Colorado is a fascinating place filled with majestic landmarks, diverse landforms, and amazing scenic treasures. Let's explore some fun facts about Colorado and look at it by the numbers.
- 4: The number of states you can be in at one time when you visit Four Corners on the Colorado Plateau. (The states are: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.)
- 17 inches: The average annual precipitation in Colorado. This falls as a combination of rain and snow.
- 46 degrees Fahrenheit: The average temperature in Colorado.
- 53: The number of 14ers (mountains over 14,000 feet) located in Colorado. Colorado has more 14ers than any other state in the U.S.
- 158: The number of rivers in Colorado, including the mighty Colorado River and Rio Grande River.
- 300: The average number of sunny days per year in Colorado Springs.
- 300 pounds: The average weight of Colorado’s official state animal, the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.
- 750 feet: The height of the tallest sand dune in the United States (located at Great Sand Dunes National Park).
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956 feet: The height of the Royal Gorge suspension bridge over the Arkansas River near Cañon City, Colorado.
- 1876: The year in which Colorado became the 38th state. It is known as “The Centennial State” because it was admitted to the United States in the same year as the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
- 1935: The year in which Louis Ballast of Denver, Colorado, registered the trademark for the cheeseburger.
- 5,280: The number of feet that the city of Denver sits above sea level. There are 5,280 feet in a mile, which is why Denver is known as the Mile High City.
- 14,433 feet: The height of Colorado's tallest peak, Mt. Elbert, which is located in Lake County. Mt. Elbert is also the second-tallest peak in all of the lower 48 states.
- 36,000: The number of farms in Colorado, covering about 30 million acres. Some of Colorado’s top areas of production are cattle, dairy, corn, and hay.
- 103,637 square miles: The total land area of Colorado. It is the 8th largest state in the United States.
- 5.9 million: The population of Colorado, which experiences a slow growth most years. The population is expected to reach 7.5 million by 2050.
- 558 million gallons: The amount of milk produced each year in Colorado. Surprisingly, this isn’t enough for Colorado to make the Top 10 list of milk-producing states (California and Wisconsin lead that list!).
Join us for an adventure through the mountains and plains of Colorado! Our Hello, Colorado! unit offers hands-on activities, engaging facts, and memorable lessons that make learning about geography fun and exciting.
