Colorado Facts
Population:
4,301,261 (est. 2002)
Admitted into the Union:
August 1, 1876 (38th State)
Higest Elevation:
Mt. Elbert, 14,433 feet above sea level;
54 mountain peaks over 14,000 feet
Total Geographical Area:
104,247 square miles (8th Largest state)
Economy:
Agriculture: Cattle, wheat, dairy products, corn, hay.
Industry: Scientific instruments, food processing, transportation equipment, machinery, chemical products, gold and other mining, tourism.
Sports Teams:
College
Colorado Buffaloes - Boulder
Colorado College Tigers - Colorado Springs
Colorado State Rams - Fort Collins
Denver Pioneers - Denver
Professional
Colorado Avalanche (NHL) - Denver
Colorado Crush (AFL) - Denver
Colorado Mammoth (NLL) - Denver
Colorado Rapids (MLS) - Denver
Colorado Rockies (MLB) - Denver
Denver Broncos (NFL) - Denver
Denver Nuggets (NBA) - Denver
Colorado Emblems and Symbols
The CO State Flag:
The state flag was adopted on June 5, 1911 by an act of the General Assembly. The flag consists of three alternate stripes of equal width and at right angles to the staff, the two outer stripes to be blue of the same color as in the blue field of the national flag and the middle stripe to be white, the proportion of the flag being a width of two-thirds of its length. At a distance from the staff end of the flag of one fifth of the total length of the flag there is a circular red C, of the same color as the red in the national flag of the United States. The diameter of the letter is two-thirds of the width of the flag. The inner line of the opening of the letter C is three-fourths of the width of its body or bar, and the outer line of the opening is double the length of the inner line thereof. Completely filling the open space inside the letter C is a golden disk, attached to the flag is a cord of gold and silver, intertwined, with tassels, one of gold and one of silver.
The CO State Seal:
The circular Seal of the State of Colorado is an adaptation of the Territorial Seal which was adopted by the First Territorial Assembly on November 6, 1861. The only changes made in the Territorial Seal design being the substitution of the words, "State of Colorado" and the figures "1876" for the corresponding inscriptions on the territorial seal. The first General Assembly of the State of Colorado approved the adoption of the state seal on March 15, 1877. The Colorado Secretary of State alone is authorized to affix the Great Seal of Colorado to any document whatsoever.
CO State Motto:
Nil Sine Numine
The Latin phrase "Nil Sine Numine", was adopted as part of the Territorial Seal. At recurring intervals, discussion has ensued concerning interpretation of this Latin phrase which commonly translated is "Nothing without Providence". Others say it is "Nothing without God". In the early mining days of the State, the unregenerate said it meant "nothing without a new mine". In a strict sense, one cannot possibly get "God" from "numine", God being a purely Anglo-Saxon word. The word "numine" means any divinity, god or goddess. The best evidence of intent of Colorado's official designers and framers of the resolution for adoption of the seal is contained in the committee report wherein clear distinction was made between "numine" and "Deo" and it is specifically states that the committee's interpretative translation was "Nothing without the Deity".
State Name and Nicknames:
The name of our state, Colorado, has its origin in the Spanish language, as the word for "colored red". This was the name chosen for Colorado as a Territory in 1861 by Congress.
Colorado has been nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it became a state in the year 1876, 100 years after the signing of our nation's Declaration of Independence.
Colorado also is called "Colorful Colorado" presumably because of our magnificent scenery of mountains, rivers and plains. This phrase has decorated maps, car license plates, tourist information centers and souvenirs of all kinds!
State Animal:
The Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep
State Bird:
The Lark Bunting
The State Fish:
The Greenback Cuthroat Trout
The State Flower:
The white and lavender Columbine was adopted as the official state flower on April 4, 1899.
To further protect this fragile flower, the law prohibits digging or uprooting the flower on public lands and limits the gathering of buds, blossoms and stems to 25 in one day. It is unlawful to pick the columbine on private land without consent of the land.
The State Folk Dance:
The Square Dance. Square dancing is the American folk dance which traces its ancestry to the English country dance and the French ballroom dance, and which is called, cued, or prompted to the dancers and includes squares, rounds, clogging, contra, line, the Virginia Reel, and heritage dances.
The State Fossil:
The Stegosaurus.
The Stegosaurus lived in the area we now know as Colorado one hundred and fifty million years ago during the Mesozoic era in the Jurassic period. It is believed that a typical Stegosaurus weighed ten tons though its brain weighed only two and one-half ounces. There are only 6 skeletons of the Stegosaurus on public display in the United States, one of which may be viewed at the Museum of Natural History in Denver. This skeleton was discovered by a teacher and students from Canon City High School.
The State Gemstone:
The aquamarine.
The mountain peaks of Mount Antero and White Mountain in Colorado are among the finest quality localities known for gem aquamarine. They are also among the highest in elevation, located at 14,000 feet.
State Grass:
Blue Garma Grass
State Insect:
The Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly
State Song:
Where the Columbine Grow
State Tartan:
The Colorado General Assembly passed a resolution adopting an official state tartan on March 3, 1997. The tartan is comprised of a pattern and colors that symbolize Colorado's splendor and history. The pattern or sett consists of primary blocks of forest green and cerulean blue separated by broad dividing bands of black, with the forest green checks containing two pairs of tram tracks consisting of lavender and white and with the cerulean blue checks containing a gold stripe with red guard lines. The official state tartan is a Celtic and a "district" tartan that may be worn by any resident or friend of Colorado whether or not of Celtic heritage. July 1st is designated as "Tartan Day" in Colorado under House Joint Resolution 96-1014.
State Tree:
The Colorado Blue Spruce
State Mineral:
the Rhodochrosite
While there was some debate as to whether the state mineral should be gold or silver or another mined mineral historically associated with Colorado, it was decided that the deep red to rose pink manganeze carbonate (MnCO3) mineral, Rhodochrosite, is associated internationally with the state more than any other mineral. It is found in some gold and silver ore-bearing veins. The specimen at left is the world's largest Rhodochrosite crystal, called the Alma King, which is on display at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. It was found in the Sweet Home Mine near Alma (Park County), Colorado.
Information on this pages was found at the following sites:
50States.com
Discover Colorado - The official Colorado State Website
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