Northern Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Northern Colorado
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| Country | U.S. |
| State | Colorado |
Northern Colorado is a special area in the northern part of the state of Colorado. It's known both as a real place and as an idea for a new state that some people wanted to create.
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About the Northern Colorado Region
Northern Colorado is a big area in the northern part of Colorado. It shares borders with other parts of Colorado, and also with the states of Nebraska and Wyoming. This region gets more than 300 sunny days each year. It has a dry climate, which means it doesn't get a lot of rain.
However, the parts of Northern Colorado that are high up in the Rocky Mountains are different. They get about 300 inches (762 cm) of snow every year. These mountain areas have a cold, snowy climate, similar to what you'd find in the Alps. Many important universities are located here, like the University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University.
Counties in Northern Colorado
Many different counties make up the Northern Colorado region. These are like smaller areas within the state.
Major Cities in Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado is home to several large and important cities. These cities are centers for living, working, and learning.
Education in Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado is a great place for learning! It has many colleges and universities, including some of the biggest in the state.
Community and Technical Colleges
These colleges offer programs that can help you learn new skills or prepare for a four-year university.
- Aims Community College (in Greeley, Loveland, Windsor, Fort Lupton)
- Front Range Community College (in Fort Collins, Longmont)
- Morgan Community College (in Fort Morgan)
- Northeastern Junior College (in Sterling)
Four-Year Colleges and Universities
These larger schools offer bachelor's degrees and more advanced studies.
- Colorado State University (in Fort Collins)
- Naropa University (in Boulder)
- University of Colorado-Boulder (in Boulder)
- University of Northern Colorado (in Greeley)
The Idea of a New State: North Colorado
North Colorado or Northern Colorado is the name for a proposed new U.S. state. This idea would involve several counties from the northeast part of Colorado. Some people even thought about including counties from Nebraska and Kansas.
Creating a new state is a very big deal. A law professor from the University of Colorado explained that it would need approval from the Colorado state government and the U.S. Congress. Also, the rules for Colorado's borders are in its own state constitution. This means people would have to vote to change the constitution first.
Why Some People Wanted a New State
The idea for a new state started with some county leaders in Weld County. They believed their county sent a lot of money from oil and gas to the state. But they felt they didn't get enough money back for things like schools and roads.
In 2013, the state government in Colorado passed some new laws. These included stricter gun control laws and laws about using more renewable energy. There was also talk about new rules for oil and gas production. Some people in the eastern plains of Colorado felt these laws didn't represent their interests. This led to discussions about breaking away from Colorado and forming their own state.
History of the Proposed State Idea
Leaders from Weld County and other nearby counties were interested in this idea. These included Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma, and Kit Carson counties. Some parts of Nebraska were also interested.
In July 2013, representatives from 10 counties met to discuss the boundaries of this potential new state. They also talked about a backup plan: changing the Colorado Constitution to give each county one state senator. However, the U.S. Supreme Court had already said this kind of plan was not fair because it didn't follow the "one person, one vote" rule.
On November 5, 2013, eleven counties asked their voters if they supported leaving Colorado. Voters in Cheyenne, Kit Carson, Phillips, Washington, and Yuma counties voted in favor of the idea.
Counties Considered for the New State
Here are the counties that were part of the discussion for the proposed state of North Colorado:
Images for kids
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Counties involved in the proposed state of North Colorado.
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Eleven counties asked voters if they supported seceding from Colorado. Counties shown in orange voted in favor of secession; counties shown in blue voted against.
