestry are the largest group in the
state and are especially strong in the Front Range, the Rockies
(west-central counties) and Eastern parts/High Plains. Denver and
nearby areas on the Front Range has sizable
German,
Scandinavian,
Italian,
Slavic and
Jewish American communities, partly a legacy
of
gold rushes in the late 19th century
(1861-1889).
There were a total of 70,331 births in Colorado in 2006. (Birth
Rate of 14.6). In 2007, Non-Hispanic Whites constituted 73.5% of
the population and accounted for 59.1% of all the births. The first
time in state history with the statistic of non-Hispanic whites
have fewer babies. But 14.06% of the births happened to parents of
different races (About two-thirds to White-Latino parents).
Westernmost counties where the majority of residents are adherents
of
Mormonism there's a slightly higher
percentage of families with children and those of under age
18.
Colorado has a higher number of younger persons in median age: 33,
according to the 2000 Census report. Large numbers of married
couples in professional careers with young children move to the
state in a belief it's a better place to raise a family. Colorado
is also a major retirement destination by
senior citizens in search of a cooler
climate, recreation activities and the higher altitude in most of
Colorado is said to provide health benefits for those with
respiratory diseases.
Religion
Colorado's most popular relegion is
Christian, and it's most popular denomination
of Christianity is
Catholic.
Colorado,
and specifically the city of Colorado Springs, serves as the headquarters of numerous Christian
groups, many of them Evangelical.
Focus on the
Family
is a major conservative Christian organization
headquartered in Colorado Springs.
Major religious affiliations of the people of Colorado are:
The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the
Roman Catholic Church with
752,505;
The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 92,326 (133,727 year-end
2007) ; and
Baptist with 85,083.
Health
Colorado also has a reputation for being a state of very active and
athletic people. According to several studies, Coloradans have the
lowest rates of obesity of any state in the US. As of 2007 the
17.6% of the population was considered medically obese, and while
the lowest in the nation, the percentage had increased from 16.9%
from 2004. Colorado Governor Bill Ritter spoke that “As an avid
fisherman and bike rider, I know first-hand that Colorado provides
a great environment for active, healthy lifestyles,” although he
did highlight the need for continued education and support to slow
the growth of obesity in the state.
Culture
Fine arts
Cuisine
Economy
The United States quarter dollar coin
released 2006-06-14, in honor of the State of Colorado.
[[File:Denver CO DT WTC AMH
322.JPG|thumb|upright|right|Denver World Trade Center
.
The Denver financial district along 17th Street is
known as the
Wall Street of the West.]]
The
Bureau of Economic
Analysis estimates that the total state product in 2007 was
$236 billion.
Per capita
personal income in 2007 was $41,192, ranking Colorado eleventh
in the nation. The state's economy broadened from its mid-19th
century roots in mining when irrigated agriculture developed, and
by the late 19th century, raising livestock had become important.
Early industry was based on the extraction and processing of
minerals and agricultural products. Current agricultural products
are
cattle,
wheat,
dairy products,
corn, and
hay.
The
federal
government is also a major economic force in the state with
many important federal facilities including NORAD
, United States Air Force
Academy and Peterson Air Force Base
in Colorado Springs
; NOAA and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder
; U.S.
Geological Survey and other
government agencies at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood
; the Denver
Mint
, Buckley Air Force Base
, and 10th
Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver; and a federal Supermax Prison
and other federal prisons
near Cañon
City
. In addition to these and other
federal
agencies, Colorado has abundant
National Forest land and four
National
Parks that contribute to federal ownership of of land in
Colorado, or 37% of the total area of the state.In the second half
of the 20th century, the industrial and service sectors have
expanded greatly. The state's economy is diversified and is notable
for its concentration of scientific research and high-technology
industries. Other industries include
food processing, transportation equipment,
machinery, chemical products, minerals such as
gold and
molybdenum, and
tourism.
Colorado also produces the largest amount of
beer of any state. Denver is an important financial
center.
A number of nationally known brand names have originated in
Colorado factories and laboratories. From
Denver came the forerunner of
telecommunications giant
Qwest in
1879,
Samsonite luggage in 1910,
Gates belts and hoses in 1911, and
Russell Stover Candies in
1923.
Kuner canned vegetables began in Brighton
in 1864. From Golden
came
Coors beer in 1873, CoorsTek industrial ceramics in 1920, and Jolly Rancher candy in 1949.
CF&I
railroad rails, wire, nails and pipe debuted in
Pueblo
in
1892. The present-day Swift packed meat of Greeley
evolved from Monfort of Colorado, Inc., established
in 1930. Estes model
rockets were launched in Penrose
in 1958. Fort Collins
has been the home of Woodward
Governor Company
's motor controllers (governors) since 1870, and
Waterpik dental water jets and
showerheads since 1962. Celestial
Seasonings herbal teas have been made in Boulder since 1969. Rocky Mountain Chocolate
Factory made its first candy in Durango
in 1981.
Colorado has a flat 4.63%
income tax,
regardless of income level. Unlike most states, which calculate
taxes based on federal
adjusted gross income, Colorado
taxes are based on
taxable income - income after federal
exemptions and federal itemized (or standard) deductions.
Colorado's state
sales tax is 2.9% on
retail sales. When state revenues exceed state constitutional
limits, full-year Colorado residents can claim a sales tax refund
on their individual state income tax return. Many counties and
cities charge their own rates in addition to the base state rate.
There are also certain county and special district taxes that may
apply.
Real estate and personal business
property are taxable in Colorado. The state's senior property tax
exemption was temporarily suspended by the Colorado Legislature in
2003. The tax break is scheduled to return for assessment year
2006, payable in 2007.
Philanthropy
Major
philanthropic organizations
based in Colorado, including the
Daniels
Fund, the Anschutz Family Foundation, the
Gates Family Foundation, the El
Pomar Foundation and the
Boettcher
Foundation, grant approximately $400 million each year from
approximately $7 billion of assets.
Energy
Colorado has significant energy resources. According to the
Energy Information
Administration, Colorado hosts seven of the Nation’s 100
largest
natural gas fields and two of
its 100 largest
oil fields. Conventional
and unconventional natural gas output from several Colorado basins
typically account for more than 5 percent of annual U.S. natural
gas production. Substantial deposits of
bituminous,
subbituminous, and
lignite coal are also found in the state. Colorado's
high Rocky Mountain ridges and eastern plains offer
wind power potential, and geologic activity in
the mountain areas provides potential for
geothermal power development. Much of the
state is sunny and could produce
solar
power. Major rivers flowing from the Rocky Mountains offer
hydroelectric power resources. Corn
grown in the flat eastern part of the State offers potential
resources for
ethanol production. Notably,
Colorado’s
oil shale deposits hold an
estimated of oil – nearly as much oil as the entire world’s proven
oil reserves. Oil production from those deposits, however, remains
speculative.
Special tax districts
Some of the special tax districts are:
- The Regional
Transportation District (RTD), which affects the counties of
Denver, Boulder, Jefferson, and portions of Adams, Arapahoe,
Broomfield, and Douglas Counties
- The Scientific and
Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), a special regional tax
district with physical boundaries contiguous with county boundaries
of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and
Jefferson Counties
- It is a 0.1% retail sales and use tax (one penny on every
$10).
- According to the Colorado statute, the SCFD distributes the
money to local organizations on an annual basis. These
organizations must provide for the enlightenment and entertainment
of the public through the production, presentation, exhibition,
advancement or preservation of art, music, theater, dance, zoology,
botany, natural history or cultural history.
- As directed by statute, SCFD recipient organizations are
currently divided into three "tiers" among which receipts are
allocated by percentage.
- Tier I includes regional organizations: the Denver Art Museum,
the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Denver Museum of Nature and
Science, the Denver Zoo, and the Denver Center for the Performing
Arts. It receives 65.5%.
- Tier II currently includes 26 regional organizations. Tier II
receives 21%.
- Tier III has over 280 local organizations such as small
theaters, orchestras, art centers, and natural history, cultural
history, and community groups. Tier III organizations apply for
funding to the county cultural councils via a grant process. This
tier receives 13.5%.
- An eleven-member board of directors oversees the distributions
in accordance with the Colorado Revised Statutes. Seven board
members are appointed by county commissioners (in Denver, the
Denver City Council) and four members are appointed by the Governor
of Colorado.
- The
Football Stadium District (FD or FTBL), approved by the voters to
pay for and help build the Denver
Broncos' stadium INVESCO Field at Mile High
- Local Improvement Districts (LID) within designated areas of
southeast Jefferson and Boulder counties
- Regional Transportation Districts (RTA) taxes at varying rates
in Basalt, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Gunnison County
- Occupational Privilege Taxes (OPT or Head Tax) Denver and
Aurora both levy an OPT on Employers and Employees
- If any employee performs work in the city limits and is paid
over US$500.00 for that work in a single month, the Employee and
Employer are both liable for the OPT regardless of where the main
business office is located or headquartered.
- In Denver, the Employer is liable for US$4.00 per employee per
month and the Employee is liable for US$5.75 per month.
- In Aurora, both Employer and Employees are liable for US$2.00
per month.
- It is the Employer's responsibility to with hold, remit, and
file the OPT returns. If an Employer does not comply, they can be
held liable for both portions of the OPT as well as penalties and
interest.
Transportation
Colorado state welcome sign
Interstate and Federal Highway Routes in the State
of Colorado
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial Airports in the State of
Colorado
|
|
|
Amtrak Passenger Railroad Routes through the State
of Colorado
- California
Zephyr: Chicago
 , Galesburg , Omaha ,
Fort
Morgan , Denver, Winter Park , Granby , Glenwood Springs , Grand Junction, Salt Lake City , Reno , Sacramento , and Emeryville
- Southwest
Chief: Chicago, Galesburg, Kansas City
 , Topeka ,
Lamar , La
Junta , Trinidad , Albuquerque , Gallup , Flagstaff , Needles , San Bernardino , and Los Angeles
|
Communities in the State of Colorado with Regional
Bus Service
Alamosa , Aurora , Boulder, Brush , Colorado Springs, Delta , Denver, Durango , Englewood , Frisco , Fort Collins , Fort Morgan, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Greeley , Lamar, Limon, Longmont , Montrose , Pueblo , Rocky Ford , Springfield , Sterling , Trinidad, Vail, and
Walsenburg |
Government and politics
State government
Gubernatorial election results
| Year |
Republican |
Democratic |
| 2006 |
40.16% 625,886 |
56.98%
888,096 |
| 2002 |
62.62%
884,584 |
33.65% 475,373 |
| 1998 |
49.06%
648,202 |
48.43% 639,905 |
| 1994 |
38.70% 432,042 |
55.47%
619,205 |
| 1990 |
35.43% 358,403 |
61.89%
626,032 |
Like all
U.S. states, Colorado's
constitution provides for three branches of
government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The
governor heads the
state's executive branch.
The Colorado Supreme Court
is the highest judicial body in the state.
The state legislative body is the
Colorado General Assembly, which
is made up of two houses, the
House of Representatives
and the
Senate. The House has 65
members and the Senate has 35. Currently,
Democrats control both
chambers of the General Assembly. The 2005 Colorado General
Assembly was the first to be controlled by the Democrats in forty
years. The incumbent governor is Democrat
August William "Bill" Ritter,
Jr..
Most Coloradans are originally native to other states (nearly 60%
according to the 2000 census), and this is illustrated by the fact
that the state did not have a native-born governor from 1975 (when
John David Vanderhoof left
office) until 2007, when Bill Ritter took office;
his election the
previous year marked the first electoral victory for a native-born
Coloradan in a gubernatorial race since 1958 (Vanderhoof had
ascended from the Lieutenant Governorship when
John Arthur Love was given a position in
Richard Nixon's administration in
1973).
Federal politics
Presidential elections results
| Year |
Republican |
Democratic |
| 2008 |
44.71% 1,073,584 |
53.66%
1,288,568 |
| 2004 |
51.69%
1,101,255 |
47.02% 1,001,732 |
| 2000 |
50.75%
883,745 |
42.39% 738,227 |
| 1996 |
45.80%
691,848 |
44.43% 671,152 |
| 1992 |
35.87% 562,850 |
40.13%
629,681 |
| 1988 |
53.06%
728,177 |
45.28% 621,453 |
Colorado is considered a
swing state in
both state and federal elections. Coloradans have elected 17
Democrats and 12
Republicans to the
governorship in the last 100 years. In presidential politics,
Colorado supported Democrats
Bill
Clinton in 1992 and
Barack Obama in
2008, and supported Republicans
Robert J.
Dole in 1996 and
George W. Bush
in
2000
and
2004.
The presidential outcome in 2008 was the second closest to the
national popular vote, after Virginia.
Colorado politics has the contrast of conservative cities such as
Colorado Springs and liberal cities such as Boulder.
Democrats are
strongest in metropolitan
Denver, the college towns of Fort Collins and Boulder, southern Colorado (including Pueblo), and a few
western ski resort counties. The Republicans are strongest in the
Eastern Plains, Colorado
Springs, Greeley, some Denver suburbs, and the western half
of the state (including Grand Junction). The fastest growing
parts of the state particularly Douglas, Elbert, and Weld Counties,
in the
Denver-Aurora
Metropolitan Area, are somewhat Republican-leaning.
Colorado is represented by two
United States Senators:
The State of Colorado is represented by seven
Representatives to
the
United States
House of Representatives:
Cities and Towns
Colorado has 271
incorporated
municipalities and 83 active
United States Census Designated Places.
Counties
Colorado is divided into 64
counties, including two counties with
consolidated city and county
governments.
The fifteen most populous Colorado counties as of July 1, 2008,
were:
- City and County of Denver
- El Paso County
- Arapahoe County
- Jefferson County
- Adams County
- Boulder County
- Larimer County
- Douglas County
- Weld County
- Pueblo County
- Mesa County
- Garfield County
- City and County of
Broomfield
- Eagle County
- La Plata County
Education
Colleges and universities in Colorado:
Metropolitan Areas
The
United States Census
Bureau has defined seven
Metropolitan
Statistical Areas (MSAs), seven
Micropolitan
Statistical Areas (μSAs), and one
Combined
Statistical Area (CSA) in the State of Colorado.
Military Installations
Protected areas
Nationally Protected Areas in Colorado:
Sports
Professional sports teams
Colorado is the least populous state with a franchise in each of
the
major professional
sports leagues. The state is able to support the teams because
it contains a large
metropolitan
area with a higher population than any other city within .
Therefore, many of the residents in the surrounding states support
the
teams in Denver, as
shown by the reach of the Broncos' radio network.
Former professional sports teams
State symbols
Prominent Coloradans
See also
References
- Colorado, Definition from the Merriam-Webster
Online Dictionary
- Rectangular States and Kinky Borders
- [1] Western Regional Climate Center. Last
accessed 2006-10-24.
- A History of Drought
- http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-colorado/
- http://www.epodunk.com/top10/countyPop/coPop6.html
- Language Map Data Center
- Elcastellano.org talking about Colorado in
"nada"
- Map of Latitude: 39.500656 Longitude: -105.203628,
by MapQuest
- [2]
- CDPHE: COHID Birth Data Request
- U.S. Religion Map and Religious Populations - U.S.
Religious Landscape Study - Pew Forum on Religion & Public
Life
-
http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/08_2000.asp
-
http://calorielab.com/news/wp-images/post-images/fattest-states-2007-big.gif
- http://calorielab.com/news/2007/08/06/fattest-states-2007/
-
http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/regional/spi/2009/pdf/spi0309.pdf
- Colorado Department of Agriculture: Land
Ownership
- Colorado rides on Fat Tire to beer heights. Rocky
Mountain News 11/24/2007 Accessed November 29, 2007
- Colorado individual income tax return (2005) http://www.revenue.state.co.us/PDF/05104f.pdf,
retrieved September 26, 2006
- U.S. Individual Income Tax Return (2005) online copy, retrieved 2006-09-26
-
http://www.coloradofunders.org/docs/2007%20Giving%20Study%20PublishedFinal_1.pdf
-
http://www.cof.org/files/Documents/Government/StateGiving/CO.pdf
- Denver International Airport was the ninth busiest airport on
Earth in 2006.
- Colorado Bill Ritter appointed Michael Bennet to serve
the remaining two years of United States Senator
Ken Salazar term
of office which was left vacant on 2009-01-20, when new
United States President
Barack Obama
appointed the Colorado Senator to serve in his Cabinet
as United States Secretary
of the Interior.
- Managed by the United States Department
of Agriculture, National Forest Service.
- Managed by the United States
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.
- Jointly managed by the United States Department
of Agriculture, National Forest Service, and the
United States
Department of the Interior, National Park
Service and Bureau of Land Management.
- DenverBroncos.com – Official Website Of The Denver
Broncos
Further reading
- Explore Colorado, A Naturalist's Handbook, The
Denver Museum of Natural History and Westcliff Publishers, 1995,
ISBN 1-56579-124-X for an excellent guide to the ecological regions
of Colorado.
- The Archeology of Colorado, Revised Edition, E.
Steve Cassells, Johnson Books, Boulder, Colorado, 1997, trade
paperback, ISBN 1-55566-193-9.
- Chokecherry Places, Essays from the High Plains,
Merrill Gilfillan, Johnson Press, Boulder, Colorado, trade
paperback, ISBN 1-55566-227-7.
- The Tie That
Binds, Kent Haruf, 1984,
hardcover, ISBN 0-03-071979-8, a fictional account of farming in
Colorado.
- Railroads of Colorado: Your Guide to Colorado's Historic
Trains and Railway Sites, Claude Wiatrowski, Voyageur Press,
2002, hardcover, 160 pages, ISBN 0-89658-591-3
External links
State government
Federal government
Other
and UNESCO
World Heritage
Site
and are now the New Jersey Devils)
and became the Lake
Erie Monsters)
and became the Ottawa
Civics for the rest of the team's existence)
and became the New
Orleans Zephyrs)
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