COAT OF ARMS: The upper portion of a heraldic shield shows three snow-capped mountains surrounded by clouds; the lower portion has a miner’s pick and shovel crossed. Above the shield are an eye of God and a Roman fasces, symbolizing the republican form of government; the state motto is below.

MOTTO: Nil sine numine (Nothing without providence).

SONG: “Where the Columbines Grow.”

FLOWER: Columbine.

TREE: Blue spruce.

ANIMAL: Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

BIRD: Lark bunting.

FISH: Greenback cutthroat trout.

GEM: Aquamarine.

FOSSIL: Stegasaurus.

LEGAL HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., 3rd Monday in January; Lincoln’s Birthday, 12 February; Washington’s Birthday, 3rd Monday in February; Cesar Chavez Day, 31 March; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Colorado Day, 1st Monday in August; Labor Day, 1st Monday in September; Columbus Day, 2nd Monday in October; Election Day, 1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November in even-numbered years; Thanksgiving Day, 4th Thursday in November; Christmas Day, 25 December.

TIME: 5 AM MST = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

Located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States, Colorado ranks eighth in size among the 50 states. The state’s total area is 104,091 square miles (269,596 square kilometers), of which 103,595 square miles (268,311 square kilometers) consist of land and 496 square miles (1,285 square kilometers) are inland waters. Shaped in an almost perfect rectangle, Colorado extends 387 miles (623 kilometers) east-west and 276 miles (444 kilometers) north-south. The total length of Colorado’s boundaries is 1,307 miles (2,103 kilometers).

2 Topography

With a mean average elevation of 6,800 feet (2,074 meters), Colorado is the nation’s highest state. Dominating the state are the Rocky Mountains. Colorado has 54 peaks 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) or higher, including Elbert, the highest in the Rockies at 14,433 feet (4,402 meters), and Pikes Peak, at 14,110 feet (4,301 meters).

The entire eastern third of the state is part of the western Great Plains, a high plateau that includes Colorado’s lowest point, 3,350 feet (1,022 meters), on the Arkansas River. Slightly west of the state’s geographic center, is the Continental Divide, which separates the Rockies into the Eastern and Western slopes. Several glaciers, including Arapahoe, St. Mary’s, Andrews, and Taylor, are located on peaks at or near the Continental Divide. Colorado’s western region is mostly mesa country—broad, flat plateaus accented by deep ravines and gorges, with many subterranean caves. The Yampa and Green gorges are located in the northwestern corner of the state.

Blue Mesa Reservoir in Gunnison County is Colorado’s largest lake. Six major river systems originate in Colorado: the Colorado River, which runs southwest from the Rockies to Utah; the South Platte, northeast to Nebraska; the North Platte, north to Wyoming; the Rio Grande, south to New Mexico; and the Arkansas and Republican, east to Kansas. Dams on these rivers provide irrigation for the state’s farmland

Colorado Population Profile

Total population estimate in 2006:	4,753,377
Population change, 2000–06:	10.5%
Hispanic or Latino†:	19.5%
Population by race
One race:	97.4%
White:	83.5%
Black or African American:	3.6%
American Indian /Alaska Native:	0.9%
Asian:	2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander:	0.1%
Some other race:	6.7%
Two or more races:	2.6%

Population by Age Group

Major Cities by Population
City	Population	% change 2000–05
Notes: †A person of Hispanic or Latino origin may be of any race. NA indicates that data are not available.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey and Population Estimates. www.census.gov/ (accessed March 2007).
Denver	557,917	0.6
Colorado Springs	369,815	2.5
Aurora	297,235	7.5
Lakewood	140,671	-2.4
Fort Collins	128,026	7.9
Thornton	105,182	27.7
Westminster	105,084	4.1
Arvada	103,966	1.8
Pueblo	103,495	1.3
Centennial	98,243	NA

and water supplies for cities and towns. Eighteen hot springs are still active in Colorado; the largest is at Pagosa Springs.

3 Climate

Colorado has a highland continental climate with abundant sunshine and low humidity. Winters are generally cold and snowy. Summers are characterized by warm, dry days and cool nights. The average annual temperature statewide ranges from 54°f (12°c) at Lamar and at John Martin Dam to about 32°f (0°c) at the top of the Continental Divide. In Denver, normal temperatures range from 16° to 43°f (-9° to 6°c) in January and from 59° to 88°f (15° to 31°c) in July. The city of Bennett recorded the highest temperature in Colorado, 118°f (48°c), on 11 July 1888. The record low in the state was -61°f (-52 °c), in Moffat County on 1 February 1985. Annual precipitation ranges from a low of 7 inches (18 centimeters) in Alamosa to a high of 25 inches (64 centimeters) in Crested Butte. Denver receives about 15.8 inches (40 centimeters) of rain per year. Denver’s snowfall averages 60.3 inches (153.2 centimeters) yearly. The average snowfall at Cubres in the southern mountains is nearly 300 inches (762 centimeters). Less than 30 miles (48 kilometers) away at Manassa, snowfall is less than 25 inches (64 centimeters) per year. On 14–15 April 1921, Silver Lake had 76 inches (193 centimeters) of snowfall, the highest amount ever recorded in North America during a 24-hour period.

Colorado Population by Race

Census 2000 was the first national census in which the instructions to respondents said, “Mark one or more races.” This table shows the number of people who are of one, two, or three or more races. For those claiming two races, the number of people belonging to the various categories is listed. The U.S. government conducts a census of the population every ten years.

	Number	Percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Census 2000: Redistricting Data. Press release issued by the Redistricting Data Office. Washington, D.C., March, 2001. A dash (—) indicates that the percent is less than 0.1.
Total population	4,301,261	100.0
One race	4,179,074	97.2
Two races	114,612	2.7
White and Black or African American	13,426	0.3
White and American Indian/Alaska Native	24,795	0.6
White and Asian	16,234	0.4
White and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	1,735	—
White and some other race	42,383	1.0
Black or African American and American Indian/Alaska Native	2,486	0.1
Black or African American and Asian	1,518	—
Black or African American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	291	—
Black or African American and some other race	3,876	0.1
American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian	637	—
American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	107	—
American Indian/Alaska Native and some other race	2,946	0.1
Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	1,234	—
Asian and some other race	2,534	0.1
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and some other race	410	—
Three or more races	7,575	0.2

4 Plants and Animals

Colorado has a variety of vegetation distributed among five zones: plains, foothills, montane, subalpine, and alpine. The plains teem with grasses and as many as 500 types of wildflowers. Arid regions contain two dozen varieties of cacti. Foothills are matted with berry shrubs, lichens, lilies, and orchids. Fragile wild flowers, shrubs, and conifers thrive in the montane zone. Aspen and Engelmann spruce are found up to the timberline. As of 2003, 13 plant species were listed as threatened or endangered, including three species of cacti, two species of milk-vetch, Penland beardtongue, and Colorado butterfly plant.

Colorado has 747 nongame wildlife species and 113 sport-game species. Principal biggame species include the elk, mountain lion, and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (the state animal). The lark bunting is the state bird. Blue grouse and mourning doves are numerous and 28 duck species have been sighted. Colorado has about 100 sport-fish species. In 2006, a total of 30 species were on the endangered or threatened species list of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The Mexican spotted owl and bald eagle are among threatened species. The razorback sucker, gray wolf, whooping crane, black-footed ferret, southwestern willow flycatcher, and bonytail chub are among endangered species.

5 Environmental Protection

The Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Health share responsibility of state environmental programs. In 1978, Colorado became the first state in the United States to encourage taxpayers to allocate part of their state income tax refunds to wildlife conservation. In addition, a state lottery was approved in the late 1980s, with proceeds approved for Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to be used for parks improvement and wildlife and resource management.

Air pollution, water supply problems, and hazardous wastes head the list of Colorado’s current environmental concerns. The Air Quality Control Commission, within the Department of Health, has primary responsibility for air pollution control. Because of high levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulates in metropolitan Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and other cities, a motor vehicle emissions inspection system is in effect. Cars must use oxygenated fuels, and pass tough vehicle emissions controls.

About 98% of Colorado’s drinking water complies with federal and state standards. The Colorado Department of Health works with local officials to ensure federal standards for drinking water are met. The Department of Natural Resources’ Water Conservation Board and Division of Water Resources are responsible for addressing water-related problems.

The Department of Health has primary responsibility for hazardous waste management. In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) database listed 202 hazardous waste sites in Colorado, 17 of which were on the National Priorities List as of 2006. As of 2005, the EPA spent over $22.9 million through the Superfund program for the cleanup of hazardous waste sites in the state.

6 Population

In 2006, Colorado was the 22nd most populous state in the country. That year, the population was estimated at 4,753,377 people. The population density in 2004 was 44.4 persons per square mile (17.14 per square kilometer). The US Census Bureau projects that the population will reach 5.5 million by 2025. The estimated median age as of 2004 was 34.53 years. In 2005, about 10% of all residents were 65 years old or older and about 26% were 18 years old or younger.

Denver is the state’s largest city. In 2005, it was the 25th largest city in the nation with a population of 557,917. Populations of other cities in 2005 were Colorado Springs, 369,815; Aurora, 297,235; Lakewood, 140,671; Fort Collins, 128,026; Thornton, 105,182; Westminster, 105,084; Arvada, 103,966; and Pueblo, 103,495.

7 Ethnic Groups

According to the 2000 census, the number of Native Americans in Colorado numbered 44,241. The black population numbered about 165,063. There were 735,601 Hispanic and Latino residents and over 95,213 Asians. About 11,571 of the Asians were Japanese, 16,395 were Korean, 15,457 were Vietnamese, 15,658 were Chinese, and 8,941 were Filipino. The population of Pacific Islanders was estimated at 4,621 in 2000. In all, 369,903 residents, or 8.6% of the state population, were foreign born in 2000.

8 Languages

Colorado English is a mixture of the Northern and Midland dialects. In the northeast spread, a resident might use the terms sick to the stomach, pail, and comforter (tied and filled bedcover) for things that those in the northwest and the southern half would call sick at the stomach, bucket, and comfort. In the southern half of the state, the large Hispanic population has introduced many Spanish words, such as arroyo (gulley), into the language. In 2000, 3,402,266 Coloradans, or 84.9% of the residents five years old and older, spoke only English at home. Other primary languages spoken, and the number of residents who speak them, are Spanish, 421,670 people; German, 30,824, and French 18,045.

9 Religions

The Spanish explorers who laid claim to (but did not settle in) Colorado were Roman Catholic, but the first American settlers were mostly Methodists, Lutherans, and Episcopalians. As of 2004, Roman Catholics comprise the single largest religious group in the state, with 627,753 adherents. The second-largest group is the Latter-day Saints with 126,118 adherents in 275 congregations as of 2006. The Southern Baptist Convention with 85,083 adherents and the United Methodist Church with 77,286 adherents in 2000 were the next largest groups

There were about 72,000 adherents in the Jewish community in 2000. The same year, there were about 72 Buddhist, 7 Hindu, and 12 Muslim congregations in the state. About 60.5% of the population were not counted as members of any religious organization.

10 Transportation

As the hub of the Rocky Mountain states, Colorado maintains extensive road and rail systems. As of 2003, there were 3,645 rail miles (5,868 kilometers) of track in the state, utilized by 14 railroads. As of 2006, two Amtrak trains, the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief, provided service to nine cities in Colorado.

Colorado has an extensive network of roads, including 29 mountain passes. As of 2004, there were 87,096 miles (140,225 kilometers) of roadway in Colorado. The major state roads are Interstate 70, US 40, and US 50, all crossing the state from east to west, and Interstate 25 running north–south along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains between Raton Pass and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Interstate 76 connects Denver with Nebraska’s I-80 to Omaha.

Of the 1.99 million motor vehicles registered in 2004, 880,000 were automobiles, 1.096 million were trucks, and 2,000 were buses. There were 3,205,054 licensed drivers that year.

In 2005, Colorado had a total of 437 public and private-use aviation-related facilities, including 259 airports, 172 heliports, and 6 STOLports (Short Take-Off and Landing). Denver International Airport (DIA) replaced the former Stapleton International Airport in 1994 as the state’s largest and busiest. In 2003, Centennial Airport ranked as the second-busiest general aviation airport in the nation.

11 History

By ad 800 there were tribes of Pueblos in present-day Colorado, who practiced advanced forms of agriculture and pottery making. From the 11th through the 13th centuries, the Pueblos constructed elaborate apartment-like dwellings in the cliffs of the Colorado canyons and planted their crops both on the mesa tops and in the surrounding valleys.

The explorer Juan de Onate is believed to have traveled into the southeastern area in 1601. In 1706, Juan de Uribarri claimed southeastern Colorado for Spain, joining it with New Mexico. Meanwhile, the French had claimed most of the area east of the Rocky Mountains. In 1763, France formally ceded the Louisiana Territory to Spain, which returned it to the French in 1801. Two years later, as part of the Louisiana Purchase, Colorado east of the Rockies became US land; the rest of Colorado still belonged to Spain.

Eastern Colorado remained a wilderness for the next few decades, although traders and scouts like Kit Carson did venture into the largely uncharted land, establishing friendly relations with the Indians. Between 1842 and 1853, John C. Frémont led five expeditions into the region, the first three for the US government. Western and southern Colorado came into US possession after the Mexican War (1846–48).

The magnet that drew many Americans to Colorado was the greatly exaggerated report of a gold strike in Cherry Creek (present-day Denver) in July 1858. The subsequent boom led to the founding of such mining towns as Boulder, Colorado City, Central City, and Gold Hill. By 1860, the population exceeded 30,000. A bill to organize the Territory of Colorado was passed by the US Congress on 28 February 1861. Colorado sided with the Union during the Civil War, though some settlers fought for the Confederacy.

The 1860s also saw the most serious conflict between Indians and white settlers in Colorado history. After ceding most of their tribal holdings to the US government, the Cheyenne and Arapaho, unsuccessful at farming, resumed a nomadic lifestyle. They hunted buffalo, raided towns, and attacked travelers along the Overland and Sante Fe trails. On 29 November, US military forces under the command of Colonel John Chivington brutally massacred as many as 200 Native Americans near their reservation in the Arkansas Valley.

Statehood Colorado entered the Union as the 38th state on 1 August 1876, during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. In the early years of statehood, silver strikes at Leadville and Aspen brought settlers and money into Colorado. Rail lines, smelters, and refineries were built, and large coalfields were opened up. The High Plains attracted new farmers, and another new industry—tourism—emerged. As early as the 1860s, resorts had opened near some of the state’s mineral springs.

Colorado’s boom years ended with a depression during the early 1890s, when the silver market declined. By the dawn of the 20th century, farmers were returning to the land. The development of the automobile and the advent of good roads opened up more of the mountain areas, bringing a big boom in tourism by the 1920s.

From 1920 to 1940, statewide employment declined, and population growth lagged behind that of the United States as a whole. World War II brought military training camps, airfields, and jobs to the state. After the war, the placement of both the North American Air Defense Command and the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs helped stimulate the growth of

defense, federal research, and aerospace-related industries in the state.

As these and other industries grew, so too did Colorado’s population and income. Between 1960 and 1983, the state’s population growth rate was more than twice that of the nation as a whole; and between 1970 and 1983, Colorado moved from 18th to 9th rank among the states in income per capita (per person). In the 1970s and early 1980s, Colorado experienced a boom in its oil, mining, and electronics industries. The economy began to shrink, however, in the mid-1980s with the drop in oil prices and the closing of mines. Business starts declined by 23% between 1987 and 1988.

The economy rebounded by the early 1990s, aided by the presence of an educated workforce and the low cost of doing business in the state. Industry became more diverse, now including oil and gas, telecommunications, retail, and, very importantly, high technology.

On 20 April 1999, the affluent Denver suburb of Littleton made headlines around the world after two teenaged gunmen entered Columbine High School and went on a shooting rampage, killing 12 students and one teacher before turning their guns on themselves. Several others were injured. The tragic event heightened the national debate on gun control and reopened the discussion about what effect media violence has had on the nation’s youth.

Major challenges facing Colorado in the 21st century included industrial pollution of its air and water, overcrowding on the Rockies eastern slope (home to four-fifths of the state’s population), and water shortages. Also, the practice

Colorado Governors: 1886–2007

1886–1879	John Long Routt	Republican
1879–1883	Frederick Walker Pitkin	Republican
1883–1885	James Benton Grant	Democrat
1885–1887	Bejamin Harrison Eaton	Republican
1887–1889	Alva Adams	Democrat
1889–1891	Job Adams Cooper	Republican
1891–1893	John Long Routt	Republican
1893–1895	Davis Hanson Waite	Populist
1895–1897	Albert Wills McIntire	Republican
1897–1899	Alva Adams	Democrat
1899–1901	Charles Spalding Thomas	Democrat
1901–1903	James B. Orman	Democrat
1903–1905	James Hamilton Peabody	Republican
1905	Alva Adams	Democrat
1905	James Hamilton Peabody	Republican
1905–1907	Jesse Fuller McDonald	Republican
1907–1909	Henry Augustus Buchtel	Republican
1909–1913	John Franklin Shafroth	Democrat
1913–1915	Elias Milton Ammons	Democrat
1915–1917	George Alfred Carlson	Republican
1917–1919	Julius Caldeen Gunter	Democrat
1919–1923	Oliver Henry Nelson Shoup	Republican
1923–1925	William Ellery Sweet	Democrat
1925–1927	Clarence J. Morley	Republican
1927–1933	William Herbert Adams	Democrat
1933–1937	Edwin Carl Johnson	Democrat
1937	Ray H. Talbot	Democrat
1937–1939	Teller Ammons	Democrat
1939–1943	Ralph L. Carr	Republican
1943–1947	John Charles Vivian	Republican
1947–1950	William Lee Knous	Democrat
1950–1951	Walter Walfred Johnson	Democrat
1951–1955	Daniel Isaac J. Thornton	Republican
1955–1957	Edwin Carl Johnson	Democrat
1957–1963	Stephen L. R. McNichols	Democrat
1963–1973	John A. Love	Republican
1973–1975	John David Vanderhoof	Republican
1975–1987	Richard David Lamm	Democrat
1987–1999	Roy Romer	Democrat
1999–2006	Bill Owens	Republican
2006–	William Ritter, Jr.	Democrat

of open-pit gold mining had become an environmental problem, as the cyanide used to dissolve gold in the mines leaches into streams and rivers.

Colorado was among the western states ravaged by wildfires during the summer of 2000, the worst fire season since 1988. In the summer of 2002, wildfires burned over 7.1 million acres of public and private land. The Hayman fire of 2002 was called the largest wildfire in Colorado history. The Hayman fire burned 138,577 acres of Colorado land thirty miles southwest of Denver. Another major 2002 wildfire was the Missionary Ridge fire: it burned 72,964 acres of land north and northeast of Durango.

12 State Government

Colorado’s constitution, which was ratified in 1876, had been amended 145 times by January 2005. In 2002 voters approved several constitutional reforms, including a campaign finance reform measure.

Colorado’s general assembly, which meets annually, consists of a 35-member senate and 65-member house of representatives. There is no constitutional limit to the length of a session, and the legislature may call special sessions by request of two-thirds of the members of each house.

The executive branch is headed by the governor, who submits the budget and legislative programs to the general assembly, and appoints judges, department heads, boards, and commissions. Elected with the governor is the lieutenant governor, who assumes the governor’s duties in the governor’s absence.

Bills may originate in either house of the general assembly and become law when passed by majority vote of each house and signed by the

Colorado Presidential Vote by Political Parties, 1948–2004

YEAR	WINNER	DEMOCRAT	REPUBLICAN	PROGRESSIVE	SOCIALIST	SOC. LABOR
* Won US presidential election.
1948	*Truman (D)	267,288	239,714	6,115	1,678	—
					CONSTITUTION
1952	*Eisenhower (R)	245,504	379,782	1,919	2,181	—
1956	*Eisenhower (R)	263,997	394,479	—	759	3,308
					SOC. WORKERS
1960	Nixon (R)	330,629	402,242	—	563	2,803
1964	*Johnson (D)	476,024	296,767	—	2,537	—
				AMERICAN IND .
1968	*Nixon (R)	335,174	409,345	60,813	235	3,016
				AMERICAN
1972	*Nixon (R)	329,980	597,189	17,269	666	4,361
						LIBERTARIAN
1976	Ford (R)	460,801	584,278	397	1,122	5,338
				STATESMAN	CITIZENS
1980	*Reagan (R)	368,009	652,264	1,180	5,614	25,744
1984	*Reagan (R)	454,975	821,817	NEW ALLIANCE	—	11,257
1988	*Bush (R)	621,453	728,177	2,491	—	15,482
				IND. (PEROT)
1992	*Clinton (D)	629,681	562,850	366,010	1,608	8,669
					GREEN (NADER)
1996	Dole (R)	671,152	691,848	99,629	25,070	12,392
2000	*Bush, G. W. (R)	738,227	883,748	91,434	712	216
2004	*Bush, G. W. (R)	1,001,732	1,101,255	—	—	—

governor. A bill may also become law if the governor fails to act on it within 10 days after receiving it. A two-thirds vote in each house is needed to override a gubernatorial veto.

The governor’s salary as of December 2004 was $90,000, unchanged from 1999.

13 Political Parties

The Republicans controlled most statewide offices prior to 1900. Since then, the parties have been more evenly balanced. Of the 2,990,000 registered voters in 2004, 30% were estimated to be Democrats; 36% were Republicans; and 33% were unaffiliated or members of other parties. Following the November 2006 election, the state had one Democratic and one Republican US Senator, and four Democratic and three Republican US Representatives.

Following the 2006 elections, the Democrats held control of the state senate (20 Democrats to 15 Republicans) and the state house (39 Democrats to 26 Republicans).There were 32 women serving in the state legislature, or 32%. For the first time in 28 years, a Republican, Bill Owens, was elected governor in 1998 and reelected in 2002. In 2006, Democrat William Ritter Jr. was elected governor. In the 2004 presidential election, incumbent President George W. Bush carried Colorado with 54% of the vote, while Democrat John Kerry won 48.8% of the vote. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, then the only Native American in Congress, was reelected to a second term as senator in 1998. He did not run for reelection in 2004.

14 Local Government

As of 2005 there were 63 counties, 270 municipal governments, cities, towns, and designated places, and 176 school districts. There were 1,414 special districts. The administrative and policymaking body in each county is the board of county commissioners. Other county officials include the county clerk, treasurer, assessor, sheriff, coroner, superintendent of schools, surveyor, and attorney.

Statutory cities are those whose structure is defined by the state constitution. Power is delegated by the general assembly to either a council-manager or mayor-council form of government. Towns, which generally have fewer than 2,000 residents, are governed by a mayor and a board of trustees.

Denver, Colorado’s capital and largest city, is run by a mayor and city council. A city auditor, independently elected, serves as a check on the mayor.

15 Judicial System

The supreme court, the highest court in Colorado, consists of seven justices elected on a nonpartisan ballot. The next highest court, the court of appeals, consists of 16 judges and is confined to civil matters.

County courts hear minor civil disputes and misdemeanors. Appeals from the Denver county courts are heard in Denver’s superior court. Municipal courts throughout the state handle violations of municipal ordinances. Colorado’s FBI Crime Index reported that the violent crime rate in 2004 was 373.5 per 100,000 people. Crimes against property that same year totaled 3,919.3 incidents per 100,000 people. There were 20,293 inmates in state and federal prisons as of 31 December 2004. Colorado has a death penalty and had executed one person between 1976 and 5 May 2006.

16 Migration

The discovery of gold in 1858 brought an avalanche of prospectors. Some of these migrants later moved westward into the Rockies and Colorado River canyons. In 1873, another gold strike brought settlers into the Ute territory, eventually driving the Indians into a small reservation in the southwestern corner of the state. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the sparsely populated eastern plains were settled by farmers from Kansas and Nebraska and by immigrants from Scandinavia, Germany, and Russia.

Since the end of World War II, net migration into the state has been substantial, amounting to over 880,000 between 1950 and 1990. A number of migrant workers, mostly Mexican Americans, work seasonally in the western orchards and fields. In the period 2000–05, net international migration was 112,217 and net internal migration was 47,740, for a net gain of 159,957 people.

17 Economy

With its abundant reserves of coal, natural gas, and other minerals—and the economic potential of its vast oil-shale deposits—Colorado is a major mining state, although the mineral industry’s share of the state economy declined throughout the 20th century. Agriculture, primarily livestock, remains important. Trade is the leading source of employment, while real estate is the principal contributor to the gross state product. The US government employs tens of thousands of people, making it a driving force in Colorado’s economy. Tourism has also expanded in all areas of the state.

The 2001 national recession affected the state, as growth slowed, particularly in manufacturing. In 2002, the state posted its first decline in employment since 1986.

In 2004, the real estate sector accounted for 13.9% of gross state product (GSP), followed by professional and technical services (8.5%), and construction (6%). Mining, long a staple of the state’s economy, accounted for only 1.9% of GSP. In 2004, Colorado had an estimated 493,886 small businesses. An estimated 23,694 new companies were formed in 2004, up 5.8% from 2003. Business terminations in 2004 totaled 9,734, a drop of 26.5% from 2003. However, business bankruptcies rose to 786 in 2004, an increase of 42.4% from 2003.

18 Income

In 2005, Colorado had a gross state product (GSP) of $216 billion, placing the state at number 21 in the highest GSP among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2004, Colorado ranked 10th among the 50 states in per capita (per person) income, with $36,113. Averaged over the 2002–04 period, the median household income was $51,022, compared to the national average of $44,473. During the same period, 9.8% of the state’s residents lived below the federal poverty level, as compared to 12.4% nationwide.

19 Industry

Colorado is the main manufacturing center of the Rocky Mountain states; the value of shipments by manufacturers was $33.6 billion in 2004. During the 1980s and 1990s, high-technology research and manufacturing grew substantially in the state. The major industries are food and food products, computer and electronic products, beverage and tobacco products, miscellaneous manufacturing, and transportation equipment.

In 2004, a total of 132,925 people in Colorado were employed in the manufacturing sector. The computer and electronic product manufacturing industry accounted for the largest portion of all manufacturing employees at 17,690. Colorado’s manufacturing sector paid $5.9 billion in wages in 2004.

20 Labor

In April 2006, the civilian labor force in Colorado numbered 2,636,700, with approximately 113,100 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national average of 4.7% for the same period. As of April 2006, 7.3% of the nonfarm labor force was employed in construction; 6.6% in manufacturing; 18.5% in trade, transportation, and public utilities; 7.1% in financial activities; 14.4% in professional and business services; 10% in education and health services; 11.5% in leisure and hospitality services; and 16.1% in government.

Colorado’s labor history has been marked by major disturbances in the mining industry. From 1881 to 1886, the Knights of Labor led at least 35 strikes in the mines. During the 1890s, the Western Federation of Miners went on strike from hard-rock mines in Telluride and Cripple Creek. The United Mine Workers, who came into the state in 1899, shut down operations at numerous mines in 1900 and 1903. Violence was common in these disputes. In 1917, the state legislature created the Colorado Industrial Commission, whose purpose is to investigate all labor disputes.

In 2005, 170,000 of Colorado’s 2,052,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 8.3% of those so employed. The national average was 12%.

21 Agriculture

Colorado ranked 14th among the 50 states in agricultural income in 2005, at $5.65 billion. As of 2004 there were 30,900 farms and ranches covering about 30.9 million acres (12.5 million hectares). The major crop-growing areas are the east and east-central plains for sugar beets, beans, potatoes, and grains; the Arkansas Valley for grains and peaches; and the Western Slope for grains and fruits.

In 2004, Colorado ranked seventh in the United States in production of dry edible beans and fifth in barley production. Colorado is also a leading producer of wheat. Other field crops include sugar beets, corn, hay, and sorghum. In 2004, Colorado produced 533,800 tons of fresh market vegetables, 27 million pounds (12.3 million kilograms) of commercial apples, and 12 million pounds (5.4 million kilograms) of peaches. About 100 tons of tart cherries were harvested in 2004. Colorado is also a major grower of roses.

22 Domesticated Animals

A leading sheep-producing state, Colorado is also a major area for cattle and other livestock. Huge tracts of pasture land are leased from the federal government by both cattle and sheep ranchers, with cattle mostly confined to the eastern plains and sheep to the western part of the state.

The estimate of the number of cattle and calves for 2005 was 2,500,000 with an estimated total value at $2.5 billion. Colorado had an estimated 800,000 hogs and pigs in 2004 with an estimated total value at $76 million. In 2003 Colorado produced 62.6 million pounds (28.5 million kilograms) of sheep and lambs at a gross income of $96.6 million. Colorado was estimated to have produced an estimated 2.57 million pounds (1.1 million kilograms) of shorn wool in 2004.

Other livestock products in 2003 included chickens, at an estimated 8.7 million pounds (4 million kilograms), and milk, estimated at 2.17 billion pounds (1.0 billion kilograms). In the same year, the state produced an estimated 1.1 billion eggs.

23 Fishing

There is virtually no commercial fishing in Colorado. The many warm-water lakes lure the state’s 752,060 licensed sport anglers with perch, black bass, and trout, while walleyes are abundant in mountain streams. The Hotchkiss National Fish Hatchery produces and distributes trout to stock over 80 different water areas in Colorado and New Mexico.

24 Forestry

As of 2004, approximately 21,637,000 acres (8,756,494 hectares) of forested lands were located in Colorado. In spite of this wood resource, however, commercial forestry is not a major element of the state’s economy. Lumber production in 2004 was 135 million board feet. In Colorado, forestry emphasis occurs in diverse areas: traditional forest management and stewardship, urban and community forestry, resource protection (from wildfire, insects, and disease), and tree planting and care. As of 2005, Colorado had 12 national forests; gross national forest acreage as of 2003 was 16,015,000 acres (6,481,271 hectares).

25 Mining

According to the US Geological Survey estimates, the value of nonfuel mineral production for 2004 was about $1.01 billion. Industrial minerals, especially construction gravel, portland cement, and crushed stone, account for much of the state’s nonfuel mineral production. However, in 2004 metals accounted for almost 52% of all nonfuel mineral production, of which (in descending order), molybdenum concentrates, gold, and silver were the top three.

In 2004, Colorado ranked second in the nation in production of molybdenum and third in soda ash. The state ranked 4th in the production of gold and 10th in silver. Overall, the state ranked 17th among the 50 states in total nonfuel mineral production, by value. In 2004, Colorado mined 40.9 million metric tons of sand and gravel, 11 million metric tons of crushed stone, 26,000 tons of lime, and 249,000,000 metric tons of clay.

26 Energy and Power

An abundant supply of coal, oil, and natural gas makes Colorado a major energy-producing state. During 2003, 46.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity were generated in Colorado, about 77.5% of that in coal-fired plants. Petroleum production in 2004 was 60,000 barrels per day (the 11th highest in the nation). Proven reserves contained 225 million barrels (the 11th highest in the nation). The marketed natural gas production in 2004 was nearly 1.08 trillion cubic feet (30.65 billion cubic meters). As of 31 December 2004, reserves were at nearly 14.7 trillion cubic feet (418.7 billion cubic meters).

In 2004, Colorado’s coal output was 39.87 million tons. In 2004, Colorado had 13 producing coal mines, 5 of which were surface mines and 8 of which were underground. Recoverable coal reserves in 2004 totaled 415 million tons.

In 2000, Colorado’s total per capita energy consumption was 279 million Btu (70.3 million kilocalories), ranking it 41st among the states.

Colorado holds the major portion of the nation’s proved oil shale reserves. Because of its ample sunshine and wind, Colorado is also well suited to renewable energy development. Among the many energy-related facilities in the state is the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden.

27 Commerce

Colorado is the leading wholesale and retail distribution center for the Rocky Mountain states. Sales from wholesale trade totaled $92.09 billion in 2002, and retail sales totaled $52.2 billion. Exports in 2005 included $6.7 billion in goods.

28 Public Finance

The governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting has lead responsibility for preparing the annual budget, which is presented to the general assembly on 1 November. The legislature is expected to adopt the budget in May for the fiscal year, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. The constitution requires that the budget be balanced as submitted, as passed, and as signed into law. These requirements are part of the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), the name for a set of amendments adopted in 1992. The amendment also requires a vote of the people for any new or increased taxes.

Revenues for 2004 were $23 billion and expenditures were $18 billion. The largest general expenditures were for education ($6.3 billion), public welfare ($3.5 billion), and highways ($1.4 billion). Colorado’s outstanding debt totaled $9.8 billion or $2,145.75 per person.

29 Taxation

As of 1 January 2006, the state of Colorado had an individual income tax bracket of 4.63% of federal taxable income. The corporate tax rate is the same flat rate. The state also had a 2.9% general sales tax, however, food and prescription drugs are exempt from the general sales tax. There are also selective sales taxes (excises) on tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, pari-mutuel racing, motor fuels, insurance premiums, public utilities, and other selected goods, as well as various license fees.

Colorado municipalities are allowed to levy sales and use taxes. Property taxes are the major source of revenue for local governments.

State tax collections in Colorado in 2005 totaled $7.648 billion in 2005. Of the total, 49.3% came from individual income taxes, 26.2% from the general sales tax, 13.8% from selective sales taxes, 4.1% from the corporate income tax; and 6.6% from other taxes.

30 Health

Colorado’s infant mortality rate was 6.6 per 1,000 live births in October 2005. The death rate from all causes was 6.5 per 1,000 population. As of 2002, the death rates for major causes of death (per 100,000 resident population) were: heart disease, 142.6; cancer, 141.7; cerebrovascular diseases, 42.5; chronic lower respiratory diseases, 41; and diabetes, 14.6. The death rate due to HIV infection in 2000 was 2.3 per 100,000 population. In 2002, about 51.5% of the population was considered overweight or obese. As of 2004, about 20% of state residents were smokers.

In 2003, Colorado’s 68 community hospitals had 9,500 beds and reported 444,000 admissions. Hospital personnel included 12,230 full-time registered nurses and 964 full-time licensed practical nurses. The state had 268 physicians per 100,000 population in 2004 and 708 nurses per 100,000 in 2005. In 2003, the average cost per day for inpatient care was $1,551. In 2004, 17% of the adult population was uninsured. The state’s only medical school is the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver.

31 Housing

In 2004, there were an estimated 2,010,806 housing units in the state, of which 1,850,238 units were occupied. About 68.6% were owner-occupied. About 63.4% of all units were single-family, detached homes. It was estimated that about 65,261 units were without telephone service, 6,527 lacked complete plumbing facilities, and 7,242 lacked complete kitchen facilities. Though most homes employed gas and electricity as heating fuel, about 3,362 units were equipped for solar power heating. The average household size was 2.43 people.

In 2004, 46,500 new privately-owned housing units were authorized. The median home value was $211,740. The median monthly cost for mortgage owners was $1,355 while the cost for renters was at a median of $724 per month.

32 Education

As of 2004, 35.5% of all residents ages 25 and older had completed four or more years of college. About 86.9% of all adult Coloradans were high school graduates.

Total enrollment in public schools was estimated at 752,000 in fall 2002 and expected to be 833,000 by fall 2014. Enrollment in private schools in fall 2003 was 50,123. Expenditures for public education in 2003/04 were estimated at $6.8 billion.

As of fall 2002, there were 282,343 students enrolled in institutions of higher education. As of 2005, Colorado had 75 degree-granting institutions. The oldest state school is the Colorado School of Mines, founded in Golden in 1869. Although chartered in 1861, the University of Colorado did not open until 1876. Its Boulder campus is now the largest in the state. Colorado State University was founded at Ft. Collins in 1870. The University of Denver was chartered in 1864 as the Colorado Seminary of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Colorado is also the home of the United States Air Force Academy.

33 Arts

The Colorado Council on the Arts (est. 1967) and the Colorado Endowment for the Humanities (est. 1974) sponsors many arts programs throughout the state. The Council on the Arts is affiliated with the regional Western States Art Federation. Colorado’s arts programs include the contributions of well over 100,000 artists. Arts education programs are presented to over 11,000 schoolchildren. In 2003, there were over 80 local arts organizations in the state.

From its earliest days of statehood, Colorado has been receptive to the arts. Such showplaces as the Tabor Opera House in Leadville and the Tabor Grand Opera House in Denver were among the most elaborate buildings in the Old West. Newer centers are Denver’s Boettcher Concert Hall, which opened in 1978 as the home of the Denver Symphony, and the adjacent Helen G. Bonfils Theater Complex, which opened in 1980 and houses a repertory theater company.

Other artistic organizations include the Colorado Springs Symphony, Colorado Opera Festival of Colorado Springs, the Central City Opera House Association, and the Four Corners Opera Association in Durango. The amphitheater in Red Rocks Park near Denver, formed by red sandstone rocks, provides a natural and acoustically excellent concert area.

Aspen FilmFest, founded in 1979, offers several festivals throughout the year promoting interest in independent filmmaking. The annual Moondance International Film Festival for independent filmmakers has been considered to be one of the most important film festivals in the country. The Aspen Music Festival and School, founded in 1949, is an annual internationally renowned classical music festival that offers over 200 events and educational opportunities throughout the summer.

34 Libraries and Museums

In 2001, Colorado had 116 public library systems, with a total of 243 libraries, of which 138 were branches. That year, the state’s public libraries held more than 11 million volumes with a circulation of more than 43.4 million. The largest system was the Denver Public Library with 1,882,487 volumes in 27 branches. The leading academic library is at the University of Colorado at Boulder, with over 2.8 million volumes.

Colorado has 174 museums and historic sites. One of the most prominent museums in the West is the Denver Art Museum, with its large collection of Native American, South Seas, and Oriental art. Its new Frederick C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Libeskind, opened in October 2006. Another major art museum is the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, specializing in southwestern and western American art. The Colorado Ski Museum–Ski Hall of Fame are in Vail.

35 Communications

Over 95.8% of all households in the state had telephones as of 2004. In addition, by June of

that year there were 2,727,910 mobile phone subscribers. In 2003, 70% of Colorado households had a computer and 63% had Internet access. Of the 80 major radio stations in operation in 2005, 22 were AM and 58 were FM. The Denver area had cable in 61% of its 1,268,230 television-owning households in 1999. A total of 109,775 Internet domain names were registered in Colorado in 2000.

36 Press

As of 2005, there were 21 morning dailies, 9 afternoon dailies, and 15 Sunday papers. The leading newspapers were the Rocky Mountain News, with a circulation of 595,512 in the mornings and 705,593 on Sundays; and the Denver Post, 595,512 mornings and 705,593 Sundays.

37 Tourism, Travel & Recreation

In 2000, tourism was the second-largest industry in the state, with travel spending reaching $8 billion. In 2004, the state had over 24 million visitors. Tourism accounts for over 200,000 jobs within the state.

Scenery, history, and skiing combine to make Colorado a prime tourist mecca. Vail and Aspen are popular ski resort centers. Colorado has over 25 ski areas. Skiing is in season from mid-November through late March.

The US Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs is a popular tourist attraction, as is nearby Pikes Peak, the Garden of the Gods (featuring unusual red sandstone formations), and Manitou Springs, a resort center. Besides its many museums, parks, and rebuilt Larimer Square district, Denver’s main attraction is the US Mint.

All nine national forests in Colorado are open for camping, as are the state’s two national parks: Rocky Mountain and Mesa Verde. Other attractions include the fossil beds at Dinosaur National Monument, Indian cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, the Durango-Silverton steam train, and white-water rafting on the Colorado, Green, and Yampa rivers.

38 Sports

There are four major league professional sports teams in Colorado, all in Denver: the Broncos of the National Football League, the Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball, the Avalanche of the National Hockey League.

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox compete in the Pacific Coast division of minor league baseball and the Colorado Gold Kings compete in the West Coast Hockey League. Colorado is home to some of the world’s finest alpine skiing resorts, such as Vail, Aspen, and Steamboat Springs.

The Buffaloes of the University of Colorado produced some excellent football teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s and were named national Champions in 1990 (with Georgia Tech). They won the Big Twelve conference title in 2001.

Jack Dempsey, the famous heavyweight boxer of the 1920s, was born in Manassa, Colorado, and was appropriately named the “Manassa Mauler.”

39 Famous Coloradans

Fort Collins was the birthplace of Byron R. White (b.1917–2002), an associate justice of the US Supreme Court from 1962. Gary Hart (b.Kansas, 1936) was a senator and a presidential candidate in 1984 and 1988. Early explorers of the Colorado region include Zebulon Pike (b.New Jersey, 1779–1813). Ouray (1820–1883) was a Ute chief who ruled at the time when mining districts were being opened. Willard F. Libby (1909–1980), won the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1960.

Among the performers born in the state were actors Lon Chaney (1883–1930) and Douglas Fairbanks (1883–1939). Singer John Denver (Henry John Deutschendorf Jr., b.New Mexico, 1943–1997) was closely associated with Colorado and lived in Aspen until his death in a plane crash.

Colorado’s most famous sports personality is Jack Dempsey (1895–1983), who held the world heavyweight boxing crown from 1919 to 1926.