Colorado, USA
State or territory
Location overview
Colorado is a Mountain West state extending from the Great Plains across the Rocky Mountains to the Colorado Plateau. Denver is the capital and largest city, while mountain ranges, high basins, forests and semi-arid plains create sharp regional contrasts. Indigenous peoples have lived in the region for millennia, and mining, ranching and railroads strongly influenced the state after the mid-nineteenth century. Colorado joined the Union in 1876, earning its Centennial State nickname. Its economy includes energy, aerospace, agriculture, technology, tourism and outdoor recreation.