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Colorado is a large, centrally located, western state encompassing dramatic mountain ranges and vast, high plains. Mountainous geography and a high elevation dictate distinct seasons and a diverse climate.
Colorado is the 8th largest state, covering 104,100 square miles (166,560 sq km), or 2.8% of the total land in the United States. It is bordered by Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma, and it shares its southwest border with Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico to create the Four Corners National Monument, the only place in the United States where you can be in four different states at the same time. The Federal Government owns 36% of the land in Colorado. Based on the 2000 census, Colorado had a population of 4,301,261, ranking 24th among the 50 states. The population density of 39 persons per square miles is lower than the national average of 77 persons per square mile, ranking Colorado 38th in population density. The four largest cities in Colorado are Denver (554,636 residents), Colorado Springs (360,890 residents), Aurora (276,393 residents), and Fort Collins (118,652 residents).
Colorado's topography is dominated by the Rocky Mountains which run north-south through central Colorado and create the Continental Divide. There are three major topographic divisions which correspond to the three major geologic zones: the Eastern Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Colorado Plateau. The Eastern Plains begin at the eastern border of Colorado and are dominated by flat grassy high plains. The lowest elevation in the state, 3,500 feet, is found in this zone along the Arkansas River. The western border of the plains is at 6,000 feet along the foothills of the Rockies. The second zone, the Rocky Mountains ranges in elevation from 6,000 feet to 14,000 feet and is home to the highest point in the state, Mount Elbert at 14,443 feet. Major mountain ranges include the Front Range, Wer Mountains, Sangre de Cristo, Park Range, Sawatch Range, and the San Juan Mountains. This zone has many mountain passes and is home to Colorado's world famous skiing. In the western portion of the state, the Colorado Plateau is made up of a succession of plateaus and mesa which decline gradually toward the west away from the Rockies. The elevation ranges from 5,000 to 11,000 feet and major features include the Washakie Basin, White River Basin, Roan Plateau, Piceance Basin, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre Plateau, Paradox Basin, and San Juan Basin.
There are four major river basins in Colorado: the Rio Grande, the Colorado, the Arkansas, and the Missouri. All drainage west of the continental divide flows into the Colorado River and out into the Gulf of California. Drainage east of the divide flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
Climate in Colorado varies depending on elevation and whether you are east or west of the Continental Divide. On the Eastern Plains the climate is comparatively uniform, featuring low relative humidity, abundant sunshine, light rainfall, moderate to high wind movement, and a large daily range in temperature. In summer the maximum temperatures are 95F or above, with the highest temperature sometimes exceeding 115F although low humidity makes this less uncomfortable than in more humid areas. Winter extremes are from zero to 15F below zero. Summer precipitation comes largely in the form of thunderstorms which can be extremely heavy. Strong winds are also common in winter and spring, sometimes causing dust storms during times of drought in the southeast. Western Colorado's rugged terrain causes large variations in climate within short distances and over short amounts of time. The overwhelming feature of the weather is heavy snowfall, but summers can be very pleasant with temperatures averaging 60F and reaching as high as 95F. Some areas in Colorado, like the Front Range, boast an average of 300 days of sunshine a year. On mountain summits, however, temperatures are low year-round, averaging less than 32F over the year.
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