Colorado

Information and Tourism

The state of Colorado lies at the very heart of the American Southwest. It is famous for being home to the snowcapped Rocky Mountains, which split the state north to south, as well as for its verdant forests, dramatic canyons and high plateaus. Most of all though, it is usually known as the playground of the skiing fraternity, who come here to play in the powder and enjoy life in the sun at high altitude.

Colorado was named after the river that runs through the state, with intrepid Spanish explorers being the first people to venture into this untamed region. They came in search of the legendary 'Seven Cities of Cibola', where the streets were, by all accounts, paved with gold. In 1858, the inhabitants of Colorado finally discovered gold here. The city of Denver grew up around the mining camps, which were soon filled with thousands of immigrants. Colorado was admitted into the Union in 1876, the centennial year of the US Declaration of Independence, hence its nickname as the Centennial State.

The skiing credentials of Colorado date back to 1912, when a ski jumping contest was first held in Hot Sulphur Springs. By the 1960s, Colorado had grown into an international winter sports destination.

Colorado featured in the popular folk song recorded by John Denver in 1972. 'Rocky Mountain High' was inspired by the singer's move to Aspen. In 2007, it was adopted as one of the state's official songs.

Colorado Information and Fast Facts

• Country: USA
• Population: approximately 5.2 million
• Capital city: Denver
• Biggest city: Denver
• Biggest urban area: Denver-Aurora-Broomfield
• Language: American English
• Area: 104,100 square miles / 269,620 square kilometers
• Number of mountains over 14,000 feet / 4,267 meters: 54

	WORLD GUIDES TO COLORADO
	World Guide to Aspen, CO, USA Aspen, Colorado is home to an exceptional ski resort and Aspen, with some breathtaking mountain scenery. Attracting a mixture of serious skiiers, Hollywood celebrities and tourists, Aspen also features a host of summer activities.
	World Guide to Boulder, CO, USA An entertaining city and quite different to many other parts of Colorado, Boulder is close to an impressive major mountain parks system, which is directly responsible for its extreme popularity and undeniable appeal.
	World Guide to Colorado Springs, CO, USA Colorado Springs is an expanding city and the second-largest city in Colorado. Situated below Pikes Peak and nearby Manitou Springs and the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs is a conservative city, home to the Garden of the Gods.
	World Guide to Denver, CO, USA Denver, Colorado, is also known as the 'Mile High City' and can be found between the American West and the Great Plains, near the Rocky Mountains. The city is a friendly metropolis filled with tree-lined boulevards and over 200 city parks.
	World Guide to Estes Park, CO, USA A leading location for short summer vacations, Estes Park can become quite busy during the summer weekends. Tourists regularly stop off at Estes Park on their way to explore the neighbouring Rocky Mountain National Park.

Map of Colorado