West Central United States, one of the Rocky Mt. states. It is bordered by Wyoming, Nebraska Kansas , Oklahoma and New Mexico, and Utah.

Area, 104,247 sq mi (270,000 sq km).
Pop. (2000) 4,301,261, a 30.6% increase since the 1990 census.
Capital and largest city, Denver.
Nickname, Centennial State.
Motto, Nil Sine Numine [Nothing without Providence].
State bird, lark bunting.
State flower, Rocky Mountain columbine.
State tree, Colorado blue spruce.

One of the most scenic states in the country, Colorado has recreational parks including Rocky Mountain National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park with its narrow gorge cut by the Gunnison River, Dinosaur National Monument in NW Colorado, and Great Sand Dunes National Monument in S central Colorado. Mesa Verde National Park and Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, once home to the Anasazi cliff dwellers, are in the southwestern corner of the state, a beautiful but formidable area of mesas and canyons.