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Travel & Geography > The States & Territories
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The Regions of the United States | Facts & Statistics

New Mexico, the "Land of Enchantment"
Abbreviation:
NM

New Mexico Flag
State Flag
New Mexico Seal
State Seal

New Mexico was the Spanish name for the territory north and west of the Rio Grande. New Mexico was admitted to the Union as the 47th state in 1912. New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment because of its scenic beauty and rich history. In 1540, the Spanish conquistador Coronado trekked through the area known today as New Mexico in search of the fabled seven cities of gold. The state has a large Hispanic population, as New Mexico was under Spanish control from the 16th century until about 1846. The influence of the Apache Indians who live there is evident in the artwork and culture. The Pueblo Indian presence is also very apparent, most visibly in the tribe's buildings. Part of the "Old West", New Mexico was a place known for cowboys and cattle drives. The landscape ranges from rose-colored deserts to snow-capped mountains. Lovers of history can visit Indian ruins, frontier forts and Spanish missions. Indian ceremonies, Spanish fiestas and local rodeos are among the most interesting events for tourists.

Die Spanier bezeichneten das Gebiet nördlich und westlich des Rio Grande als "New Mexico". Im Jahre 1912 wurde New Mexiko als 47. Staat aufgenommen. Es wird wegen seiner landschaftlichen Schönheit und reichen Geschichte auch „verzaubertes Land" genannt. 1540 durchquerte der spanische Eroberer Coronado auf seiner Suche nach den sagenhaften sieben goldenen Städten das heutige New Mexiko. Der Staat hat einen großen hispanischen Bevölkerungsanteil, denn vom 16. Jahrhundert bis 1846 unterstand das Gebiet spanischer Kontrolle. Der Einfluss der dort lebenden Apachen zeigt sich in der Kunst und Kultur. Die Gegenwart der Pueblo Indianer ist ebenfalls deutlich zu sehen, vor allem in ihren Gebäuden als Teil des "Old West" (Wilden Westen) war New Mexiko für seine Cowboys und Viehtriebe bekannt. Die landschaftliche Palette reicht von rosafarbener Wüste bis zu schneebedeckten Bergen. Wer geschichtlich interessiert ist, kann indianische Ruinen, Forts der alten „Frontier" und spanische Missionen besuchen. Indianische Zeremonien, spanische Fiestas und lokale Rodeos zählen zu den Anziehungspunkten für Touristen.

GOVERNMENT
Capital:
Santa Fe
Governor: Bill Richardson (to Jan. 2011)
Senators: Jeff Bingaman, D (to Jan. 2013); Tom Udall, D (to Jan. 2015)
House of Representatives: 3 districts |
Search by zip code

STATISTICS
Population (July 2005):
1,928,000; National Rank: 36; Percent change since April 2000: 6.0%
Land Area: 121,365 sq mi. (314,334 sq km); National Rank:
5
10 largest cities (2005 est): Albuquerque, 494,236; Las Cruces, 82,671; Santa Fe, 70,631; Rio Rancho, 66,599; Roswell, 45,199; Farmington, 43,161; Alamogordo, 36,245; Clovis, 33,357; Hobbs, 29,006; Carlsbad, 25,300

ECONOMY
Total Gross State Product 2005 prel. (billions of current dollars): 69.3
Per Capita Personal Income (2005):
$27,644; National Rank: 46
State Exports 2005 (millions of dollars):
2,540; National Rank: 42
Agriculture:
Cattle, dairy products, hay, nursery stock, chilies.
Industry: Electric equipment, petroleum and coal products, food processing, printing and publishing, stone, glass, and clay products, tourism.

Government
·
State of New Mexico Official Homepage
· Project VoteSmart
·
State and Local Government on the Internet

Statistics
· New Mexico Profile - Fedstats
· U.S. Census Bureau: 2000 Data for the State of New Mexico
· U.S. Census Bureau: State Data Centers: New Mexico

Economy
· New Mexico - Regional Accounts Data

Background
· 50States.com
·
InfoPlease
·
Wikipedia: Montana

 

Travel
·
State of New Mexico Tourist Office
· Map
(Mapquest)
· New Mexico State Parks

For High School Students
· Explore the States
· Stately Knowledge
· ClassBrain.com: State Report

Teacher Resources
·
ProTeacher: Lessons by State: New Mexico

Link Lists
·
GovEngine.com: Federal, State & Local Government Site
· New Mexico (Google)
· New Mexico (Yahoo)

 
Texts are abridged from U.S. State Department IIP publications and other U.S. government materials.
 
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Updated: January 2009