Geography And Climate Of Colorado
Bordered by Wyoming to the north, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska to the east, Utah to the west and Arizona and New Mexico to the south, Colorado is a nature enthusiast’s paradise where the mountains meet the sky due to its varied topography.
Half of the state is flat in comparison to the rugged Rocky Mountains. The jagged range has 51 peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation full of conifers and aspens. Mount Elbert is the highest point at 14,440 feet, as well as the highest point in the Rocky Mountains. Longs Peak, Mount Evans, Pikes Peak and the Spanish Peaks are among the many famous and visible mountaintops of the range, while the inside of the Rocky Mountains has several high broad basins or parks, which are drained by the Colorado or North Platte rivers. The Continental Divide goes across the crest of the Rocky Mountains, where water drains into the Sea of Cortez through the Colorado River.
Colorado turns from basins to plateaus to alpine mountains and finally the Great Plains grasslands. Most of the state’s residents live in the Front Range Urban Corridor along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains, which is somewhat protected from storms. Colorado’s Eastern have a sparse population and little precipitation, whereas west of the San Juan Mountains, where historic gold and silver mining took place, is the Colorado Plateau, a high desert that borders Utah. Famed ski resorts Aspen, Vail, Steamboat Springs and Crested Butte are further east, while the San Luis Valley is the headwaters of the Rio Grande and drain into New Mexico.
Unlike other states, Colorado’s climate is very dependent on the location. The Eastern Plains is a semi-arid continental climate with some rainfall and low humidity. The area is mostly sunny and cool at night, although the region gets hot during the summer and there are snowstorms during the winter months. West of the plains, the climate turns into an alpine climate, where the weather changes frequently. Thunderstorms during the summer can cause sudden temperature drops, while there is still plenty of sunshine in between snowfalls during the winter. The Western Slope has hot summers and cold winters like those on the plains, while the San Luis Valley is dry with little rain or snow.
Thunderstorms are common east of the Continental divide, along with hail in the mountains. The Eastern Plains are susceptible to tornadoes, whereas the plains have to deal with the possibility of flooding from rain and snow runoff. Overall, Colorado has more extreme weather than its neighboring states.
History Of Colorado
Pueblo, Ute, Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes lived in the valleys, plains and mesas of Colorado before U.S. settlers started making their way across the land. Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate passed through the area in 1598, but never permanently settled as far north as Colorado, preferring to trade with Native Americans who lived there from New Mexico instead.
After acquiring the territory in the Louisiana Purchase, the U.S. and Spain fought over the claim that land surrounding much of present-day Colorado was part of its own colony and a sovereign trade zone. It was not until Mexico surrendered its northern territories in the Mexican-American War that the U.S. could divide Colorado from the new territories. Hispanics first established a permanent European settlement when they moved from Taos in New Mexico to San Luis. In 1876, Colorado became an official state.
The discovery of gold along the South Platte River led to a boom in population of “Fifty-Niners” in and around the Denver area, while other pioneers traveling west to Oregon and California passed through pieces of Colorado, trying to avoid the immense Rocky Mountains. Later on, another silver lode discovery resulted in the Colorado Silver Boom. These events started the formation of mining companies, often sending their employees into extremely dangerous conditions as the mines went deeper underground. Efforts from unions to improve working conditions often ended up in violent confrontations, such as the Ludlow massacre in 1914.
Throughout the end of the 19th Century, Colorado was much like other states in the Wild West era, in which lawlessness was rampant, such as in the notorious town of Creede, home of figures Robert Ford and Soapy Smith. Towards the beginning of the 20th Century, however, Colorado cleaned up its image with prohibition and a worker’s compensation law. The state was also the first to grant universal suffrage by popular vote. In 1972, Colorado rejected the offer to host the 1976 Olympic Games.
Demographics Of Colorado
Colorado has an estimated population of 4,665,177 as of 2005. Denver, home to an estimated 2,927,911 people, is the most populated city and the state’s capital, with over two-thirds of the state’s population residing there.
Hispanics are the largest minority in Colorado, with certain areas having a significant Mexican population and the southern region of the state having a sizeable Hispanos population, which are descendants from New Mexican settlers during colonial Spain. Irish and English ancestry groups are about 12 percent of the population each, whereas 22 percent of Colorado’s population is of German ancestry, living mainly in the Front Range and eastern Plains regions.
Colorado’s religious landscape is just as diverse as its terrain. The city of Colorado Springs is the headquarters for a large number of very conservative Christian groups such as Focus on the Family. However, 21 percent of Coloradans are either atheist, agnostic or have no affiliation with organized religion. There is also a growing Catholic population, mainly due to Hispanic immigrants, as well as a growing Mormon population.
Economy Of Colorado
The estimated gross state product for Colorado in 2006 was $230 billion, with per capita income at $34,561 in 2003. Since its mining roots, the state has had a long tradition of raising livestock. Today, Colorado still mines for coal and minerals in addition to producing agricultural product such as cattle, dairy, wheat, corn and hay.
There are several important federal government facilities located in the state, including the U.S. geological Survey, NORAD and several air force bases, along with four National Parks. Moreover, Colorado has numerous energy resources like natural gas and oil fields. The high ridges of the Rocky Mountains provide the potential for major wind power, while the geological activity in the mountains can offer geothermal power and the state’s rivers are used to produce hydroelectric power.
Despite these industries, Colorado’s economy has diversified to include a large concentration of high-tech and scientific research industries, as well as transportation equipment, machinery, food processing, chemical products and tourism. The state is also the largest beer producer in the U.S.
Colorado Law And Government
The Colorado House of Representatives has 65 members and the Senate has 35, with Democratic Governor August William “Bill” Ritter, Jr. overseeing both legislative branches. Republican Wayne Allard and Democrat Ken Salazar represent Colorado in the U.S. Senate.
Colorado is a swing state in both state and federal elections, as its population is a good mixture of liberals and conservatives. Democrats retain strength in Denver and its surrounding area, Fort Collins, Boulder and parts of southern Colorado, while Republicans are strongest in the Eastern Plains, Greeley, some Denver suburbs and Colorado Springs.
Colorado Transportation
I-25 runs north to south, connecting Colorado Springs and Denver, while the I-70 goes from east to west through the center of state and connects Denver and Grand Junction with a route through the Rock Mountains. Other highways pass through different parts of Colorado, such as Route 40, Route 36, Route 40 and Route 84.
Denver International Airport is the state’s main airport and is a main hub for low-cost carriers Ted, Frontier Airlines and Great Lakes Airlines, as well as a United Airlines hub. Several other regional and municipal airports serve various regions in Colorado. Amtrak also has many passenger railroad routes that pass through the northern and southern regions of Colorado.
Major Cities And Towns Of Colorado
Denver, founded during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush, is east of the southern Rocky Mountains. Like the rest of Colorado, Denver is extremely active, with over 200 recreational parks for its residents and plenty of skiing, snowboarding, fishing and camping in the nearby mountains. The Denver Art Museum and LoDo district add to the city’s culture, while the downtown area is rapidly growing.
Colorado Springs, about an hour south of Denver, was originally founded as a health resort during the late 1800s. The city is the home of the U.S. Olympic Training Center as well as to numerous Christian organizations.
Colorado Educational System
Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins, with a focus on environmental science and biomedicine. The University of Colorado system, on the other hand, includes campuses in Boulder, Colorado Springs and Denver, with CU-Boulder as its flagship university and ranked as one of the best public and national universities.
Learn more at the Colorado Department of Education website.
Colorado Sports Teams And Recreational Activities
Although the state is not as populous as others are, it has one of each kind of major sports franchise, all of which are based in Denver. The Colorado Rockies play baseball for the MLB, the Denver Broncos play football for the NFL, the Denver Nuggets play basketball for the NBA, the Colorado Rapids play soccer for MLS and the Colorado Avalanche plays ice hockey for the NHL. There are also a number of minor league teams in basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.
Known for being a healthy and active state, Colorado has the lowest obesity rate in the country. With such naturally extraordinary surroundings, it’s hard not to take up some kind of recreational activity. Biking, hiking and climbing are all very popular, along with camping, hunting and fishing. White-water rafting in the Colorado River is another option, along with kayaking and boating. In the winter, the snow-capped mountains attract tourists from all over the world for incredible skiing and snowboarding opportunities. Even the lesser-known ski resorts are packed with people swishing down the powdery slopes.
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