Colorado is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, and part of the Southwestern United States, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east, and Oklahoma to the southeast. Colorado is noted for its landscape of mountains, forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers, and desert lands. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. Colorado is the eighth-largest U.S. state by area and the 20th by population. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population of Colorado to be 5,957,493 as of July 1, 2024, a 3.2% increase from the 2020 United States census.

Colorado
State
Flag Seal
Nicknames:  The Centennial State
Motto(s):  Nil sine numine (English: Nothing without providence)
Anthem: Where the Columbines Grow and Rocky Mountain High
Location of Colorado within the United States
Coordinates: 39°00′N 105°30′W / 39.0°N 105.5°W / 39.0; -105.5
Country	United States
Before statehood	Territory of Colorado
Admitted to the Union	August 1, 1876; 149 years ago (1876-08-01) (38th)
Capital (and largest city)	Denver
Largest county or equivalent	El Paso
Largest metro and urban areas	Denver
Government
• Governor	Jared Polis (D)
• Lieutenant Governor	Dianne Primavera (D)
Legislature	General Assembly
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Representatives
Judiciary	Supreme Court (list)
U.S. senators	Michael Bennet (D) John Hickenlooper (D)
U.S. House delegation	4 Democrats 4 Republicans (list)
Area
• Total	104,185 sq mi (269,837 km2)
• Land	103,813 sq mi (268,875 km2)
• Water	371 sq mi (962 km2)  0.36%
• Rank	8th
Dimensions
• Length	280 mi (451 km)
• Width	380 mi (612 km)
Elevation	6,790 ft (2,070 m)
Highest elevation (Mount Elbert)	14,440 ft (4,401.2 m)
Lowest elevation (Arikaree River)	3,317 ft (1,011 m)
Population  (2025)
• Total	6,012,561
• Rank	20th
• Density	56.3/sq mi (21.72/km2)
• Rank	37th
• Median household income	$92,900 (2023)
• Income rank	9th
Demonym	Coloradan
Language
• Official language	English
Time zone	UTC−07:00 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00 (MDT)
USPS abbreviation	CO
ISO 3166 code	US-CO
Latitude	37°N to 41°N
Longitude	102.0467°W to 109.0467°W
Website	colorado.gov

The region has been inhabited by Native Americans and their Paleo-Indian ancestors for at least 13,500 years and possibly much longer. The eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains was a major migration route for early peoples who spread throughout the Americas. In 1848, much of the Nuevo México region was annexed to the United States with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The Pike's Peak Gold Rush of 1858–1862 created an influx of settlers. On February 28, 1861, U.S. president James Buchanan signed an act creating the Territory of Colorado, and on August 1, 1876, president Ulysses S. Grant signed Proclamation 230, admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state.

Denver is the capital, the most populous city, and the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor. Colorado Springs is the second-most populous city of the state. Residents of the state are known as Coloradans, although the antiquated "Coloradoan" is occasionally used. Colorado generally ranks as one of the top U.S. states for education attainment, employment, and healthcare quality. Major parts of its economy include government and defense, mining, agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing. With increasing temperatures and decreasing water availability, Colorado's agriculture, forestry, and tourism economies are expected to be heavily affected by climate change.