Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a Rocky Mountain state bordered by Wyoming to the north, Kansas to the east, New Mexico to the south, and Utah to the west. Denver is the capital and the most populous city of Colorado which is known as the "Mile High City." The Denver Broncos, a National Football League team, play in Mile High Stadium. This forces football players to use oxygen masks because the stadium's air is so thin. Speaking of heights, Colorado has 51 of the 80 highest North American peaks. The Rocky Mountains run through the state. The Continental Divide, which separates rivers that flow into the Gulf of Mexico from those that flow into the Pacific Ocean, cuts through Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. The sources of many rivers, including the Rio Grande, Colorado, Arkansas, and South Platte Rivers, are in Colorado. And in the state, one can travel across the world's highest suspension bridge and gaze down more than 1,000 feet at the state's spectacular canyon, Royal Gorge. Even though, the state is known for its great elevations, it's not all mountains. The eastern third of the state is part of the Great Plains. Hay, wheat, potatoes, corn, and sugar beets are all grown in this section of Colorado. Colorado's Rocky Mountain mines are the nation's leading producer of molybdenum, which is used to harden steel.

The state was named for the Colorado River, which early Spanish explorers named the Río Colorado for the red colored silt the river carried from the mountains. Colorado's nickname is the "Centennial State" because it joined the Union on the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Colorado is a main transportation and distribution center for the Rocky Mountain region. This is because it is located about halfway between the major cities in California and the Midwest. Because of its location, many large banks and manufacturing companies have established branch offices in the state. The United States Government owns more than a third of Colorado's land, where it controls grazing, mining, and logging. If you like war planes, Colorado could be the state for you. The United States Air Force Academy and defense headquarters are located in the state. The North American Aerospace Defense Command is located 1,200 feet underground in Cheyenne Mountain, near Colorado Springs.

Denver has many international students. In fact, the state of Colorado is ranked #29 in the United States for the number of foreign students they host! Colorado hosts about 7,000 international students each year with most students studying at the University of Colorado at Boulder, followed by Colorado State University and the University of Denver. Colorado colleges and universities offer premier academic programs in subjects as diverse as international affairs, environmental studies, business, global sustainability and leadership, as well as non-profit sector development and innovation.

List of colleges and universities in Colorado

The Official Colorado Web Site

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