One of the most beautiful states in America, Colorado boasts a highly educated populace with rich cultural diversity and activities for a range of interests. Culture buffs have access to museums, classical music and a great local music scene, Broadway shows and film festivals. Sports lovers can take in professional basketball, football, baseball and hockey games, as well as soccer, lacrosse and arena football. Adventurers will feel at home with access to skiing, all-terrain driving and whitewater rafting, and outdoor enthusiasts can camp, hike, mountain bike and fish in breathtaking national parks such as Mesa Verde National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.

And let's not forget those who are starting families. Hot-air ballooning and visits to the Royal Gorge, Dinosaur National Monument and dude ranches make for memorable trips with the kids.

Coloradoans enjoy everything from mountain biking; great shopping and skiing to nationally recognized theater, gorgeous vistas and engaging metropolitan areas and quaint mountain towns.

Colorado History and Trivia

Colorado is a sensational scenic playground with three national parks, six national monuments, 12 national forests, 43 state parks and three national recreation areas.

The state contains 75 percent of all U.S. land registering a minimum of 10,000 feet or higher. Its mountainous area is six times that of Switzerland. Colorado has 1,000 mountain peaks that are a minimum of two miles high, and it is home to the nation's highest continuous paved highway.

With a total area of 104,247 miles, Colorado is the eighth largest state in the nation, extending 387 miles east to west and 276 miles north to south. The federal government owns Thirty-five percent of Colorado land. Principle mountain ranges include the eastern Front Range, the central Sawatch Range, the Park Range in the north, the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the San Juan Mountains in the southwest. Perhaps the state's most geographically noteworthy feature is the Continental Divide, which runs northeast to southwest and divides the state into the Eastern Slope and the Western Slope.

Where did Colorado get its name?

The Spanish word Colorado means, "colored red." The name was given first to the Colorado River (previously called the Grand River), which flows through canyons of red stone.

Colorado is also referred to as the Centennial State. Colorado joined the Union in 1876, the country's 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence or centennial.

Colorado History

www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/histchron.htm Please visit the Colorado State Web site for information on the following:

• Denver's elevation in feet above sea level: 5,280
• Colorado lowest point in feet above sea level: 3,350 along the Arkansas River in Prowers County
• Colorado highest point in feet above sea level: Mount Elbert at 14,431 feet
• Statehood: August 1, 1876, the 38th state to join the union
• Capital: Denver
• State size ranking: Colorado is the eighth largest state with a total area of 104,247 miles
• The state bird: Lark Bunting
• The state flower: Rocky Mountain Columbine
• The state tree: Blue Spruce