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New Mexico's economy is highly diversified, including cattle ranching, agriculture, lumber, scientific and technological research, tourism, and the arts; major sectors include mining, oil and gas, aerospace, media, and film.[10][11][12][13] Its total gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 was $95.73 billion, with a GDP per capita of roughly $46,300.[14][15]State tax policy is characterized by low to moderate taxation of resident personal income by national standards, with tax credits, exemptions, and special considerations for military personnel and favorable industries. New Mexico has a significant U.S. military presence,[16] including White Sands Missile Range, and strategically valuable federal research centers, such as the Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories. The state hosted several key facilities of the Manhattan Project, which developed the world's first atomic bomb, and was the site of the first nuclear test, Trinity.
New Mexico received its name long before the present-day country of Mexico won independence from Spain and adopted that name in 1821. The name "Mexico" derives from Nahuatl and originally referred to the heartland of the Mexica, the rulers of the Aztec Empire, in the Valley of Mexico. Mexican history placed their people's origin in Aztlán, a place to the north from which they migrated to Mexico. This account and reports by Spanish explorers of the trade network of the Pueblos and others eventually evolved into the folklore of the Seven Cities of Gold. The 1609 Nahuatl-language Crónica Mexicayotl made the identification of New Mexico and Aztlán explicit, describing how the Mexica people left "their home there in Old Mexico Aztlan Quinehuayan Chicomoztoc, which today they call New Mexico (yancuic mexico)."[28][29]
Following their conquest of the Aztecs in the early 16th century, the Spanish began exploring what is now the Southwestern United States calling it Nuevo México. In 1581, the Chamuscado and Rodríguez Expedition named the region north of the Rio Grande San Felipe del Nuevo México.[30] The Spaniards had hoped to find wealthy indigenous cultures similar to the Mexica. The indigenous cultures of New Mexico, however, proved to be unrelated to the Mexica and lacking in riches, but the name persisted.[31][32]
Before statehood in 1912, the name "New Mexico" loosely applied to various configurations of territories in the same general area, which evolved throughout the Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. periods, but typically encompassed most of present-day New Mexico along with sections of neighboring states.[33]
Ancestral Pueblo territory shown in pink over New Mexico
Prehistory
The first known inhabitants of New Mexico were members of the Clovis culture of Paleo-Indians.[34]: 19 Footprints discovered in 2017 suggest that humans may have been present in the region as long ago as 21,000–23,000 BC.[35] Later inhabitants include the Mogollon and Ancestral Pueblo cultures, which are characterized by sophisticated pottery work and urban development;[36]: 52 pueblos or their remnants, like those at Acoma, Taos, and Chaco Culture National Historical Park, indicate the scale of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings within the area. These cultures form part of the broader Oasisamerica region of pre-Columbian North America.
The vast trade networks of the Ancestral Puebloans led to legends throughout Mesoamerica and the Aztec Empire (Mexico) of an unseen northern empire that rivaled their own, which they called Yancuic Mexico, literally translated as "a new Mexico".
Beyond forging better relations with the Pueblos, governors were forbearing in their approach to the indigenous peoples, such as was with governor Tomás Vélez Cachupín;[42] the comparatively large reservations in New Mexico and Arizona are partly a legacy of Spanish treaties recognizing indigenous land claims in Nuevo México.[43] Nevertheless, relations between the various indigenous groups and Spanish settlers remained nebulous and complex, varying from trade and commerce to cultural assimilation and intermarriage to total warfare. During most of the 18th century, raids by Navajo, Apache, and especially Comanche inhibited the growth and prosperity of the New Mexico. The region's harsh environment and remoteness, surrounded by hostile Native Americans, fostered a greater degree of self-reliance, as well as pragmatic cooperation, between the Pueblo peoples and colonists. Many indigenous communities enjoyed a large measure of autonomy well into the late 19th century due to the improved governance.
To encourage settlement in its vulnerable periphery, Spain awarded land grants to European settlers in Nuevo México; due to the scarcity of water throughout the region, the vast majority of colonists resided in the central valley of the Rio Grande and its tributaries. Most communities were walled enclaves consisting of adobe houses that opened onto a plaza, from which four streets ran outward to small, private agricultural plots and orchards; these were watered by acequias, community owned and operated irrigation canals. Just beyond the wall was the ejido, communal land for grazing, firewood, or recreation. By 1800, the population of New Mexico had reached 25,000 (not including indigenous inhabitants), far exceeding the territories of California and Texas.[44]
As part of New Spain, the province of New Mexico became part of the First Mexican Empire in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence.[36]: 109 Upon its secession from Mexico in 1836, the Republic of Texas claimed the portion east of the Rio Grande, based on the erroneous assumption that the older Hispanic settlements of the upper Rio Grande were the same as the newly established Mexican settlements of Texas. The Texan Santa Fe Expedition was launched to seize the contested territory but failed with the capture and imprisonment of the entire army by the Hispanic New Mexico militia.
During the turn of the 19th century, the extreme northeastern part of New Mexico, north of the Canadian River and east of the spine of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, was still claimed by France, which sold it in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1812, the U.S. reclassified the land as part of the Missouri Territory. This region of New Mexico (along with territory comprising present-day southeastern Colorado, the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles, and southwestern Kansas) was ceded to Spain under the Adams-Onis Treaty in 1819.
When the First Mexican Republic began to transition into the Centralist Republic of Mexico, they began to centralize power ignoring the sovereignty of Santa Fe and disregarding Pueblo land rights. This led to the Chimayó Rebellion in 1837, led by genízaro José Gonzales.[45] The death of then governor Albino Pérez during the revolt, was met with further hostility. Though José Gonzales was executed due to his involvement in the governor's death, subsequent governors Manuel Armijo and Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid agreed with some of the underlying sentiment. This led to New Mexico becoming financially and politically tied to the U.S., and preferring trade along the Santa Fe Trail.
Following the victory of the United States in the Mexican–American War (1846–48), Mexico ceded its northern territories to the U.S., including California, Texas, and New Mexico.[36]: 132 The Americans were initially heavy-handed in their treatment of former Mexican citizens, triggering the Taos Revolt in 1847 by Hispanos and their Pueblo allies; the insurrection led to the death of territorial governor Charles Bent and the collapse of the civilian government established by Stephen W. Kearny. In response, the U.S. government appointed local Donaciano Vigil as governor to better represent New Mexico,[46] and also vowed to accept the land rights of Nuevomexicans and grant them citizenship. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln symbolized the recognition of Native land rights with the Lincoln Canes, sceptresof office gifted to each of the Pueblos, a tradition dating back to Spanish and Mexican eras.[47][48]
After the Republic of Texas was admitted as a state in 1846, it attempted to claim the eastern portion of New Mexico east of the Rio Grande, while the California Republic and State of Deseret each claimed parts of western New Mexico. Under the Compromise of 1850, these regions were forced by the U.S. government to drop their claims, Texas received $10million in federal funds, California was granted statehood, and officially establishing the Utah Territory; therein recognizing most of New Mexico's historically established land claims.[36]: 135 Pursuant to the compromise, Congress established the New Mexico Territory in September of that year;[49] it included most of present-day Arizona and New Mexico, along with the Las VegasValley and what would later become Clark County in Nevada.
In 1853 the U.S. acquired the mostly desert southwestern bootheel of the state, along with Arizona's land south of the Gila River, in the Gadsden Purchase, which was needed for the right-of-way to encourage construction of a transcontinental railroad.[36]: 136
U.S. Civil War, American Indian Wars, and American frontier
Civil war effects in New Mexico
New Mexico territory including Arizona, 1860
Territories divided, 1867
When the U.S. Civil War broke out in 1861, both Confederate and Union governments claimed ownership and territorial rights over New Mexico Territory. The Confederacy claimed the southern tract as its own Arizona Territory, and as part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the war, waged the ambitious New Mexico Campaign to control the American Southwest and open up access to Union California. Confederate power in the New Mexico Territory was effectively broken after the Battle of Glorieta Pass in 1862, though the Confederate territorial government continued to operate out of Texas. More than 8,000 soldiers from New Mexico Territory served in the Union Army.[50]
"The indigenous people of northern New Mexico" by Balduin Möllhausen, 1861
The end of the war saw rapid economic development and settlement in New Mexico, which attracted homesteaders, ranchers, cowboys, businessmen, and outlaws;[51] many of the folklore characters of the Western genre had their origins in New Mexico, most notably businesswoman Maria Gertrudis Barceló, outlaw Billy the Kid, and lawmen Pat Garrett and Elfego Baca. The influx of "Anglo Americans" from the eastern U.S. (which include African Americans and recent European immigrants) reshaped the state's economy, culture, and politics. Into the late 19th century, the majority of New Mexicans remained ethnic mestizos of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry (primarily Pueblo, Navajo, Apache, Genízaro, and Comanche), many of whom had roots going back to Spanish settlement in the 16th century; this distinctly New Mexican ethnic group became known as Hispanos and developed a more pronounced identity vis-a-vis the newer Anglo arrivals. Politically, they still controlled most town and county offices through local elections, and wealthy ranching families commanded considerable influence, preferring business, legislative, and judicial relations with fellow indigenous New Mexican groups. By contrast, Anglo Americans, who were "outnumbered, but well-organized and growing"[52] tended to have more ties to the territorial government, whose officials were appointed by the U.S. federal government; subsequently, newer residents of New Mexico generally favored maintaining territorial status, which they saw as a check on Native and Hispano influence.
A consequence of the civil war was intensifying conflict with indigenous peoples, which was part of the broader American Indian Wars along the frontier. The withdrawal of troops and material for the war effort had prompted raids by hostile tribes, and the federal government moved to subdue the many native communities that had been effectively autonomous throughout the colonial period. Following the elimination of the Confederate threat, Brigadier General James Carleton, who had assumed command of the Military Department of New Mexico in 1862, led what he described as a "merciless war against all hostile tribes" that aimed to "force them to their knees, and then confine them to reservations where they could be Christianized and instructed in agriculture."[51] With famed frontiersman Kit Carson placed in charge of troops in the field, powerful indigenous groups such as the Navajo, Mescalero Apache, Kiowa, and Comanche were brutally pacified through a scorched earth policy, and thereafter forced into barren and remote reservations. Sporadic conflicts continued into the late 1880s, most notably the guerilla campaigns led by Apache chiefs Victorio and his son-in-law Nana.
The political and cultural clashes between these competing ethnic groups sometimes culminated in mob violence, including lynchings of Native, Hispanic, and Mexican peoples, as was attempted at the Frisco shootout in 1884. Nevertheless, prominent figures from across these communities, and from both the Democratic and Republican parties, attempted to fight this prejudice and forge a more cohesive, multiethnic New Mexican identity; they include lawmen Baca and Garrett, and governors Curry, Hagerman, and Otero.[53][54] Indeed, some territorial governors, like Lew Wallace, had served in both the Mexican and American militaries.[55]
The United States Congress admitted New Mexico as the 47th state on January 6, 1912.[36]: 166 It had been eligible for statehood 60 years earlier, but was delayed due to the perception that its majority Hispanic population was "alien" to U.S. culture and political values.[56] When the U.S. entered the First World War roughly five years later, New Mexicans volunteered in significant numbers, in part to prove their loyalty as full-fledged citizens of the U.S. The state ranked fifth in the nation for military service, enlisting more than 17,000 recruits from all 33 counties; over 500 New Mexicans were killed in the war.[57]
Indigenous-Hispanic families had long been established since the Spanish and Mexican era,[58] but most American settlers in the state had an uneasy relationship with the large Native American tribes.[59] Most indigenous New Mexicans lived on reservations and near old placitas and villas. In 1924, Congress passed a law granting all Native Americans U.S. citizenship and the right to vote in federal and state elections. However, Anglo-American arrivals into New Mexico enacted Jim Crow laws against Hispanos, Hispanic Americans, and those who did not pay taxes, targeting indigenous affiliated individuals;[60] because Hispanics often had interpersonal relationships with indigenous peoples, they were often subject to segregation, social inequality, and employment discrimination.[59]
During the fight for women's suffrage in the United States, New Mexico's Hispano and Mexican women at the forefront included Trinidad Cabeza de Baca, Dolores "Lola" Armijo, Mrs. James Chavez, Aurora Lucero, Anita "Mrs. Secundino" Romero, Arabella "Mrs. Cleofas" Romero and her daughter, Marie.[61][62]
A major oil discovery in 1928 near the town of Hobbs brought greater wealth to the state, especially in surrounding Lea County.[63] The New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources called it "the most important single discovery of oil in New Mexico's history".[64] Nevertheless, agriculture and cattle ranching remained the primary economic activities.
New Mexico was greatly transformed by the U.S. entry into the Second World War in December 1941. As in the First World War, patriotism ran high among New Mexicans, including among marginalized Hispanic and indigenous communities; on a per capita basis, New Mexico produced more volunteers, and suffered more casualties, than any other state. The war also spurred economic development, particularly in extractive industries, with the state becoming a leading supplier of several strategic resources. New Mexico's rough terrain and geographic isolation made it an attractive location for several sensitive military and scientific installations; the most famous was Los Alamos, one of the central facilities of the Manhattan Project, where the first atomic bombs were designed and manufactured. The first bomb was tested at Trinity site in the desert between Socorro and Alamogordo, which is today part of the White Sands Missile Range.[36]: 179–180
As a legacy of the Second World War, New Mexico continues to receive large amounts of federal government spending on major military and research institutions. In addition to the White Sands Missile Range, the state hosts three U.S. Air Force bases that were established or expanded during the war. While the high military presence brought considerable investment, it has also been the center of controversy; on May 22, 1957, a B-36 accidentally dropped a nuclear bomb 4.5 miles from the control tower while landing at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque; only its conventional "trigger" detonated.[65][66] The Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, two of the nation's leading federal scientific research facilities, originated from the Manhattan Project. The focus on high technology is still a top priority of the state, to the extent that it became a center for unidentified flying objects, especially following the 1947 Roswell incident.
New Mexico saw its population nearly double from roughly 532,000 in 1940 to over 954,000 by 1960.[67][68] In addition to federal personnel and agencies, many residents and businesses moved to the state, particularly from the northeast, often drawn by its warm climate and low taxes.[69] The pattern continues into the 21st century, with New Mexico adding over 400,000 residents between 2000 and 2020.
Native Americans from New Mexico fought for the United States in both world wars. Returning veterans were disappointed to find their civil rights limited by state discrimination. In Arizona and New Mexico, veterans challenged state laws or practices prohibiting them from voting. In 1948, after veteran Miguel Trujillo Sr. of Isleta Pueblo was told by the county registrar that he could not register to vote, he filed suit against the county in federal district court. A three-judge panel overturned as unconstitutional New Mexico's provisions that Native Americans who did not pay taxes (and could not document if they had paid taxes) could not vote.[60][Note 3]
In the early to mid-20th century, the art presence in Santa Fe grew, and it became known as one of the world's great art centers.[70] The presence of artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe attracted many others, including those along Canyon Road.[71] In the late 20th century, Native Americans were authorized by federal law to establish gaming casinos on their reservations under certain conditions, in states which had authorized such gaming. Such facilities have helped tribes close to population centers generate revenues for reinvestment in the economic development and welfare of their peoples. The Albuquerque metropolitan area is home to several casinos as a result.[72]
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of New Mexico on March 11, 2020. On December 23, 2020, the New Mexico Department of Health reported 1,174 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths, bringing the cumulative statewide totals to 133,242 cases and 2,243 deaths since the start of the pandemic.[83] During the last quarter of 2020, COVID-19 hospitalizations in New Mexico increased, reaching a peak of 947 hospitalizations on December 3.
The most populous counties in the state have seen the largest number of infections, but by mid-April, the northwest counties of McKinley and San Juan became the most infected areas in the state, with Sandoval County also seeing a high infection rate. All of these counties have large Native American populations. According to the state's data dashboard, American Indians had nearly 58 percent of the statewide infection rates as of May 15. On April 25, McKinley County had the highest total number of cases while San Juan County had the highest number of deaths by April 26. However, by the end of July, Hispanics/Latinos had a plurality of cases. The portion of cases among American Indians continued to decline, and by mid February 2021 was below that of whites.[83]
With a total area of 121,590 square miles (314,900 km2),[1] New Mexico is the fifth-largest state, after Alaska, Texas, California, and Montana. Its eastern border lies along 103°W longitude with the state of Oklahoma, and 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometres) west of 103°W longitude with Texas due to a 19th-century surveying error.[84][85] On the southern border, Texas makes up the eastern two-thirds, while the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora make up the western third, with Chihuahua making up about 90% of that. The western border with Arizona runs along the 109° 03'W longitude.[86] The southwestern corner of the state is known as the Bootheel. The 37°N parallel forms the northern boundary with Colorado. The states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah come together at the Four Corners in New Mexico's northwestern corner. Its surface water area is about 292 square miles (760 km2).[1]
Despite its popular depiction as mostly arid desert, New Mexico has one of the most diverse landscapes of any U.S. state, ranging from wide, auburn-colored deserts and verdant grasslands, to broken mesas and high, snow-capped peaks.[87] Close to a third of the state is covered in timberland, with heavily forested mountain wildernesses dominating the north. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost part of the Rocky Mountains, run roughly north–south along the east side of the Rio Grande, in the rugged, pastoral north. The Great Plains extend into the eastern third of the state, most notably the Llano Estacado ("Staked Plain"), whose westernmost boundary is marked by the Mescalero Ridgeescarpment. The northwestern quadrant of New Mexico is dominated by the Colorado Plateau, characterized by unique volcanic formations, dry grasslands and shrublands, open pinyon-juniper woodland, and mountain forests.[88] The Chihuahuan Desert, which is the largest in North America, extends through the south.
Over four–fifths of New Mexico is higher than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level. The average elevation ranges from up to 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) above sea level in the northwest, to less than 4,000 feet in the southeast.[87] The highest point is Wheeler Peak at over 13,160 feet (4,010 meters) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, while the lowest is the Red Bluff Reservoir at around 2,840 feet (870 meters), in the southeastern corner of the state.
In addition to the Rio Grande, which is tied for the fourth-longest river in the U.S., New Mexico has four other major river systems: the Pecos, Canadian, San Juan, and Gila.[89] Nearly bisecting New Mexico from north to south, the Rio Grande has played an influential role in the region's history; its fertile floodplain has supported human habitation since prehistoric times, and European settlers initially lived exclusively in its valleys and along its tributaries.[87] The Pecos, which flows roughly parallel to the Rio Grande at its east, was a popular route for explorers, as was the Canadian River, which rises in the mountainous north and flows east across the arid plains. The San Juan and Gila lie west of the Continental Divide, in the northwest and southwest, respectively. With the exception of the Gila, all major rivers are dammed in New Mexico and provide a major water source for irrigation and flood control.
Conservation experts, hunters, and outdoors enthusiasts have expressed an appreciation for New Mexico's natural environment and even-handed New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.[90] Author N. Scott Momaday discussed the indigenous, Hispanic, and American frontier setting of New Mexico and its shared relationship to the land,[91] which was covered in a documentary he narrated titled Remembered Earth about New Mexico's high desert.[92] Large game hunters such as Robert L. Runnels,[93] fishing experts Van Beacham and Ti Piper,[94][95] and duck hunters like Si Robertson of Duck Commander,[96] have acknowledged the wildlife hunting and fishing environment in New Mexico.[97]
Climate
New Mexico has long been known for its dry, temperate climate.[87] Overall the state is semi-arid to arid, with areas of continental and alpine climates at higher elevations. New Mexico's statewide average precipitation is 13.7 inches (350 mm) a year, with average monthly amounts peaking in the summer, particularly in the more rugged north-central area around Albuquerque and in the south. Generally, the eastern third of the state receives the most rainfall, while the western third receives the least. Higher altitudes receive around 40 inches (1,000 mm), while the lowest elevations see as little as 8 to 10 inches (200 to 250 millimetres).[87]
Annual temperatures can range from 65 °F (18 °C) in the southeast to below 40 °F (4 °C) in the northern mountains,[86] with the average being the mid-50s °F (12 °C). During the summer, daytime temperatures can often exceed 100 °F (38 °C) at elevations below 5,000 feet (1,500 m); the average high temperature in July ranges from 99 °F (37 °C) at the lower elevations down to 78°F (26°C) at the higher elevations. In the colder months of November to March, many cities in New Mexico can have nighttime temperature lows in the teens above zero, or lower. The highest temperature recorded in New Mexico was 122 °F (50 °C) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Loving on June 27, 1994; the lowest recorded temperature is −57 °F (−49 °C) at Ciniza (near Jamestown) on January 13, 1963.[100]
Owing to its varied topography, New Mexico has six distinct vegetation zones that provide diverse sets of habitats for many plants and animals.[103] The Upper Sonoran Zone is by far the most prominent, constituting about three-fourths of the state; it includes most of the plains, foothills, and valleys above 4,500 feet, and is defined by prairie grasses, low piñon pines, and juniper shrubs. The Llano Estacado in the east features Shortgrass Prairie with blue grama, which sustain bison. The Chihuahuan Desert in the south is characterized by shrubby creosote. The Colorado Plateau in the northwest corner of New Mexico is high desert with cold winters, featuring sagebrush, shadescale, greasewood, and other plants adapted to the saline and seleniferous soil.
The mountainous north hosts a wide array of vegetation types corresponding to elevation gradients, such as piñon-juniper woodlands near the base, through evergreenconifers, spruce-fir and aspen forests in the transitionary zone, and Krummholz, and alpine tundra at the very top.[103] The Apachian zone tucked into the southwestern bootheel of the state has high-calcium soil, oak woodlands, Arizona cypress, and other plants that are not found in other parts of the state.[104][105] The southern sections of the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys have 20,000 square miles (52,000 square kilometres) of New Mexico's best grazing land and irrigated farmland.
New Mexico and 12 other western states together account for 93% of all federally owned land in the U.S. Roughly one–third of the state, or 24.7 million of 77.8 million acres, is held by the U.S. government, the tenth-highest percentage in the country. More than half this land is under the Bureau of Land Management as either public domain land or National Conservation Lands, while another third is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as national forests.[111]
Examples of locally administered nature reserves include:
Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Valencia County[116][117]
Albuquerque Open Space, see Open Space Visitor Center[118]
Environmental issues
In January 2016, New Mexico sued the United States Environmental Protection Agency over negligence after the 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill. The spill had caused heavy metals such as cadmium and lead and toxins such as arsenic to flow into the Animas River, polluting water basins of several states.[119] The state has since implemented or considered stricter regulations and harsher penalties for spills associated with resource extraction.[120]
New Mexico is a major producer of greenhouse gases.[121] A study by Colorado State University showed that the state's oil and gas industry generated 60 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2018, over four times greater than previously estimated.[121] The fossil fuels sector accounted for over half the state's overall emissions, which totaled 113.6 million metric tons, about 1.8% of the country's total and more than twice the national average per capita.[121][122] The New Mexico government has responded with efforts to regulate industrial emissions, promote renewable energy, and incentivize the use of electric vehicles.[122][123]
With just 17 people per square mile (6.6 people/km2), New Mexico is one of the least densely populated states, ranking 45th out of 50; by contrast, the overall population density of the U.S. is 90 people per square mile (35 people/km2). The state is divided into 33 counties and 106 municipalities, which include cities, towns, villages, and a consolidated city-county, Los Alamos. Only three cities have at least 100,000 residents: Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Las Cruces, whose respective metropolitan areas together account for the majority of New Mexico's population.
Residents are concentrated in the north-central region of New Mexico, anchored by the state's largest city, Albuquerque. Centered in Bernalillo County, the Albuquerque metropolitan area includes New Mexico's third-largest city, Rio Rancho, and has a population of over 918,000, accounting for one-third of all New Mexicans. It is adjacent to Santa Fe, the capital and fourth-largest city. Altogether, the Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area includes more than 1.17 million people, or nearly 60% of the state population.
New Mexico's other major center of population is in south-central area around Las Cruces, its second-largest city and the largest city in the southern region of the state. The Las Cruces metropolitan area includes roughly 214,000 residents, but with neighboring El Paso, Texas forms a combined statistical area numbering over 1 million.[124]
New Mexico hosts 23 federally recognized tribal reservations, including part of the Navajo Nation, the largest and most populous tribe; of these, 11 hold off-reservation trust lands elsewhere in the state. The vast majority of federally recognized tribes are concentrated in the northwest, followed by the north-central region.
Like several other southwestern states, New Mexico hosts numerous colonias, unincorporated, low-income slums characterized by abject poverty, the absence of basic services (such as water and sewage), and scarce housing and infrastructure.[125] The University of New Mexico estimates there are 118 colonias in the state, though the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development identifies roughly 150.[126] The majority are located along the Mexico-U.S. border.
The 2020 census recorded a population of 2,117,522, an increase of 2.8% from 2,059,179 in the 2010 census.[128] This was the lowest rate of growth in the western U.S. after Wyoming, and among the slowest nationwide.[129] By comparison, between 2000 and 2010, New Mexico's population increased by 11.7% from 1,819,046—among the fastest growth rates in the country.[130] A report commissioned in 2021 by the New Mexico Legislature attributed the state's slow growth to a negative net migration rate, particularly among those 18 or younger, and to a 19% decline in the birth rate.[129] However, growth among Hispanics and Native Americans remained healthy.[131]
The U.S. Census Bureau estimated a slight decrease in population, with 3,333 fewer people from July 2021 to July 2022.[132] This was attributed to deaths exceeding births by roughly 5,000, with net migration mitigating the loss by 1,389.[132]
More than half of New Mexicans (51.4%) were born in the state; 37.9% were born in another state; 1.1% were born in either Puerto Rico, an island territory, or abroad to at least one American parent; and 9.4% were foreign born (compared to a national average of roughly 12%).[133] Almost a quarter of the population (22.7%) was under the age of 18, and the state's median age of 38.4 is slightly above the national average of 38.2. New Mexico's somewhat older population is partly reflective of its popularity among retirees: It ranked as the most popular retirement destination in 2018,[134] with an estimated 42% of new residents being retired.[135]
Hispanics and Latinos constitute nearly half of all residents (49.3%), giving New Mexico the highest proportion of Hispanic ancestry among the fifty states. This broad classification includes descendants of Spanish colonists who settled between the 16th and 18th centuries as well as recent immigrants from Latin America (particularly Mexico and Central America).
From 2000 to 2010, the number of persons in poverty increased to 400,779, or approximately one-fifth of the population.[130] The 2020 census recorded a slightly reduced poverty rate of 18.2%, albeit the third highest among U.S. states, compared to a national average of 10.5%. Poverty disproportionately affects minorities, with about one-third of African Americans and Native Americans living in poverty, compared with less than a fifth of whites and roughly a tenth of Asians; likewise, New Mexico ranks 49th among states for education equality by race and 32nd for its racial gap in income.[136]
New Mexico's population is among the most difficult to count, according to the Center for Urban Research at the City University of New York, due to the state's size, sparse population, and numerous isolated communities.[129] Likewise, the Census Bureau estimated that roughly 43% of the state's population (about 900,000 people) live in such "hard-to-count" areas.[129] In response, the New Mexico government invested heavily in public outreach to increase census participation, resulting in a final tally that exceeded earlier estimates and outperformed several neighboring states.[137]
The majority of live births in New Mexico are to Hispanic whites, with Hispanics of any race consistently accounting for over half of all live births since 2013.
New Mexico is one of seven "majority-minority" states where non-Hispanic whites constitute less than half the population.[150] As early as 1940, roughly half the population was estimated to be nonwhite.[151] Before becoming a state in 1912, New Mexico was among the few U.S. territories that was predominately nonwhite, which contributed to its delayed admission into the Union.[152]
New Mexico has the fourth largest Native American community in the U.S., at over 200,000; comprising roughly one-tenth of all residents, this is the second largest population by percentage after Alaska.[154][155] New Mexico is also the only state besides Alaska where indigenous people have maintained a stable proportion of the population for over a century: In 1890, Native Americans made up 9.4% of New Mexico's population, almost the same percentage as in 2020.[156] By contrast, during that same period, neighboring Arizona went from one-third indigenous to less than 5%.[156]
Census data from 2020 found that 19.9% of the population identifies as multiracial/mixed-race, a population larger than the Native American, Black, Asian and NHPI population groups.[162] Almost 90% of the multiracial population in New Mexico identifies as Hispanic or Latino.[166]
Immigration
A little over 9% of New Mexican residents are foreign-born, and an additional 6.0% of U.S.-born residents live with at least one immigrant parent.[167] The proportion of foreign-born residents is below the national average of 13.7%, and New Mexico was the only state to see a decline in its immigrant population between 2012 and 2022.[168]
In 2018, the top countries of origin for New Mexico's immigrants were Mexico, the Philippines, India, Germany and Cuba.[169] As of 2021, the vast majority of immigrants in the state came from Mexico (67.6%), followed by the Philippines (3.1%) and Germany (2.4%).[167]
Notwithstanding their relatively small population, immigrants play a disproportionately large role in New Mexico's economy, accounting for almost one-eighth (12.5%) of the labor force,15% of entrepreneurs, and 19.1% of personal care aides, as well as 9.1% of workers in STEM fields.[167]
Percentage of Spanish speakers by county, according to the 2019 American Community Survey.
New Mexico ranks third after California and Texas in the number of multilingual residents.[170] According to the 2010 U.S. census, 28.5% of the population age5 and older speak Spanish at home, while 3.5% speak Navajo.[171] Some speakers of New Mexican Spanish are descendants of pre-18th century Spanish settlers.[172] Contrary to popular belief, New Mexican Spanish is not an archaic form of 17th-century Castilian Spanish; though some archaic elements exist, linguistic research has determined that the dialect "is neither more Iberian nor more archaic" than other varieties spoken in the Americas.[173][174] Nevertheless, centuries of isolation during the colonial period insulated the New Mexican dialect from "standard" Spanish, leading to the preservation of older vocabulary as well as its own innovations.[175][176]
New Mexico's original state constitution of 1911 required all laws be published in both English and Spanish for twenty years after ratification;[177] this requirement was renewed in 1931 and 1943,[178] with some sources stating the state was officially bilingual until 1953.[179] Nonetheless, the current constitution does not declare any language "official".[180] While Spanish was permitted in the legislature until 1935, all state officials are required to have a good knowledge of English; consequently, some analysts argue that New Mexico cannot be considered a bilingual state, since not all laws are published in both languages.[178]
However, the state legislature remains constitutionally empowered to publish laws in English and Spanish and to appropriate funds for translation. Whenever a referendum to approve an amendment to the New Mexican constitution is held, the ballots must be printed in both English and Spanish.[181] Certain legal notices must be published in both English and Spanish as well, and the state maintains a list of newspapers for Spanish publication.[182]
With regard to the judiciary, witnesses and defendants have the right to testify in either of the two languages, and monolingual speakers of Spanish have the same right to be considered for jury duty as do speakers of English.[180][183] In public education, the state has the constitutional obligation to provide bilingual education and Spanish-speaking instructors in school districts where the majority of students are Hispanophone.[180] The constitution also provides that all state citizens who speak neither English nor Spanish have a right to vote, hold public office, and serve on juries.[184]
In 1989, New Mexico became the first of only four states to officially adopt the English Plus resolution, which supports acceptance of non-English languages.[185] In 1995, the state adopted an official bilingual song, "New Mexico – Mi Lindo Nuevo México".[186]: 75, 81 In 2008, New Mexico was the first state to officially adopt a Navajo textbook for use in public schools.[187]
New Mexico's leadership within otherwise disparate traditions such as Christianity, the Native American Church, and New Age movements has been linked to its remote and ancient indigenous spirituality, which emphasized sacred connections to nature, and its over 300 years of syncretized Pueblo and Hispano religious and folk customs.[197][198] The state's remoteness has likewise been cited as attracting and fostering communities seeking the freedom to practice or cultivate new beliefs.[198] Global spiritual leaders including Billy Graham and Dalai Lama, along with community leaders of Hispanic and Latino Americans and indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest, have remarked on New Mexico being a sacred space.[218][219][220]
According to a 2017 survey by the Pew Research Center, New Mexico ranks 18th among the 50 U.S. states in religiosity, 63% of respondents stating they believe in God with certainty, with an additional 20% being fairly certain of the existence of God, while 59% considering religion to be important in their lives and another 20% believe it to be somewhat important.[221] Among its population in 2022, 31% were unaffiliated.[191]
Oil and gas production, the entertainment industry, high tech scientific research, tourism, and government spending are important drivers of the state economy.[222] The state government has an elaborate system of tax credits and technical assistance to promote job growth and business investment, especially in new technologies.[223]
As of 2021, New Mexico's gross domestic product was over $95 billion,[224] compared to roughly $80 billion in 2010.[225] State GDP peaked in 2019 at nearly $99 billion but declined in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the per capita personal income was slightly over $45,800, compared to $31,474 in 2007;[226] it was the third lowest in the country after West Virginia and Mississippi.[227] The percentage of persons below the poverty level has largely plateaued in the 21st century, from 18.4% in 2005 to 18.2% in 2021.[228][229]
Traditionally dependent on resource extraction, ranching, and railroad transportation, New Mexico has increasingly shifted towards services, high-end manufacturing, and tourism.[230][231] Since 2017, the state has seen a steady rise in the number of annual visitors, culminating in a record-breaking 39.2 million tourists in 2021, which had a total economic income of $10 billion.[232] New Mexico has also seen greater investment in media and scientific research.
Oil and gas
New Mexico is the second largest crude oil and ninth largest natural gas producer in the United States;[233] it overtook North Dakota in oil production in July 2021 and is expected to continue expanding.[234] The Permian and San Juan Basins, which are located partly in New Mexico, account for some of these natural resources. In 2000 the value of oil and gas produced was $8.2 billion,[235] and in 2006, New Mexico accounted for 3.4% of the crude oil, 8.5% of the dry natural gas, and 10.2% of the natural gas liquids produced in the United States.[236] However, the boom in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling since the mid-2010s led to a large increase in the production of crude oil from the Permian Basin and other U.S. sources; these developments allowed the United States to again become the world's largest producer of crude oil by 2018.[237][238][239][240] New Mexico's oil and gas operations contribute to the state's above-average release of the greenhouse gas methane, including from a national methane hot spot in the Four Corners area.[241][242][243][244]
In common with other states in the Western U.S., New Mexico receives royalties from the sale of federally owned land to oil and gas companies.[245] It has the highest proportion of federal land with oil and gas, as well as the most lucrative: since the last amendment to the U.S. Mineral Leasing Act in 1987, New Mexico had by far the lowest percent of land sold for the minimum statutory amount of $2 per acre, at just 3%; by contrast, all of Arizona's federal land was sold at the lowest rate, followed by Oregon at 98% and Nevada at 84%.[245] The state had the fourth-highest total acreage sold to the oil and gas industry, at about 1.1 million acres, and the second-highest number of acres currently leased fossil fuel production, at 4.3 million acres, after Wyoming's 9.2 million acres; only 11 percent of these lands, or 474,121 acres, are idle, which is the lowest among Western states.[245] Nevertheless, New Mexico has had recurring disputes and discussions with the U.S. government concerning management and revenue rights over federal land.[246]
Arts and entertainment
Albuquerque Studios, built in 2007 for the rising demand of film production in the state
Reflecting the artistic traditions of the American Southwest, New Mexican art has its origins in the folk arts of the indigenous and Hispanic peoples in the region. Pueblo pottery, Navajo rugs, and Hispano religious icons like kachinas and santos are recognized in the global art world.[247]Georgia O'Keeffe's presence brought international attention to the Santa Fe art scene, and today the city has several notable art establishments and many commercial art galleries along Canyon Road.[248] As the birthplace of William Hanna, and the residence of Chuck Jones, the state also connections to the animation industry.[249][250]
New Mexico provides financial incentives for film production, including tax credits valued at 25–40% of eligible in-state spending.[251][252] A program enacted in 2019 provides benefits to media companies that commit to investing in the state for at least a decade and that use local talent, crew, and businesses.[253] According to the New Mexico Film Office, in 2022, film and television expenditures reached the highest recorded level at over $855 million, compared to $624 million the previous year.[254] During fiscal years 2020–2023, the total direct economic impact from the film tax credit was $2.36 million. In 2018, Netflix chose New Mexico for its first U.S. production hub, pledging to spend over $1 billion over the next decade to create one of the largest film studios in North America at Albuquerque Studios.[255]NBCUniversal followed suit in 2021 with the opening of its own television film studio in the city, committing to spend $500 million in direct production and employ 330 full-time equivalent local jobs over the next decade.[253] Albuquerque is consistently recognized by MovieMaker magazine as one of the top "big cities" in North America to live and work as a filmmaker, and the only city to earn No. 1 for four consecutive years (2019–2022); in 2024, it placed second, after Toronto.[256]
New Mexico has been a science and technology hub since at least the mid-20th century, following heavy federal government investment during the Second World War. Los Alamos was the site of Project Y, the laboratory responsible for designing and developing the world's first atomic bomb for the Manhattan Project. Horticulturist Fabián García developed several new varieties of peppers and other crops at what is now NMSU, which is also a leading space grant college. Robert H. Goddard, credited with ushering the space age, conducted many of his early rocketry tests in Roswell. Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh of Las Cruces discovered Pluto in neighboring Arizona. Personal computer company MITS, which was founded in Albuquerque in 1969, brought about the "microcomputer revolution" with the development of the first commercially successful microcomputer, the Altair 8800; two of its employees, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, later founded Microsoft in the city in 1975.[274][275][276] Multinational technology company Intel, which has had operations in Rio Rancho since 1980, opened its Fab 9 factory in the city in January 2024, part of its commitment to invest $3.5 billion in expanding its operations in the state; it is the company's first high-volume semiconductor operation and the only U.S. factory producing the world's most advanced packaging solutions at scale.[277]
The New Mexican government has aimed to develop the state into a major center for technology startups, namely through financial incentives and public-private partnerships.[273] The bioscience sector has experienced particularly robust growth, beginning with the 2013 opening of a BioScience Center in Albuquerque, the state's first private incubator for biotechnology startups; New Mexicans have since founded roughly 150 bioscience companies, which have received more patents than any other sector.[223] In 2017, New Mexico established the Bioscience Authority to foster local industry development; the following year, pharmaceutical company Curia built two large facilities in Albuquerque, and in 2022 announced plans to invest $100 million to expand local operations.[223] The state is also positioning itself to play a leading role in developing quantum computing, quantum dot, and clean energy technologies.[278][279]
New Mexico's high altitude, generally clear skies, and sparse population have long fostered astronomical and aerospace activities, beginning with the ancient observatories of the Chaco Canyon culture; the "Space Triangle" between Roswell, Alamogordo, and Las Cruces has seen the highest concentration rocket tests and launches.[280] New Mexico is sometimes considered the birthplace of the U.S. space program, beginning with Goddard's design of the first liquid fuel rocket in Roswell in the 1930s.[281] The first rocket to reach space flew from White Sands Missile Range in 1948, and both NASA and the Department of Defense continue to develop and test rockets there and at the adjacent Holloman Air Force Base.[280] New Mexico has also become a major center for private space flight, hosting the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport, Spaceport America, which anchors several major aerospace companies and associated contractors, most notably Branson's Virgin Galactic.[282]
In November 2022, the New Mexico State Investment Council, which manages that state's $38 billion sovereign wealth fund, announced it would commit $100 million towards America's Frontier Fund (AFF), a new venture capital firm that will focus on advanced technologies such as microelectronics and semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, new energy sources, synthetic biology and quantum sciences.[283]
Agriculture and food production
Although much of its land is arid, New Mexico has hosted a variety of agricultural activities for at least 2,500 years, centered mostly on the Rio Grande and its tributaries. This is helped by its long history of acequias, along with other farming and ranching methods within New Mexico. It is regulated by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, specialty areas include various cash crops, cattle ranching, farming, game and fish.
Agriculture contributes $40 billion to New Mexico's economy and employs nearly 260,000 people. As of 2023, the state exports $275 million in agricultural goods and ranks first nationwide in the production of chile peppers, second in pecans, and fifth in onions.[284]
The state vegetables are New Mexico chile peppers and pinto beans, with the former being the most famous and valuable crop. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, New Mexico ranked first in the nation for chile pepper acreage, with Doña Ana and Luna counties placing first and second among U.S. counties in this regard.[285] New Mexico chile sold close to $40 million in 2021, while dry beans accounted for $7.6 million that year. New Mexico is one of the few states commercially producing pistachios, and its piñon harvest (pine nut) is a protected commodity.[286][287][288][289]
Dairy is the state's largest commodity, with sales of milk alone totaling $1.3 billion.[285]Dean Foods owns the Creamland brand in New Mexico, the brand was originally founded in 1937 to expand a cooperative dairy venture known as the Albuquerque Dairy Association.[290] Southwest Cheese Company in Clovis is the among largest cheese production facilities in the United States.[291][292]
Caballero history among the indigenous and Hispano communities in New Mexico have resulted in large-scale ranch lands throughout the state, most of which are within historically Apache, Navajo, Pueblo, and Spanish land grants.[293] Wild game and fish found in the state include Rio Grande cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, crawdads, and venison.
New Mexico's distinctive culture, rich artistic scene, favorable climate, and diverse geography have long been major drivers of tourism. As early as 1880, the state was a major destination for travelers suffering from respiratory illnesses (particularly tuberculosis), with its altitude and aridity believed to be beneficial to the lungs.[295] Since the mid aughts, New Mexico has seen a steady rise in annual visitors, welcoming a record-breaking 39.2 million tourists in 2021.[232]
Federal government spending is a major driver of the New Mexico economy. In 2021, the federal government spent $2.48 on New Mexico for every dollar of tax revenue collected from the state, higher than every state except Kentucky.[298] The same year, New Mexico received $9,624 per resident in federal services, or roughly $20 billion more than what the state pays in federal taxes.[299] The state governor's office estimated that the federal government spends roughly $7.8 billion annually in services such as healthcare, infrastructure development, and public welfare.[129]
New Mexico provides a number of economic incentives to businesses operating in the state, including various types of tax credits and tax exemptions. Most incentives are based on job creation: state and local governments are permitted to provide land, buildings, and infrastructure to businesses that will generate employment.[302] Several municipalities impose an Economic Development Gross receipts tax (a form of Municipal Infrastructure GRT) to pay for these infrastructure improvements and for marketing their areas.[303]
The New Mexico Finance Authority operates the New Market Tax Credits (NMTC) to provide greater access to financing for new, expanding, or relocating businesses in "highly distressed" areas (defined by metrics such as poverty above 30% and median family income below 60% of the statewide median).[304]
New Mexico is one of the largest tax havens in the U.S., offering numerous economic incentives and tax breaks on personal and corporate income.[305][306] It does not levy taxes on inheritance, estate, or sales.[307][308] Personal income tax rates range from 1.7% to 5.9% within five income brackets;[309] the top marginal rate was increased from 4.9% in 2021 per a 2019 law.[310]Active-duty military salaries are exempt from state income tax, as is income earned by Native American members of federally recognized tribes on tribal land.[311]
New Mexico imposes a Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) on many transactions, which may even include some governmental receipts. This resembles a sales tax but, unlike the sales taxes in many states, it applies to services as well as tangible goods. Normally, the provider or seller passes the tax on to the purchaser; however, legal incidence and burden apply to the business, as an excise tax. GRT is imposed by the state and by some counties and municipalities.[312] As of 2021, the combined tax rate ranged from 5.125% to 9.063%.[313]
Property tax is imposed on real property by the state, by counties, and by school districts. In general, personal use personal property is not subject to property taxation. On the other hand, property tax is levied on most business-use personal property. The taxable value of property is one-third the assessed value. A tax rate of about 30 mills is applied to the taxable value, resulting in an effective tax rate of about 1%. In the 2005 tax year, the average millage was about 26.47 for residential property, and 29.80 for non-residential property. Assessed values of residences cannot be increased by more than 3% per year unless the residence is remodeled or sold. Property tax deductions are available for military veterans and heads of household.[314]
A 2021 analysis by the nonprofit Tax Foundation placed New Mexico 23rd in business tax climate; its property taxes were found to be the least burdensome in the U.S., while taxation for unemployment insurance and on corporations each ranked as the ninth least burdensome.[315]
Wealth and poverty
New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the U.S. and has long struggled with poverty.[316] Its poverty rate of roughly 18% is among the highest in the country, exceeded only by Louisiana and Mississippi. In 2017, nearly 30% of New Mexico's children were in poverty, which is 40% higher than the national average.[136] The majority of births (54%) were financed by Medicaid, a federal healthcare program for the poor, the third highest of any state.[317] As of May 2021, around 44% of residents were enrolled in Medicaid.
New Mexico ranks 39th in the share of households with more than $1 million in wealth (5%), and among fourteen states without a Fortune 500 company.[318] The state has a relatively high level of income disparity, with a Gini coefficient of 0.4769, albeit below the national average of 0.486. Household income is slightly less than $47,000, which is the fourth lowest in the U.S. The unemployment rate for June 2021 is 7.9%, tied with Connecticut as the highest in the country, and close to the peak of 8.0% for June–October 2010, following the 2007–2008 financial crisis.[319]
The New Mexico government has enacted several policies to address chronic poverty, including approving a minimum wage increase in January 2021 and requiring paid sick leave.[316] The state's minimum wage of $10.50 is higher than that of the federal government and 34 other states;[320] it is set to increase to $11.50 on January 1, 2022, and $12.00 on January 1, 2023.[321] Additionally, counties and municipalities have set their own minimum wages; Santa Fe County enacted a "Living Wage Ordinance" on March 1, 2021, mandating $12.32.[322]
The New Mexico Legislature is considering implementing a statewide guaranteed basic income program targeting poorer residents; if enacted, it would be only the second U.S. state after California with such a policy.[323] In August 2021, Santa Fe announced a one-year pilot program that would provide a "stability stipend" of $400 monthly to 100 parents under the age of 30 who attend Santa Fe Community College;[324] the results of the program will determine whether the state government follows suit with its own basic income proposals.[325][316] Las Cruces, the state's second largest city, is officially discussing the enactment of a similar program.[325]
New Mexico has long been an important corridor for trade and migration. The builders of the ruins at Chaco Canyon also created a radiating network of roads from the mysterious settlement.[326] Chaco Canyon's trade function shifted to Casas Grandes in the present-day Mexican state of Chihuahua; however, north–south trade continued. The pre-Columbian trade with Mesoamerican cultures included northbound exotic birds, seashells and copper. Turquoise, pottery, and salt were some of the goods transported south along the Rio Grande. Present-day New Mexico's pre-Columbian trade is especially remarkable for being undertaken on foot. The north–south trade route later became a path for horse-drawn colonists arriving from New Spain as well as trade and communication; later called El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, it was among the four "royal roads" that were crucial lifelines to Spanish colonial possessions in North America.[327]
Santa Fe trail sign
The Santa Fe Trail was the 19th-century territory's vital commercial and military highway link to the Eastern United States.[328] Several trails that terminated in northern New Mexico, including the Camino Real, the Santa Fe Trail and the Old Spanish Trail are recognized as National Historic Trails. New Mexico's latitude and low passes made it an attractive east–west transportation corridor.[329] As a territory, the Gadsden Purchase increased New Mexico's land area for the purpose of constructing a southern transcontinental railroad, that of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Another transcontinental railroad was completed by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The railroads essentially replaced the earlier trails but prompted a population boom. Early transcontinental auto trails later crossed the state, bringing more migrants. Railroads were later supplemented or replaced by a system of highways and airports. Today, New Mexico's Interstate Highways approximate the earlier land routes of the Camino Real, the Santa Fe Trail and the transcontinental railroads.
Personal automobiles remain the primary means of transportation for most New Mexicans, especially in rural areas.[123] The state had 59,927 route miles of highway as of 2000[update], of which 7,037 receive federal aid.[330] In that same year there were 1,003 miles (1,614 km) of freeways, of which a thousand were the route miles of Interstate Highways 10, 25 and 40.[331] The former number has increased with the upgrading of roads near Pojoaque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces to freeways. Notable bridges include the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge near Taos. Larger cities in New Mexico typically have some form of public transportation by road; ABQ RIDE is the largest such system in the state.[332] Rural and intercity public transportation by road is provided by Americanos USA, LLC, Greyhound Lines and several government operators.
New Mexico is plagued by poor road conditions, with roughly a third of its roadways suffering from "inadequate state and local funding".[333] As of 2001[update], 703 highway bridges, or one percent, were declared "structurally deficient" or "structurally obsolete".[334] Data from 2019 found 207 bridges and more than 3,822 miles of highway in less than subpar condition, resulting in greater commute times and higher costs in vehicles maintenance.[335]
New Mexico has historically had a problem with drunk driving, though this has lessened: According to the Los Angeles Times, the state once had the nation's highest alcohol-related crash rates but ranked 25th in this regard by July 2009.[336] The highway traffic fatality rate was 1.9 per million miles traveled in 2000, the 13th highest rate among U.S. states.[337] A 2022 report cited poor road as a major factor in New Mexico's continually high traffic fatalities; between 2015 and 2019, close 1,900 people were killed in automotive crashes in the state.[333]
New Mexico has only three Interstate Highways: Interstate 10 travels southwest from the Arizona state line near Lordsburg to the area between Las Cruces and Anthony, near El Paso, Texas; Interstate 25 is a major north–south interstate highway starting from Las Cruces to the Colorado state line near Raton; and Interstate 40 is a major east–west interstate highway starting from the Arizona state line west of Gallup to the Texas state line east from Tucumcari. In Albuquerque, I-25 and I-40 meet at a stack interchange called The BigI. The state is tied with Delaware, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Island in having the fewest primary interstate routes, which is partly a reflection of its rugged geography and sparse population.[338]
New Mexico currently has 15 United States Highways, which account for over 2,980 miles (4,800 km) of its highway system. All but seven of its 33 counties are served by U.S. routes, with most of the remainder connected by Interstate Highways. Most routes were built in 1926 by the state government and are still managed and maintained by state or local authorities. The longest is U.S. 70, which spans over 448 miles (721 km) across southern New Mexico, making up roughly 15% of the state's total U.S. Highway length; the shortest is U.S. 160, which runs just 0.86 miles (1.38 km) across the northwestern corner of the state, between the Arizona and Colorado borders.
The most famous route in New Mexico, if not the United States, was U.S. 66, colloquially known as the nation's "Mother Road" for its scenic beauty and importance to migrants fleeing West from the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.[339] The road crossed through northern New Mexico, connecting the cities of Albuquerque and Gallup, before being replaced by I-40 in 1985. Much of U.S. 66 remains in use for tourism and has been preserved for historical significance.[340] Another famous route was U.S. 666, which ran south to north along the western portion of the state, serving the Four Corners area. It was known as the "Devil's Highway" due to the number 666 denoting the "Number of the beast" in Christianity; this numerical designation, as well as its high fatality rate was subject to controversy, superstition, and numerous cultural references. U.S. 666 was subsequently renamed U.S. Route 491 in 2003.
Many existing and former highways in New Mexico are recognized for their aesthetic, cultural, or historical significance, particularly for tourism purposes.[341] The state hosts ten out of 184 "America's Byways", which are federally designated for preservation due to their scenic beauty or national importance.[342]
There were 2,354 route miles of railroads in the year 2000; this number increased by a few miles with the opening of the Rail Runner's extension to Santa Fe in 2006.[343] In addition to local railroads and other tourist lines, the state jointly owns and operates a heritage narrow-gauge steam railroad, the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway, with the state of Colorado since 1970. Narrow-gauge railroads once connected many communities in the northern part of the state, from Farmington to Santa Fe.[344]: 110 No fewer than 100 railroads of various names and lineage have operated in the state at some point.[344]: 8 New Mexico's rail transportation system reached its height in terms of length following admission as a state; in 1914, eleven railroads operated 3124 route miles.[344]: 10
The rise of rail transportation was a major source of demographic and economic growth in the state, with many settlements expanding or being established shortly thereafter. As early as 1878, the ATSF promoted tourism in the region with an emphasis on Native American imagery.[346]: 64 Named trains often reflected the territory they traveled: Super Chief, the streamlined successor to the Chief;[346]Navajo, an early transcontinental tourist train; and Cavern, a through car operation connecting Clovis and Carlsbad (by the early 1950s as train 23–24), were some of the named passenger trains of the ATSF that connoted New Mexico,[344]: 49–50 [347]: 51 The Super Chief became a favorite of early Hollywood stars and among the most famous named trains in the U.S.; it was known for its luxury and exoticness, with cars bearing the name of regional Native American tribes and outfitted with the artwork of many local artists – but also for its speed: as brief as 39 hours 45 minutes westbound from Chicago to Los Angeles.[346]
At its height, passenger train service once connected nine of New Mexico's present ten most populous cities (the sole exception is Rio Rancho); currently, only Albuquerque and Santa Fe are connected by a rail network.[348] With the decline of most intercity rail service in the U.S. in the late 1960s, New Mexico was left with minimal services; no less than six daily long-distance roundtrip trains, supplemented by many branch-line and local trains, served New Mexico in the early 1960s. Declines in passenger revenue, but not necessarily ridership, prompted many railroads to turn over their passenger services in truncated form to Amtrak, a state-owned enterprise. Amtrak, also known as the National Passenger Railroad Corporation, began operating the two extant long-distance routes on May 1, 1971.[344][346][347]
Resurrection of passenger rail service from Denver to El Paso, a route once plied in part by the ATSF's El Pasoan,[347]: 37 has been proposed; in the 1980s, then–Governor Toney Anaya suggested building a high-speed rail line connecting the two cities with New Mexico's major cities.[349] In 2004, the Colorado-based nonprofit Front Range Commuter Rail was established with the goal of connecting Wyoming and New Mexico with high-speed rail;[350] however, it became inactive in 2011.[351]
Downtown Santa Fe train station
Since 2006, a state owned, privately run commuter railway, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, has served the Albuquerque metropolitan area, connecting the city proper with Santa Fe and other communities.[348][352] The system expanded in 2008 with the adding of the BNSF Railway's line from Belen to a few miles south of Lamy.[353] Phase II of Rail Runner extended the line northward to Santa Fe from the Sandoval County station, the northernmost station under Phase I service; the service now connects Santa Fe, Sandoval, Bernalillo, and Valencia counties. Rail Runner operates scheduled service seven days per week,[354] connecting Albuquerque's population base and central business district to downtown Santa Fe with up to eight roundtrips in a day; the section of the line running south to Belen is served less frequently.[355]
Amtrak's Southwest Chief passes through daily at stations in Gallup, Albuquerque, Lamy, Las Vegas, and Raton, offering connections to Los Angeles, Chicago and intermediate points.[356] A successor to the Super Chief and El Capitan,[347]: 115 the Southwest Chief is permitted a maximum speed of 90 mph (140 km/h) in various places on the tracks of the BNSF Railway;[357] it also operates on New Mexico Rail Runner Express trackage. The Sunset Limited makes stops three times a week in both directions at Lordsburg, and Deming, serving Los Angeles, New Orleans and intermediate points.[358] The Sunset Limited is the successor to the Southern Pacific Railroad's train of the same name and operates exclusively on Union Pacific trackage in New Mexico.
New Mexico is served by two of the nation's ten class I railroads, which denote the highest revenue railways for freight: the BNSF Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad. Together they operate 2,200 route miles of railway in the state.[343]
Due to its sparse population and many isolated, rural communities, New Mexico ranks among the states most reliant on Essential Air Service, a federal program that maintains a minimal level of scheduled air service to communities that are otherwise unprofitable for commercial airlines.
Over 300 suborbital flights have been successfully launched from Spaceport America since 2006, with the most notable being Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity on May 22, 2021, which made New Mexico the third U.S. state to launch humans into space, after California and Florida.[364][365]
On October 22, 2021, Spaceport America was the site of the first successfully tested vacuum-sealed "suborbital accelerator", which aims to offer a significantly more economical alternative to launching satellites via rockets.[366] Conducted by Spaceport tenant SpinLaunch, the test is the first of roughly 30 demonstrations being planned.[366]
The Constitution of New Mexico was adopted by popular referendum in 1911. It establishes a republican form of government based on popular sovereignty and a separation of powers. New Mexico has a bill of rights modeled on its federal counterpart, but with more expansive rights and freedoms; for example, victims of certain serious crimes, such as aggravated battery and sexual assault, have explicit rights to privacy, dignity, and the timely adjudication of their case.[367] Major state issues may be decided by popular vote, and the constitution may be amended by a majority vote of both lawmakers and the electorate.[368]
The legislative branch consists of the bicameral New Mexico Legislature, comprising the 70-member House of Representatives and the 42-member Senate. Members of the House are elected to two-year terms, while those of the Senate are elected every four years. New Mexican legislators are unique in the U.S. for being volunteers, receiving only a daily stipend while in session; this "citizen legislature" dates back to New Mexico's admission as a state, and is considered a source of civic pride.[369]
The judiciary is headed by the New Mexico Supreme Court, the state's highest court, which primarily adjudicates appeals from lower courts or government agencies. It is made up of five judges popularly elected every eight years with overlapping terms. Below the state supreme court is the New Mexico Court of Appeals, which has intermediate appellate jurisdiction statewide. New Mexico has 13 judicial districts with circuit courts of general jurisdiction, as well as various municipal, magistrate, and probate courts of limited jurisdiction.
New Mexico is organized into a number of local governments consisting of counties, municipalities, and special districts.[370]
Since achieving statehood in 1912, New Mexico has been carried by the national popular vote winner in every presidential election except in 1976 and 2024.[377] Until 2008, New Mexico was traditionally a swing state in presidential elections. The 1992 election of Bill Clinton marked the first time the state was won by a Democrat since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. Al Gore narrowly carried the state in 2000 by 366 votes, and George W. Bush won in 2004 by less than 6,000 votes. The election of Barack Obama in 2008 marked the state's transition into a Democratic stronghold; Obama was also the first Democrat to win a majority of New Mexico votes since Johnson.[378] Obama won New Mexico again in 2012, followed by Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020, and Kamala Harris in 2024.
Party registration by New Mexico county (February 2023):
Democratic >= 30%
Democratic >= 40%
Democratic >= 50%
Democratic >= 60%
Democratic >= 70%
Republican >= 40%
Republican >= 50%
Republican >= 60%
Although state politics are decidedly Democratic leaning, New Mexico's political culture is relatively moderate and bipartisan by national standards. While registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 200,000, New Mexico voters have historically favored moderate to conservative candidates of both parties at the state and federal levels: According to Pew Research, the largest political ideology among New Mexicans is political moderate at 36%, while 34% are conservatives, 23% are liberal, and 7% stated they did not know.[379] Likewise, New Mexico's demographics are atypical of most traditional liberal states with "political ideology [being] less important" than the profile or outreach efforts of the individual candidate.[380] Due to their historically positive connections to the state's heritage, the Republican and Democratic parties of New Mexico are each relatively robust, and New Mexico is considered a bellwether state.[381][382][383][384][385] The state's Republican Party was the first to incorporate Hispanics and Natives into leadership roles, such as territorial governor Miguel Antonio Otero and state governor Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, who was later the first Mexican American and first Hispanic member of the U.S. Senate.[386][387] Republican president Theodore Roosevelt had much respect for the Hispanos, Mexican Americans, and indigenous communities of New Mexico, many of whom had been a part of his Rough Riders.[388][389]
Lujan Grisham succeeded two-term Republican governor Susana Martinez on January 1, 2019. Gary Johnson was governor from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican, but in 2012 and 2016 ran for president from the Libertarian Party. New Mexico's Second Congressional District is among the most competitive in the country: Republican Herrell narrowly lost to DemocratXochitl Torres Small in 2018 but retook her seat in 2020, subsequently losing to Democrat Gabe Vasquez in 2022.[380] Recent election cycles within the past decade have seen moderate incumbents replaced by progressive Democrats in cities like Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces, with conservative Republicans being elected in rural areas. Democrats in the state are usually strongest in the Santa Fe area, parts of the Albuquerque metro area (such as the southeast and central areas, including the affluent Nob Hill neighborhood and the vicinity of the University of New Mexico), Northern and West Central New Mexico, and most Native American reservations, particularly the Navajo Nation.[378] Republicans have traditionally had their strongholds in the eastern and southern parts of the state, the Farmington area, Rio Rancho, and the newly developed areas in the northwest mesa. Albuquerque's Northeast Heights have historically leaned Republican but have become a key swing area for Democrats in recent election cycles.
A 2020 study ranked New Mexico as the 20th hardest state for citizens to vote, due mostly to the inaccessibility of polling stations among many isolated communities.[390]
Female minority representation
New Mexico has elected more women of color to public office than any other U.S. state.[391] While the trend is partly reflective of the state's disproportionately high Hispanic and indigenous populations, it also reflects longstanding cultural and political trends: In 1922, Soledad Chávez Chacón was the first woman elected secretary of state of New Mexico, and the first Hispanic woman elected to statewide office in the United States. Republican governor Susana Martinez was the first Hispanic female governor in the United States, and Democrat congresswoman Deb Haaland was among the first Native American women elected to the U.S. Congress.[392][393]
Research by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University found that two-thirds of all nonwhite women who have ever been elected governor in the U.S. are from New Mexico, including the current governor, Lujan Grisham. The state also accounts for nearly one-third of the women of color who have served in any statewide executive office, such as lieutenant governor and secretary of state, a distinction shared by only ten other states.[391] New Mexico also has a relatively high percentage of state legislators who are women of color, which at 16% is the sixth highest in the nation.
New Mexico is described as a "national leader in electing female legislators".[394] As of January 2023, it ranked sixth in the number of female state legislators (43.8%),[395] with women comprising a majority of the New Mexico House of Representatives (53%) and over a quarter of the Senate (29%).[394] Women also hold a majority of seats on the state Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.[394] At the federal level, two out of three congressional districts are represented by women.
Local government in New Mexico consists primarily of counties and municipalities. There are 33 counties, of which the most populous is Bernalillo, which contains the state's largest city, Albuquerque. Counties are usually governed by an elected five-member county commission, sheriff, assessor, clerk and treasurer. A municipality may call itself a village, town, or city,[396] with no distinction in law and no correlation to any particular form of government. Municipal elections are non-partisan.[397] In addition, limited local authority can be vested in special districts and landowners' associations.
Law
New Mexico is one of 23 states without the death penalty,[398] becoming the 15th state to abolish capital punishment in 2009.[399]
United States presidential election results for New Mexico[400]
The state has among the most permissive firearms laws in the country.[401] Its constitution explicitly enshrines the right to bear arms and prevents local governments from regulating gun ownership.[402] Residents may purchase any firearm deemed legal under federal law without a permit.[401] There is a 7-day waiting period under state law for picking up a firearm after it has been purchased (holders of concealed handgun licenses are exempt from the 7-day waiting period), nor any restrictions on magazine capacity. Additionally, New Mexico is a "shall-issue" state for concealed carry permits, thus giving applicants a presumptive right to receive a license without giving a compelling reason.[403]
Before December 2013, New Mexico law was silent on the issue of same-sex marriage. The issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples was determined at the county level, with some county clerks issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and others not. In December 2013, the New Mexico Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling directing all county clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, thereby making New Mexico the 17th state to recognize same-sex marriage statewide.
Based on 2008 data, New Mexico had 146 law enforcement agencies across the state, county, and municipal levels.[404] State law enforcement is statutorily administered by the Department of Public Safety (DPS).[405] The New Mexico State Police is a division of the DPS with jurisdiction over all crimes in the state.[406][407] As of 2008, New Mexico had over 5,000 sworn police officers, a ratio of 252 per 100,000 residents, which is roughly the same as the nation.[404] The state struggles with one of the nation's highest rates of officer-involved killings, which has prompted political and legal reforms at local and state levels.[408]
In April 2021, New Mexico became the 18th state to legalize cannabis for recreational use; possession, personal cultivation, and retail sales are permitted under certain conditions, while relevant marijuana-related arrests and convictions are expunged.[409] New Mexico has long pioneered loosening cannabis restrictions: In 1978, it was the first state to pass legislation allowing the medical use of marijuana in some form, albeit restricted to a federal research program.[410] In 1999, Republican Governor Gary Johnson became the highest-ranking elected official in the U.S. to publicly endorse drug legalization.[411] Medicinal marijuana was fully legalized in 2007, making New Mexico the 12th state to do so, and the fourth via legislative action.[412] In 2019, it was the first U.S. state to decriminalize possession of drug paraphernalia.[413]
As of June 2022, New Mexico has one of the nation's most permissive abortion laws: Elective abortion care is legal at all stages of pregnancy, without restrictions such as long waiting periods and mandated parental consent.[414] In 2021, the state repealed a 1969 "trigger law" that had banned most abortion procedures, which would have come into effect following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.[415] In response to the Dobbs decision, which held that abortion was not a constitutional right, New Mexico's governor issued an executive order protecting abortion providers from out-of-state litigation, in anticipation of the influx of nonresidents seeking abortions.[415][416]
Fiscal policy
On a per capita basis, New Mexico's government has one of the largest state budgets, at $9,101 per resident.[417] As of 2017, the state had an S&P Global Rating of AA+, denoting a very strong capacity to meet financial commitments alongside a very low credit risk.
New Mexico has two constitutionally mandated permanent funds: The Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF), which was established upon statehood in 1912, and the Severance Tax Permanent Fund (STPF), which was created in 1973 during the oil boom.[418] Both funds derive revenue from rents, royalties, and bonuses related to the state's extensive oil, gas, and mining operations; the vast majority of the LGPF's distributions are earmarked for "common (public) schools", while all distributions from the STPF are allocated to the LGPF.[418] As of 2020, the Land Grant Permanent Fund was valued at $21.6 billion, while the Severance Tax Permanent Fund was worth $5.8 billion.[418]
Due to its relatively low population and numerous federally funded research facilities, New Mexico had the highest concentration of PhD holders of any state in 2000.[419]Los Alamos County, which hosts the eponymous national laboratory, leads the state in the most post-secondary degree holders, at 38.7% of residents, or 4,899 of 17,950.[420] However, New Mexico routinely ranks near the bottom in studies measuring the quality of primary and secondary school education.[421]
By national standards, New Mexico has one of the highest concentrations of persons who did not finish high school or have some college education, albeit by a low margin: Slightly more than 14% of residents did not have a high school diploma, compared to the national rate of 11.4%, the fifth lowest out of 52 U.S. states and territories. Almost a quarter of people over 25 (23.9%) did not complete college,[130] compared with 21% nationally.[422] New Mexico ranks among the bottom ten states in the proportion of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher (27.7%), but 21st in PhD earners (12.2%); the national average is 33.1% and 12.8%, respectively. In 2020, the number of doctorate recipients was 300, placing the state 34th in the nation.[423]
In 2018, a state judge issued a landmark ruling that "New Mexico is violating the constitutional rights of at-risk students by failing to provide them with sufficient education", in particularly those with indigenous, non-English-speaking, and low-income backgrounds.[424] The court ordered the governor and legislature to provide an adequate system by April 2019;[425] in response, New Mexico increased teacher salaries, funded an extended school year, expanded prekindergarten childhood education programs, and developed a budget formula for delivering more funding to schools that serve at-risk and low-income students.[426] Nevertheless, many activists and public officials contend that these efforts continue to fall short, particularly with respect to Native American schools and students.[426]
The New Mexico Public Education Department oversees the operation of primary and secondary schools; individual school districts directly operate and staff said schools.
In January 2022, New Mexico became the first state in the U.S. to recruit national guardsmen and state workers to serve as substitute teachers due to staffing shortages caused by COVID-19.[427] Partly in response to pandemic-related shortages, on March 1, 2022, Governor Grisham signed into law four bills to increase the salaries and benefits of teachers and other school staff, particularly in entry-level positions.[428]
Public New Mexico colleges and universities. New Mexico Higher Education Department.
New Mexico has 41 accredited, degree-granting institutions; twelve are private and 29 are state-funded, including four tribal colleges.[429][430][431] Additionally, select students can attend certain institutions in Colorado, at in-state tuition rates, pursuant to a reciprocity program between the two states.[432]
Graduates of four-year colleges in New Mexico have some of the lowest student debt burdens in the U.S.; the class of 2017 owed an average of $21,237 compared with a national average of $28,650, according to the Institute for College Access & Success.[433]
New Mexico ranked 13th in the 2022 Social Mobility Index (SMI), which measures the extent to which economically disadvantaged students (with family incomes below the national median) have access to colleges and universities with lower tuition and indebtedness and higher job prospects.[434]
New Mexico is one of eight states that fund college scholarships through the state lottery.[435][436][437] The state requires that the lottery put 30% of its gross sales into the scholarship fund.[438]
The scholarship is available to residents who graduated from a state high school, and attend a state university full-time while maintaining a 2.5 GPA or higher.[439] It covered 100% of tuition when it was first instated in 1996,[440] decreased to 90%, then dropped to 60% in 2017.[436] The value slightly increased in 2018, and new legislation was passed to outline what funds are available per type of institution.[440]
Opportunity scholarship
In September 2019, New Mexico announced a plan to make tuition at its public colleges and universities free for all state residents, regardless of family income.[433] The proposal was described as going further than any other existing state or federal plan or program at the time.[433] In March 2022, New Mexico became the first state to offer free college tuition for all residents, after the legislature passed a bipartisan bill allocating almost 1 percent of the state budget toward covering tuition and fees at all 29 public colleges, universities, community colleges, and tribal colleges.[441] The program, which takes effect July 1, 2022, is described as among the most ambitious and generous in the country, as it is available to all residents regardless of income, work status, or legal status, and is provided without taking into account other scholarships and sources of financial aid.[441]
Four campus libraries
Zimmerman Library at The University of New Mexico
Zuhl Library at New Mexico State University
Walkway outside Golden Library at Eastern New Mexico University
Donnelly Library at New Mexico Highlands University
New Mexican culture is a unique fusion of indigenous, Spanish, Hispanic, and American influences. The state bears some of the oldest evidence of human habitation, with thousands of years of indigenous heritage giving way to centuries of successive migration and settlement by Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-American colonists. The intermingling of these diverse groups is reflected in New Mexico's demographics, toponyms, cuisine, dialect, and identity. The state's distinct culture and image are reflected in part by the fact that many Americans do not know it is part of the U.S.;[442] this misconception variably elicits frustration, amusement, or even pride among New Mexicans as evidence of their unique heritage.[443][444]
Compared to other Western states, New Mexico's Spanish and Mexican heritage remain more visible and enduring, due to it having been the oldest, most populous, and most important province in New Spain's northern periphery.[446] However, some historians allege that this history has been understated or marginalized by persistent American biases and misconceptions towards Spanish colonial history.[447]
New Mexico is an important center of Native American culture. Some 200,000 residents, about one-tenth of the population, are of indigenous descent,[448] ranking third in size,[449] and second proportionally,[450] nationwide. There are 23 federally recognized tribal nations, each with its distinct culture, history, and identity. Both the Navajo and Apache share Athabaskan origin, with the latter living on three federal reservations in the state.[451] The Navajo Nation, which spans over 16 million acres (6.5 millionha), mostly in neighboring Arizona, is the largest reservation in the U.S., with one-third of its members living in New Mexico.[448]Pueblo Indians, who share a similar lifestyle but are culturally and linguistically distinct, live in 19 pueblos scattered throughout the state, which collectively span over 2 million acres (800,000 ha).[452] The Puebloans have a long history of independence and autonomy, which has shaped their identity and culture.[38] Many indigenous New Mexicans have moved to urban areas throughout the state, and some cities such as Gallup are major hubs of Native American culture.[445] New Mexico is also a hub for indigenous communities beyond its borders: the annual Gathering of Nations, which began in 1983, has been described as the largest pow wow in the U.S., drawing hundreds of native tribes from across North America.[453]
Almost half of New Mexicans claim Hispanic origin; many are descendants of colonial settlers called Hispanos or Neomexicanos, who settled mostly in the north of the state between the 16th and 18th centuries; by contrast, the majority of Mexican immigrants reside in the south. Some Hispanos claim Jewish ancestry through descendance from conversos or Crypto-Jews among early Spanish colonists.[454] Many New Mexicans speak a unique dialect known as New Mexican Spanish, which was shaped by the region's historical isolation and various cultural influences; New Mexican Spanish lacks certain vocabulary from other Spanish dialects and uses numerous Native American words for local features, as well as anglicized words that express American concepts and modern inventions.[455]
The earliest New Mexico artists whose work survives today are the Mimbres Indians, whose black and white pottery could be mistaken for modern art, except for the fact that it was produced before 1130 CE. Many examples of this work can be seen at the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum[462] and at the Western New Mexico University Museum.[463]
Interior of the Crosby Theater at the Santa Fe Opera, viewed from the mezzanine
As New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque hosts many of the state's leading cultural events and institutions, including the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, and the famed annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The National Hispanic Cultural Center has held hundreds of performing arts events, art showcases, and other events related to Spanish culture in New Mexico and worldwide in the centerpiece Roy E Disney Center for the Performing Arts or in other venues at the 53-acre facility. New Mexico residents and visitors alike can enjoy performing art from around the world at Popejoy Hall on the campus of the University of New Mexico. Popejoy Hall hosts singers, dancers, Broadway shows, other types of acts, and Shakespeare.[465] Albuquerque also has the unique and iconic KiMo Theater built in 1927 in the Pueblo Revival Style architecture. The KiMo presents live theater and concerts as well as movies and simulcast operas.[466] In addition to other general interest theaters, Albuquerque also has the African American Performing Arts Center and Exhibit Hall which showcases achievements by people of African descent[467] and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center which highlights the cultural heritage of the First Nations people of New Mexico.[468]
New Mexico holds strong to its Spanish heritage. Old Spanish traditions such zarzuelas and flamenco are popular;[469][470] the University of New Mexico is the only institute of higher education in the world with a program dedicated to flamenco.[471] Flamenco dancer and native New Mexican María Benítez founded the Maria Benítez Institute for Spanish Arts "to present programs of the highest quality of the rich artistic heritage of Spain, as expressed through music, dance, visual arts, and other art forms". There is also the annual Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque, where native Spanish and New Mexican flamenco dancers perform at the University of New Mexico; it is the largest and oldest flamenco event outside of Spain.[472]
Silver City, originally a mining town, is now a major hub and exhibition center for large numbers of artists, visual and otherwise.[484] Another former mining town turned art haven is Madrid, New Mexico, which was brought to national fame as the filming location for the 2007 movie Wild Hogs.[485] Las Cruces, in southern New Mexico, has a museum system affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program,[486] and hosts a variety of cultural and artistic opportunities for residents and visitors.[487]
The Western genre immortalized the varied mountainous, riparian, and desert environment into film.[92] Owing to a combination of financial incentives, low cost, and geographic diversity, New Mexico has long been a popular setting or filming location for various films and television series. In addition to Wild Hogs, other movies filmed in New Mexico include Sunshine Cleaning and Vampires. Various seasons of the A&E/Netflix series Longmire were filmed in several New Mexico locations, including Las Vegas, Santa Fe, Eagle Nest, and Red River.[488] The widely acclaimed Breaking Bad franchise was set and filmed in and around Albuquerque, a product of the ongoing success of media in the city in large part helped by Albuquerque Studios, and the presence of production studios like Netflix and NBCUniversal.[489][490][82]
Olympic gold medalist Tom Jager, an advocate of controversial high-altitude training for swimming, has conducted training camps in Albuquerque at 5,312 feet (1,619m) and Los Alamos at 7,320 feet (2,231m).[510]
New Mexico is a major hub for various shooting sports, mainly concentrated in the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, which is largest and most comprehensive competitive shooting range and training facility in the U.S.[511]
Historic heritage
Owing to its millennia of habitation and over two centuries of Spanish colonial rule, New Mexico features a significant number of sites with historical and cultural significance. Forty-six locations across the state are listed by the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the 18th highest of any state.[512]
New Mexico has nine of the country's 84 national monuments, which are sites federally protected by presidential proclamation; this is the second-highest number after Arizona.[112] The monuments include some of the earliest to have been created: El Morro and Gila Cliff Dwellings, proclaimed in 1906 and 1907, respectively; both preserve the state's ancient indigenous heritage.[112]
New Mexico is one of 20 states with a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and among only eight with more than one. Excluding sites shared between states, New Mexico has the most World Heritage Sites in the country, with three exclusively within its territory.[513][514][515]
Other
Since 1970, New Mexico Magazine has had a standing feature, One of Our 50 Is Missing Archived June 21, 2023, at the Wayback Machine, which relates often humorous anecdotes about instances in which people elsewhere do not realize New Mexico is a state, confuse it with the nation of Mexico, or otherwise mistake it as being a foreign country. The state's license plates say "New Mexico USA", so as to avoid confusion with Mexico, which it borders to the southwest. New Mexico is the only state that specifies "USA" on its license plates.[516]
^"Any other citizen, regardless of race, in the State of New Mexico who has not paid one cent of tax of any kind or character, if he possesses the other qualifications, may vote. An Indian, and only an Indian, in order to meet the qualifications to vote, must have paid a tax. How you can escape the conclusion that makes a requirement with respect to an Indian as a qualification to exercise the elective franchise and does not make that requirement with respect to the member of any race is beyond me."
^Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
^Sector, End-Use (June 19, 2014). "New Mexico Profile". Homepage – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
^Roberts, Calvin A. Roberts; Susan A. (2006). New Mexico (Rev. ed.). Albuquerque: Univ. of New Mexico Press. pp. 64–65. ISBN978-0-8263-4003-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^For example, the Great Canadian Parks website suggests the Navajos may be descendants of the lost Naha tribe, a Slavey tribe from the Nahanni region west of Great Slave Lake. "Nahanni National Park Reserve". Great Canadian Parks. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
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^Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin, Don Domingo de San Antón Muñón (2006). Namala, Doris; Lockhart, James; Schroeder, Susan (eds.). Annals of His Time: Don Domingo de San Antón Muñón Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin. Stanford University Press. p. 144. ISBN9780804754545. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023. inchan yn ompa huehue mexico aztlan quinehuayan chicomoztoc yn axcan quitocayotia yancuic mexico
^"Yancuic Mexico". Online Nahuatl Dictionary. Wired Humanities Projects, University of Oregon. Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
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^Stewart, George (2008) [1945]. Names on the Land: A Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States. New York: NYRB Classics. pp. 23–24. ISBN978-1590172735. There was Francisco de Ibarra, a great seeker after gold mines. In 1563, he went far to the north... when he returned south, Ibarra boasted that he had discovered a New Mexico. Doubtless, like others, he stretched the tale, and certainly, the land of which he told was well south of the one now so-called. Yet, men remembered the name Nuevo México, though not at first, as that of the region which Coronado had once conquered.
^Sanchez, Joseph P. (1987). The Rio Abajo Frontier, 1540–1692: A History of Early Colonial New Mexico. Albuquerque: Museum of Albuquerque History Monograph Series. p. 51.
^Rivera, José A., Acequia Culture: Water, Land, and Community in the Southwest, University of New Mexico Press, 1998.
^ abMurphy, Dan (2000). New Mexico, the distant land: an illustrated history. photo research by John O. Baxter. Sun Valley, CA: American Historical Press. ISBN978-1892724090.
^Simmons, Mark (1991). The Last Conquistador: Juan De Oñate and the Settling of the Far Southwest. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN978-0806123684.
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^The Pueblo Revolt of 1680:Conquest and Resistance in Seventeenth-Century New Mexico, By, Andrew L. Knaut, University of Oklahoma Press: Norman, 1995
^"The Climax of Conflicts with Native Americans in New Mexico: Spanish and Mexican Antecedents to U.S. Treaty Making during the U.S.-Mexico War, 1846–1848". New Mexico Historical Review. January 1, 2001. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022. American policy swiftly sought to reenact Hispano and Nativo peace treaties "Domestic and imperial reforms finally provided peace treaties during the last quarter of the eighteenth century." "Apaches, Navajos, and Comanches to sue for peace in 1775 and 1786. In return for annual gifts, food rations, horses, and supplies, warriors promised to honor these long-sought peace treaties." "Pueblos, the Comanche, Ute, and Navajo nations enlisted in Spanish armies as auxiliaries against defiant Apaches." "Implicit in these treaties were Spanish assurances that the king would protect each tribe from the others" "The Spanish responded by counterattacking in great strength at Canyon de Chelly, a principal Navajo sanctuary, resulting in the chieftains' request for peace. Signed on 12 May 1805 at Jemez Pueblo, the peace treaty featured a Navajo promise that the nation would not claim.the. Cebolleta area" "Navajos seemed to comply with treaty terms, even turning over criminals to the governor."
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^ abNoel, Linda C. (August 1, 2011). ""I am an American": Anglos, Mexicans, Nativos, and the National Debate over Arizona and New Mexico Statehood". Pacific Historical Review. 80 (3). University of California Press: 430–467. doi:10.1525/phr.2011.80.3.430. ISSN0030-8684.
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^Romero Díaz, Aldemaro; Trauth, Joy (2008). Adventures in the wild: tales from biologists of the natural state. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press. p. 94. ISBN978-1-61075-005-9. OCLC787842819.
^Si Robertson; Justin Martin; John-David Owen; John Godwin (February 1, 2022). "Uncle Si Was Chased by Coyotes — Twice". Duck Call Room (Podcast). Event occurs at 4:00. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022. That's one of the coolest duck hunts I've ever had.
^Thompson, Bruce Carlyle; United States (1996). An ecological framework for monitoring sustainable management of wildlife: a New Mexico furbearer example. [Washington, D.C.], Denver, CO: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Biological Service; May be obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services. OCLC37231447.
^"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2018 – United States – Combined Statistical Area; and for Puerto Rico". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. March 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
^2010 Census Data. "2010 Census Data". Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 22, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Bills, Garland D. and Neddy A. Vigil (2008). The Spanish Language of New Mexico and Southern Colorado: A Linguistic Atlas. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. p. 14. ISBN978-0826345493
^Rubén Cobos. A Dictionary of New Mexico & Southern Colorado Spanish. Santa Fe: Museum of New Mexico Press, 2003
^Feith, Michel (2014). "Intertextuality and Interspirituality: Buddhist and Shinto Ideographs in Gerald Vizenor's". Revue française d'études américaines (141): 159–170. ISSN0397-7870. JSTOR43831082.
^Vasquez, Manuel (1996). New age holistic health: implications for Seventh-day Adventist faith and practice. OCLC35791610.
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^Suina, Kim. "Indigenous trade". Digital History Project – Book of Migrations. New Mexico Office of the State Historian. Archived from the original on September 3, 2007. Retrieved March 31, 2009.
^U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-2: New Mexico Public Road Length, Miles by Ownership 2000 [2]Archived October 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-1: New Mexico Public Road Length, by Functional System [3]Archived October 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^ abU.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-9: Freight Railroads in New Mexico and the United States: 2000 [5]Archived March 20, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
^ abc"New Mexico and its Railroads". La Crónica de Nuevo México/New Mexico Office of the State Historian: Digital History Project – The Book of Mapping. Historical Society of New Mexico. August 1984. Archived from the original on September 3, 2007. Retrieved March 31, 2009.
^ abcdDorin, Patrick C. (2004). Santa Fe Passenger Trains in the Streamlined Era. design and layout by Megan Johnson. US: TLC Publishing, Inc. ISBN978-1883089993.
^"Public Life Landscape Study". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. June 13, 2022. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
^Broh, C. Anthony (1980). "Whether Bellwethers or Weather-Jars Indicate Election Outcomes". The Western Political Quarterly. 33 (4): 564–570. doi:10.2307/448072. ISSN0043-4078. JSTOR448072.
^State Constitutional Provision – Article II, Section 6."No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons. No municipality or county shall regulate, in any way, an incident of the right to keep and bear arms."
^ abBrian A Reaves, "2008 Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies", US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, July 2011
^Segarra, Curtis (July 8, 2022). "How an Albuquerque nightclub became a library". KRQE NEWS 13 – Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^Interns, Our (October 31, 2017). "Viejo el viento – Remembering Al Hurricane". Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
^Jamison, Cheryl Alters (October 4, 2013). "A Classic Biscochitos Recipe". New Mexico Tourism & Travel. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
^Piñon Nut Act(PDF) (Act). 1978. Retrieved June 25, 2018. "Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on November 4, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Carleton, William, R. "Fruit, Fiber and Fire: A history of Modern Agriculture in New Mexico. Lincoln, University of Nebraska, 2021, ISBN978-1496216168
Chavez, Thomas E. An Illustrated History of New Mexico, 267 pages, University of New Mexico Press 2002, ISBN0826330517
Bullis, Don. New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary, 1540–1980, 2 vol, (Los Ranchos de Albuquerque: Rio Grande, 2008) 393 pp. ISBN978-1890689179
Gonzales-Berry, Erlinda, David R. Maciel, eds. The Contested Homeland: A Chicano History of New Mexico, University of New Mexico Press 2000, ISBN0826321992, 314 pp.
Gutiérrez, Ramón A. "New Mexico's Spanish Catholic Past." American Catholic Studies 133, no. 4 (2022): 61–68.
Gutiérrez, Ramón A. When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away: Marriage, Sexuality, and Power in New Mexico, 1500–1846 (1991)
Hain, Paul L., F. Chris Garcia, Gilbert K. St. Clair; New Mexico Government 3rd ed. (1994)
Horgan, Paul, Great River, The Rio Grande in North American History, 1038 pages, Wesleyan University Press 1991, 4th Reprint, ISBN0585380147, Pulitzer Prize 1955
Larson, Robert W. New Mexico's Quest for Statehood, 1846–1912 (1968)
Nieto-Phillips, John M. The Language of Blood: The Making of Spanish-American Identity in New Mexico, 1880s–1930s, University of New Mexico Press 2004, ISBN0826324231
Simmons, Marc. New Mexico: An Interpretive History, University of New Mexico Press 1988, ISBN0826311105, 221 pp, good introduction
Szasz, Ferenc M., and Richard W. Etulain, eds. Religion in Modern New Mexico (1997)
Trujillo, Michael L. Land of Disenchantment: Latina/o Identities and Transformations in Northern New Mexico (2010) 265 pp; an experimental ethnography that contrasts life in the Espanola Valley with the state's commercial image as the "land of enchantment".
Weber; David J. Foreigners in Their Native Land: Historical Roots of the Mexican Americans (1973), primary sources to 1912
Primary sources
Ellis, Richard, ed. New Mexico Past and Present: A Historical Reader. 1971. primary sources
Tony Hillerman, The Great Taos Bank Robbery and other Indian Country Affairs, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 1973, trade paperback, 147 pages, (ISBN082630530X), fiction
New Mexico State Databases: annotated list of searchable databases produced by New Mexico state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association
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