What is Colorado’s official nickname? It’s the Centennial State (and not the Mile High State), right? How many feet above sea level does our capital building sit? 5,280, duh! If you hail from Colorado, there are some things you are born knowing, but we are willing to bet this is the first time you’ve heard these 10 surprising facts, including:

1. Less than 45% of Coloradans were actually born and raised here.
Flickr/National Renewable Energy
That's right: According to OutThere Colorado, the Centennial State is home to more transplants than it is natives, with Census info from 2018 revealing that only 2,388,284 of Colorado's 5,695,564 residents were actually born here.
2. Colorado has some unique claims to fame, including the highest paved road in the U.S. (Mount Evans, pictured), the world’s largest flat-top mountain (Grand Mesa), and the world’s deepest hot springs (Mother Spring Aquifer, Pagosa Springs).
Flickr/Barry Dale Gilfry
Need we mention that we are also home to the world’s largest natural hot springs swimming pool (Glenwood Springs)?
3. Coloradans biggest fear? Failure.
Flickr/Mike Cohen
No, we aren't joking: According to Your Local Security, Colorado's most Googled phobia is a "fear of failure," while other states - like Florida - is a "fear of blood" or - in Indiana's case - a "fear of water."
4. The first-ever U.S. license plate was issued in Denver.
Flickr/Jerry "Woody"
That's kinda cool!
5. In other automobile history news, the dreaded car boot (AKA the Denver boot) was also invented in Denver.
Flickr/*Hajee
That's not very cool!

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6. The most populous area in Colorado is the Front Range.
Flickr/Ryan Polei
Okay, so maybe this isn't a huge surprise, but we found it interesting nevertheless.
7. Colorado is home to a whopping 75% of the land above 10,000 feet.*
Flickr/Gents Wild
*We should note that we mean 75% of the land in the United States, not in the world.
8. We mentioned some of the biggest and highest things in Colorado, so let's pay homage to a few of our unique towns, including Deer Trail (the "Rodeo Capital of the World"), Rocky Ford (the "Melon Capital of the World"), and Dove Creek (the "Pinto Capital of the World").
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Honorable mention goes to Trinidad (the "Sex Change Capital of the World," as 65% of the world's sex changes were performed by Dr. Stanley Biber from 1969 to 2003).
9. Colorado is home to 500 ghost towns and 650 occupied towns, meaning we have nearly as many dead cities as we do live ones.
Flickr/Geoff Livingston
10. Finally, in certain parts of Colorado, it is illegal to lend your vacuum cleaner to your next-door neighbor, throw missiles at cars, or kiss a woman while she is asleep.
Flickr/Richard foster
I feel like that last law was drafted by a wife who was sick of her husband trying to start shenanigans while she rested.

For even more “weird” and surprising fun in Colorado, check out 11 Places That Prove Colorado May Just Be The Weirdest State In The Nation.

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