Colorado
About Colorado
The state of Colorado forms an integral part of United States of America. The presence of the Southern Rocky Mountains makes it one of the most visited tourist spots in United States. The state also encompasses the northeastern part of Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. The state was named after the Colorado River.
State Nickname
Colorado became the 38th state to be admitted to US in the year 1876 which was the centennial year for the United States Declaration of Independence. Due to this, the state of Colorado was nicknamed the "Centennial State".
Climate Summary
Everything from mountains, foot hills, high plains and deserts are present in the state of Colorado. The eastern plains enjoy semi-arid climate with temperature ranging from 41 degree Celcius to 126 degree Celcius. Colorado also experiences extreme climate with thunderstorms, hail and lightning being common occurrences.
State Tax Situation
The state's taxes are based on taxable income unlike federal adjusted gross income which is the case with most of the American states. The state enforces 4.63% income tax regardless of the income. The state sales tax is 2.9% on retail sales. County and special district taxes are some of the other taxes that may apply on the residents.
Government Summary
Colorado's state constitution comprises of the definite three branches of government - the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The executive branch is headed by the Governor with Colorado Supreme Court being the highest judicial authority and the General Assembly forming the legislature with its two houses, the House of representatives and the Senate.
State Seal
The Great Seal of the State of Colorado was adopted on March 15, 1877. The fabulous seal consists of a flag, a coat of arms and some other Official insignia.
Motto & Description
The motto of the state of Colorado is "Nil sine numine" which can be seen on the Great Seal of the State of Colorado. The motto means nothing without providence.
State Flag
The state of Colorado has its own flag just like the other states of US. The flag was adopted by the Colorado General Assembly on June 5, 1911. The flag consists of three horizontal strips of equal width. The top and the bottom stripes are blue while the middle one is white. A circular red "C" filled with a golden disk is placed on those stripes.
State Bird
The state bird of Colorado is Lurk Bunting, a medium-sized sparrow. The breeding habitat of the bird is prairie regions of Canada and United States. They migrate in flocks to Mexico and Texas.
State Flower
The Rocky Mountain Columbine (White and Lavender) is the State flower of Colorado. It is a perennial plant and is based in the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family.
State Animal
The Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep is the state animal of Colorado. The sheep generally weighs 300 pounds with the large horns weighing up to 30 pounds.
State Song And Description
There are two official state songs of Colorado. One is titled "Where the Columbines Grow" composed by A.J.Fynn and adopted on May 8, 1915. In 2007, John Denver's Rocky Mountain High was adopted as the second official state song of Colorado.
State Colors
Blue, white, red and golden colors are associated with the state of Colorado. They are found in the state flag representing environmental features of the state with white symbolizing snow, gold the abundant sunshine, red Colorado's red soil and blue symbolizing the clear blue skies.