The state of Colorado became an official part of the Union on August 1, 1876. At the time it was the 38th territory to form part of the United States. Colorado is located in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It covers a total area of 104,094 square miles (269,837 km2).
The population of Colorado was last recorded as 5,773,714 in 2020. This had increased by almost 15% since 2010.
Colorado's main counties are El Paso County, Denver County, Arapahoe County, Jefferson County, Adams County. The most well known and populated cities are Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins and Lakewood.
Vital records are kept in the Vital Records Section at Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This department has vital records starting from 1910, including birth records for some counties before this time.