The Denver Metropolitan Area (population 2,179,240 in 2000) has Denver, Colorado with a population of about 500,000 as its core. Intensive urbanization has extended into Jefferson County to the west; Arapahoe County to the south and east; and Adams County to the east and north. Denver is the largest city and capital of the state of Colorado, United States of America. ... Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Arapahoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ...

Satellite image of the Denver Metropolitan area

The official United States government definition (http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metrodef.html) of the metropolitan area is based on counties and includes the following 10 counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson, Park. The counties of Boulder and Weld were officially included in the definition of the metropolitan area until the Census Bureau redefined metropolitan areas in 2003, making both counties into their own metropolitan areas under their largest cities: Boulder and Greeley, respectively. Because of the relatively large county size in Colorado, much of this area is generally not considered to be part of the Denver metro area. Little to none of Clear Creek, Elbert, Gilpin, or Park counties are metropolitan in nature, and only Denver and Broomfield counties are more than half metropolitan by area. Download high resolution version (1440x1080, 408 KB)This is a satellite picture taken in 1999 of the Denver metro area by NASAa Landsat 7 Project. ... Download high resolution version (1440x1080, 408 KB)This is a satellite picture taken in 1999 of the Denver metro area by NASAa Landsat 7 Project. ... In the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has produced a formal definition of metropolitan areas, which are organized around county boundaries. ... Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Arapahoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Broomfield is a city that is coextensive with Broomfield County, Colorado6. ... Clear Creek County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... This article refers to the state capital of Colorado. ... Douglas County is a suburban county located in the south of the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Elbert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Gilpin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Park County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Boulder County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Weld County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pearl Street Mall in Downtown Boulder Boulder (40n01, 105w16 MST) is a city located in Boulder County, Colorado, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 94,673. ... Greeley is a city located in Weld County, Colorado. ...

The character of the various parts of the metropolitan area vary widely with the most prosperous counties being Douglas and Boulder, with Adams county being the most industrialized of the suburbs. Although each county and its various towns are self-governing, there is some cooperation in the metropolitan area. Most of the counties and towns belong to the Denver Regional Council of Governments, an association which fosters cooperative planning in the region. In addition there is a regional transportation district (RTD) which provides mass transit and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District which provides funding for scientific and cultural facilities including the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Zoo, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and the Denver Botanic Gardens . The RTD project FasTracks, a commuter rail network, is currently under construction. In the United States of America, transit describes local area common carrier passenger transportation configured to provide scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis. ... The Denver Art Museum is an art museum in Denver, Colorado. ... The Denver Botanic Gardens (23 acres) has been recognized as one of the top five botanical gardens in the United States. ... FasTracks is a new light rail and diesel commuter rail project being built in the Denver, CO area. ... A Connex commuter train stands by the platform in Melbourne, Australia Regional rail systems, or commuter rail systems, usually provide a rail service through a central business district area into suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. ...

The entire metropolitan area sits in a valley, the Denver Basin, and suffers from air pollution known colloquially as the brown cloud, building up if the air is stagnant as it often is in the winter. In the late 1980s the area was frequently in violation of multiple National Ambient Air Quality Standards established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Regional Air Quality Council (http://www.raqc.org) (RAQC) was formed in 1989 to create plans to address the problem. Through a variety of measures the area's air quality was improved and in 2002 the EPA designated the area in compliance with all federal health-based air quality standards. Denver was the first major city in the United States to reach compliance with all six of these standards after previously violating five [1] (http://www.raqc.org/LG%20Communicators/lg%20fact%20sheet%20092204.pdf). Since then the EPA introduced a new standard for small particulates and made the existing ozone standard stricter. In 2003 the new ozone standard was frequently exceeded in the area and was occasionally exceeded as far away as Rocky Mountain National Park. The RAQC hopes to implement plans enabling the area to comply with the new standards by 2007. The Denver Basin is a subterranean geologic formation located in east-central Colorado in the United States. ... This power plant in New Mexico releases sulfur dioxide and particulate matter into the air. ... Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ... The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are standards established by the United States EPA that apply for outdoor air throughout the country. ... EPA redirects here. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Moraine Park and the headwaters of the Big Thompson River are in Rocky Mountain National Park The Rocky Mountain National Park¹ (RMNP) is a national park and wildlife refuge area within the United States National Park System². ... 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See: Colorado Front Range The Colorado Front Range is a colloquial geographic term for the populated areas of the state of Colorado in the United States which are just east of the foothills of the Front Range, from which the region takes its name. ...

List of communities in the Denver Metropolitan Area

Arvada - Aurora - Broomfield - Centennial - Cherry Hills Village - Commerce City - Denver - Englewood - Federal Heights - Glendale - Greenwood Village - Highlands Ranch - Lakeside - Lakewood - Littleton - Northglenn - Southglenn - Thornton - Westminster - Wheat Ridge Arvada is a city located in Jefferson County, Colorado. ... Aurora is a city located in Arapahoe County, Colorado with small sections in neighboring Adams County and Douglas County. ... Broomfield is a city that is coextensive with Broomfield County, Colorado6. ... Centennial is a city located in Arapahoe County, Colorado. ... Cherry Hills Village is a city located in Arapahoe County, Colorado. ... Commerce City is a city located in Adams County, Colorado. ... Denver is the largest city and capital of the state of Colorado, United States of America. ... Englewood is a city located in Arapahoe County, Colorado. ... Federal Heights is a city located in Adams County, Colorado. ... Glendale is a city located in Arapahoe County, Colorado. ... Greenwood Village is a city located in Arapahoe County, Colorado. ... Highlands Ranch is a census-designated place located in Douglas County, Colorado. ... Lakeside is a town located in Jefferson County, Colorado. ... Lakewood is a city located in Jefferson County, Colorado. ... Littleton is a city located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, in the Denver Metropolitan Area. ... Northglenn is a city located in Adams County, Colorado. ... Southglenn is a census-designated place located in Arapahoe County, Colorado. ... Thornton is a city located in Adams County, Colorado. ... Westminster is a city located in both Adams County, Colorado and Jefferson County, Colorado. ... Wheat Ridge is a city located in Jefferson County, Colorado. ...

The following are a few of the communities that are occasionally included:
Boulder - Brighton* - Castle Rock* - Golden* - Lafayette - Louisville - Morrison* - Parker*
* Included in the Census definition of the area Pearl Street Mall in Downtown Boulder Boulder (40n01, 105w16 MST) is a city located in Boulder County, Colorado, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 94,673. ... Brighton is a city located in Adams County, Colorado. ... Castle Rock, Colorado, is the county seat of Douglas County, Colorado, about 35 miles south of Denver, Colorado on the Interstate 25 corridor just east of the front range of the Rocky Mountains. ... Downtown Golden, Colorado Golden, Colorado lies at the mouth of Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range. ... Lafayette is a city located in Boulder County, Colorado. ... Louisville is a city located in Boulder County, Colorado. ... Morrison is a town located in Jefferson County, Colorado. ... Parker is a town located in Douglas County, Colorado. ...

External Links

• Denver Regional Council of Governments (http://www.drcog.org/)
• Regional Air Quality Council (http://www.raqc.org)
• Regional Transportation District (http://www.rtd-denver.com/)
• Science & Cultural Facilities District (http://www.scfd.org/home.shtml)