Colorado is a state located in the Rocky Mountain States region of the Southeastern United States. It has the highest mountains in this chain. The Spaniards, the first explorers in the region, named the state due to the reddish color of the land near the Colorado River.
Much of the state region was annexed by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The other part, owned by Mexico, was conquered after the end of the Mexican-American War, in 1848. The population increase resulting from the gold discoveries in the region made the territory become the 38th state of the United States in August 1876.
It borders the states of Kansas to the east, Wyoming to the north, Utah to the west, and Oklahoma and New Mexico to the south. Several rivers originate in Colorado as a result of melting snow from its mountains, which together occupy about two-fifths of its entire territory. In winter, the average temperature in the state is -2ºC; in summer, 23ºC.
The heavy snowfall in its mountains in winter makes Colorado a major tourist hub. Numerous ski resorts are located in the region, some with international recognition. In addition to tourism, the financial services, real estate and telecommunications sector accounts for a significant part of the State's GDP. The main products manufactured in it are transport equipment, food and chemical products.
Its capital and largest city is Denver, which has about 2.3 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area.