Colorado, located in the western central U.S., contains some of the most rugged mountain landscapes in the country. Known as Ski Country USA, Colorado’s mountainous region is home to more than 20 different ski and snowboard areas. Breckenridge, west of Denver, is one of the most popular ski resorts in the country. Other Colorado ski destinations include Aspen, Vail, Steamboat and Beaver Creek.
      The Rocky Mountains cut through the central portion of the state and are comprised of: the Front Range, the Park Range, the Sawatch Range, the San Juan Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Major rivers cutting through the Rockies include the Colorado, Rio Grande, Arkansas, North Platte, South Platte and Republic Rivers. The Continental Divide, located just west of the Front Range, runs northeast to southwest.

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State Nickname: The Centennial State State Capital: Denver State Flower: Rocky Mountain Columbine State Bird: Lark Bunting

      Colorado is not entirely mountain territory, however. The Great Plains, a flat and dry region, lies in the eastern part of the state. On the other side of the Rockies, bordering Utah is the Colorado Plateau. The plateau is characterized by mesas and sharp valleys. In southwestern Colorado, the San Juan Volcanic Field exposes ancient land formations and lake beds containing fossil fish and plants. Colorado’s capital city, Denver, is located northeast of the state’s center. Most of Colorado’s urbanized cities are grouped together in this region, just east of the Front Range. Much of the rest of the state is viewed as an outdoor playground, where locals can ski, hike, camp, river raft, mountain climb and more.
      The population of Colorado is currently estimated to be about 4.6 million, or roughly 1.6 percent of the total U.S. population. Men outnumber women in Colorado by 0.5 percent. Breaking down the resident base by age groups indicates that 25.6 percent of Colorado residents are under 18 years of age and 9.8 percent are aged 65 and older. In terms of ethnicity, 90.3 percent of the population

is white and 4.1 percent is African-American. The adult population of Colorado is more highly educated than the U.S. average, with almost 87 percent of residents having completed high school and almost 33 percent having achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher.
      Colorado’s largest economic sectors are tourism, food service, aerospace and educational, health and social services. Colorado has one of the largest space economies in the country and its restaurant industry employs an estimated 150,000 people. The state’s most popular occupation types are office and administrative support positions, sales, food preparation and transportation. Individual companies that employ more than 7,000 people include Golder Associates, Lockheed Martin, Peterson Air Force Base and Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
      Colorado’s per capita income is $37,946, which is roughly 10 percent higher than the U.S. average.

     Similar to other parts of the country, Colorado has experienced strong demand for housing in recent years. Douglas County has been noted as one of the fastest growing counties in the country. Although there are more than 2 million housing units in the state, demand has outpaced supply and prices moved up as a result. Of the 84,000-plus single-family homes sold in 2005, the median price was $227,071. For condominiums and townhouses, the median price was $151,667.
      Colorado presents many opportunities for higher education. Between the two main public university systems, Colorado State University and University of Colorado, there are campuses in Fort Collins, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver and Boulder. In total, Colorado has more than 10 public, four-year college institutions, plus more than 20 community colleges and dozens of private universities. The U.S. Air Force Academy is located in Colorado Springs, Colo.
      The transportation infrastructure in Colorado is well-developed. A system of interstates, state highways and local routes links local and regional communities. Public transportation is provided by Springs Transit in Colorado Springs and Regional Transit District in Denver. Several smaller agencies also provide local bus and commuter rail service in communities throughout the state.
      Colorado’s primary airport is Denver International Airport (DEN). DEN served more than 43 million passengers in 2005, making it one of the busiest airports in the country and 11th busiest in the world. Other airports in Colorado are: Colorado Springs Airport (COS), Grand Junction/Walker Field Airport (GJT), Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) and Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN).