Colorado Western Slope
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The Western Slope of Colorado refers to the region of the U.S. state of Colorado west of the Rocky Mountains. The region is considered the part of Colorado outside the mountains that are drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries. The area's climate is similar to that of the Great Basin.
The Western Slope is generally much less populated than the Front Range and has only a few towns with populations over 5,000. The primary economic activity is ranching, mining, and tourism. Fruit farming is also prevalent in many areas along the Colorado and Gunnison rivers, including the Grand Valley. The unofficial capital of the Western Slope is considered to be Grand Junction, located in the Grand Valley.
Historically, the area was the homeland of the Ute people and was the Utah Territory before its inclusion in the Colorado Territory upon organization in 1861. White settlers began arriving in large numbers in the late 1870s and early 1880s.
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