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New Mexico - wikipedia New Mexico Jump to : navigation , search This article is about the U.S. state of New Mexico . For other uses , see New Mexico ( disambiguation ) . <Th_colspan="2"> State of New Mexico Nuevo México ( Spanish ) Yootó Hahoodzo ( Navajo ) <Td_colspan="2"> Flag Seal <Td_colspan="2"> Nickname ( s ) : Land of Enchantment <Td_colspan="2"> Motto ( s ) : Crescit eundo ( English : It grows as it goes ) <Td_colspan="2"> State song ( s ) : `` O Fair New Mexico '' <Td_colspan="2"> Spoken languages English 69.7 % Spanish 28.5 % Navajo 3.5 % other 4.1 % Demonym New Mexican Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Largest metro Albuquerque metropolitan area ( CSA ) Area Ranked 5th Total 121,699 sq mi ( 315,198 km ) Width 343 miles ( 551 km ) Length 370 miles ( 595 km ) % water 0.2 Latitude 31 ° 20 ′ N to 37 ° N Longitude 103 ° W to 109 ° 3 ′ W <Td_colspan="2"> Population Ranked 36th Total 2,088,070 ( 2017 est . ) Density 17.2 / sq mi ( 6.62 / km ) Ranked 45th Median household income $45,119 ( 46th ) <Td_colspan="2"> Elevation Highest point Wheeler Peak 13,167 ft ( 4013.3 m ) Mean 5,700 ft ( 1,740 m ) Lowest point Red Bluff Reservoir on Texas border 2,844 ft ( 867 m ) <Td_colspan="2"> Before statehood Nuevo México ( 1598 - 1848 ) New Mexico Territory ( 1850 - 1912 ) Admission to Union January 6 , 1912 ( 47th ) Governor Susana Martinez ( R ) Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez ( R ) Legislature New Mexico Legislature Upper house Senate Lower house House of Representatives <Td_colspan="2"> U.S. Senators Tom Udall ( D ) Martin Heinrich ( D ) U.S. House delegation 1 : Michelle Grisham ( D ) 2 : Steve Pearce ( R ) 3 : Ben R. Luján ( D ) ( list ) Time zones all of state ( legally ) Mountain : UTC − 7 / − 6 Nara Visa ( informally ) Central : UTC - 6 / - 7 <Td_colspan="2"> ISO 3166 US - NM Abbreviations NM , N.M. , N. Mex . Website www.newmexico.gov <Th_colspan="2"> show New Mexico state symbols <Td_colspan="2"> The Flag of New Mexico <Td_colspan="2"> The Seal of New Mexico <Th_colspan="2"> Living insignia Bird Greater roadrunner Fish Rio Grande cutthroat trout Flower Yucca Grass Blue grama Mammal American black bear Reptile New Mexico whiptail Tree Two - needle piñon <Th_colspan="2"> Inanimate insignia Colors Red and yellow Food Chile peppers , pinto beans , and biscochitos Fossil Coelophysis Gemstone Turquoise Motto Crescit eundo Nickname The Land of Enchantment Song `` O ' Fair New Mexico '' <Th_colspan="2"> State route marker <Td_colspan="2"> <Th_colspan="2"> State quarter <Td_colspan="2"> Released in 2008 <Td_colspan="2"> Lists of United States state symbols New Mexico ( Spanish : Nuevo México pronounced ( ˈnweβo ˈmexiko ) , Navajo : Yootó Hahoodzo pronounced ( jòːtxó xɑ̀xwòːtsò ) ) is a state in the Southwestern Region of the United States of America . With a population of approximately two million , New Mexico is the 36th most populous state . With a total area of 121,590 sq mi ( 314,900 km ) , it is the fifth - largest and fifth least densely populated of the fifty states . It is one of the Mountain States and shares the Four Corners region with Utah , Colorado , and Arizona . Its capital and cultural center is Santa Fe , while its largest city is Albuquerque . Due to its geographic location , Northern and Eastern New Mexico exhibits a colder , alpine climate while Western and Southern New Mexico exhibits a warmer , arid climate . The economy of New Mexico is dependent on oil drilling , mineral extraction , dryland farming , cattle ranching , lumber milling , and retail trade . As of 2016 - 2017 , its total gross domestic product ( GDP ) was $95 billion with a GDP per capita of $45,465 . New Mexico 's status as a tax haven yields low to moderate personal income taxes on residents and military personnel , and gives tax credits and exemptions to favorable industries . Because of this , its film industry has grown and contributed $1.23 billion to its overall economy . Due to its large area and economic climate , New Mexico has a large U.S. military presence marked notably with the White Sands Missile Range . Various U.S. national security agencies base their research and testing arms in New Mexico such as the Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories . During the 1940s , Project Y of the Manhattan Project developed and built the country 's first atomic bomb and nuclear test , Trinity . Inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years before European exploration , it was colonized by the Spanish in 1598 as part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain . In 1563 , it was named Nuevo México after the Aztec Valley of Mexico by Spanish settlers , 223 years before the establishment and naming of the present - day country of Mexico ; thus , the present - day state of New Mexico was not named after the country today known as Mexico . Its geographic characteristics made settlement and effective political control difficult which prompted Mexico 's invasion and control of the area from 1824 to 1846 . New Mexico 's Spanish origins made cultural integration with Mexico unsuitable , which sparked the Revolt of 1837 and a growing economic association with the expanding United States . The 1848 Mexican -- American War indirectly capitalized on this tension and created the U.S. New Mexico Territory . It was admitted to the Union as the 47th state on January 6 , 1912 . Its history has given New Mexico the highest percentage of Hispanic and Latino Americans , and the second - highest percentage of Native Americans as a population proportion ( after Alaska ) . Three federally - protected Native American tribes -- the Navajo , Pueblo , and Apache peoples -- inhabit New Mexico ; historically the Ancestral Puebloans , Mogollon , and the modern extant Comanche and Utes inhabited the state . The largest Hispanic and Latino groups represented include the Hispanos of New Mexico , Chicanos , and Mexican Americans . The flag of New Mexico features the state 's Spanish origins with the same scarlet and gold coloration as Spain 's Cross of Burgundy , along with the ancient sun symbol of the Zia , a Pueblo - related tribe . Contents ( hide ) 1 Etymology 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 2.2 Flora and fauna 3 History 3.1 1848 cession of land 3.2 20th century to present 4 Demography 4.1 Population 4.2 Birth data 4.3 Settlements 4.4 Ancestry 4.5 Languages 4.5. 1 Official language 4.6 Religion 5 Economy 5.1 Economic indicators 5.2 Oil and gas production 5.3 Federal government 5.4 Economic incentives 5.5 Taxation 6 Transportation 6.1 Road 6.2 Urban mass transit 6.3 Rail 6.3. 1 Freight 6.3. 2 Passenger 6.4 Aerospace 7 Government and politics 7.1 Government 7.2 Politics 8 Education 8.1 Primary and secondary education 8.2 Colleges and universities 8.2. 1 Major state universities 9 Culture 9.1 Art and literature 9.2 Sports 10 See also 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External links 13.1 State Government 13.2 US Government 13.3 Tourism Etymology ( edit ) New Mexico received its name long before the present - day nation of Mexico won independence from Spain and adopted that name in 1821 . Spanish explorers recorded this region as New Mexico ( Nuevo México in Spanish ) in 1563 . In 1581 , the Chamuscado and Rodríguez Expedition named the region north of the Rio Grande `` San Felipe del Nuevo México '' . The Spaniards hoped to find wealthy Mexican Indian cultures there similar to those of the Aztec ( Mexica ) Empire of the Valley of Mexico . The indigenous cultures of New Mexico , however , proved to be unrelated to the Aztecs , and were not wealthy . Before statehood , the name `` New Mexico '' was applied to various configurations of the U.S. Territory , to a Mexican state , and to a province of New Spain , all in the same general area , but of varying extensions . Geography ( edit ) Further information : List of counties in New Mexico See also : Delaware Basin Wheeler Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Range Chaco Canyon Carlsbad Caverns White Sands National Monument Rio Grande Gorge Shiprock At total area 121,699 square miles ( 315,200 km ) , the state is the fifth - largest state of the US , and slightly larger than British Isles . New Mexico 's eastern border lies along 103 ° W longitude with the state of Oklahoma , and ( due to a 19th - century surveying error ) 2.2 miles ( 3.5 km ) west of 103 ° W longitude with Texas . 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 . The southwestern corner of the state is known as the Bootheel . The 37 ° N latitude 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 . New Mexico , although a large state , has very little water . Its surface water area is about 250 square miles ( 650 km ) . The New Mexican landscape ranges from wide , rose - colored deserts to broken mesas to high , snow - capped peaks . Despite New Mexico 's arid image , heavily forested mountain wildernesses cover a significant portion of the state , especially towards 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 most important of New Mexico 's rivers are the Rio Grande , Pecos , Canadian , San Juan , and Gila . The Rio Grande is tied for the fourth - longest river in the United States . The U.S. government protects millions of acres of New Mexico as national forests , including : Carson National Forest Cibola National Forest ( headquartered in Albuquerque ) Lincoln National Forest Santa Fe National Forest ( headquartered in Santa Fe ) Gila National Forest Gila Wilderness Areas managed by the National Park Service include : Aztec Ruins National Monument at Aztec Bandelier National Monument in Los Alamos Capulin Volcano National Monument near Capulin Carlsbad Caverns National Park near Carlsbad Chaco Culture National Historical Park at Nageezi El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail El Malpais National Monument in Grants El Morro National Monument in Ramah Fort Union National Monument at Watrous Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument near Silver City Old Spanish National Historic Trail Pecos National Historical Park in Pecos Petroglyph National Monument near Albuquerque Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument at Mountainair Santa Fe National Historic Trail White Sands National Monument near Alamogordo Rio Grande del Norte National Monument near Taos Valles Caldera National Preserve Visitors also frequent the surviving native pueblos of New Mexico . Tourists visiting these sites bring significant money to the state . Other areas of geographical and scenic interest include Kasha - Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument and the Gila Wilderness in the southwest of the state . Climate ( edit ) Köppen climate types of New Mexico The climate of New Mexico is generally semiarid to arid , though areas of continental and alpine climates exist , and its territory is mostly covered by mountains , high plains , and desert . The Great Plains ( High Plains ) are in Eastern New Mexico , similar to the Colorado high plains in eastern Colorado . The two states share similar terrain , with both having plains , mountains , basins , mesas , and desert lands . New Mexico 's statewide average precipitation is 13.9 inches ( 350 mm ) a year , with average monthly amounts peaking in the summer , as at Albuquerque , and Las Cruces in the south . The average annual temperatures can range from 64 ° F ( 18 ° C ) in the southeast to below 40 ° F ( 4 ° C ) in the northern mountains . 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 97 ° F ( 36 ° 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 near Loving on June 27 , 1994 , and the lowest recorded temperature is − 50 ° F ( − 46 ° C ) at Gavilan on February 1 , 1951 . Astronomical observatories in New Mexico take advantage of unusually clear skies , including the Apache Point Observatory , the Very Large Array , the Magdalena Ridge Observatory , and others . Flora and fauna ( edit ) Greater roadrunner ( the state bird of NM ) New Mexico contains extensive habitat for many plants and animals , especially in desert areas and piñon - juniper woodlands . Creosote bush , mesquite , cacti , yucca , and desert grasses , including black grama , purple three - awn , tobosa , and burrograss , cover the broad , semiarid plains of the southern portion of the state . The northern portion of the state is home to many tree species such as ponderosa pine , aspen , cottonwood , spruce , fir , and Russian olive , which is an invasive species . Native birds include the greater roadrunner ( Geococcyx californianus , the state bird of New Mexico ) and wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ) . Other fauna present in New Mexico include black bears , cougars , jaguars , coyotes , porcupines , skunks , Mexican gray wolves , deer , elk , Plains bison , collared peccary , bighorn sheep , squirrels , chipmunks , pronghorns , western diamondbacks , kangaroo rats , jackrabbits , and a multitude of other birds , reptiles , and rodents . The black bear native to New Mexico , Ursus americanus amblyceps , was formally adopted as the state 's official animal in 1953 . See also : List of taxa described from New Mexico History ( edit ) Main article : History of New Mexico See also : Territorial evolution of New Mexico Ancestral Pueblo territory shown in pink over New Mexico The first known inhabitants of New Mexico were members of the Clovis culture of Paleo - Indians . Later inhabitants include American Indians of the Mogollon and Ancestral Pueblo peoples cultures . By the time of European contact in the 16th century , the region was settled by the villages of the Pueblo peoples and groups of Navajo , Apache , and Ute . Francisco Vásquez de Coronado assembled an enormous expedition at Compostela in 1540 -- 1542 to explore and find the mythical Seven Golden Cities of Cibola as described by Fray Marcos de Niza . The name Nuevo México was first used by a seeker of gold mines named Francisco de Ibarra , who explored far to the north of New Spain in 1563 and reported his findings as being in `` a New Mexico '' . Juan de Oñate officially established the name when he was appointed the first governor of the new Province of New Mexico in 1598 . The same year , he founded the San Juan de los Caballeros colony , the first permanent European settlement in the future state of New Mexico , on the Rio Grande near Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo . Oñate extended El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro , Royal Road of the Interior , by 700 miles ( 1,100 km ) from Santa Bárbara , Chihuahua , to his remote colony . The settlement of Santa Fe was established at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains , the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains , around 1608 . The city , along with most of the settled areas of the state , was abandoned by the Spanish for 12 years ( 1680 -- 92 ) as a result of the successful Pueblo Revolt . After the death of the Pueblo leader Popé , Diego de Vargas restored the area to Spanish rule . While developing Santa Fe as a trade center , the returning settlers founded Albuquerque in 1706 from existing surrounding communities , naming it for the viceroy of New Spain , Francisco Fernández de la Cueva , 10th Duke of Alburquerque . Province of New Mexico when it belonged to Mexico in 1824 As a part of New Spain , the claims for the province of New Mexico passed to independent Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence . The Republic of Texas claimed the portion east of the Rio Grande when it seceded from Mexico in 1836 , when it incorrectly assumed the older Hispanic settlements of the upper Rio Grande were the same as the newly established Mexican settlements of Texas . Texas ' only attempt to establish a presence or control in the claimed territory was the failed Texan Santa Fe Expedition . Their entire army was captured and jailed by Hispanic New Mexico militia . At the turn of the 19th century , the extreme northeastern part of New Mexico , north of the Canadian River and east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains , was still claimed by France , which sold it in 1803 to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase . The United States assigned this portion of New Mexico as part of the Louisiana Territory until 1812 ; that year Louisiana was admitted as a state . The US then reclassified this area as part of the Missouri Territory . This region of the state ( along with territory that makes up present - day southeastern Colorado , the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles , and southwestern Kansas ) was ceded to Spain under the Adams - Onis Treaty in 1819 . The independent Republic of Texas also claimed this portion of New Mexico . By 1800 , the Spanish population had reached 25,000 , but Apache and Comanche raids on Hispanic settlers were common until well into the period of U.S. occupation . 1848 cession of land ( edit ) Following the victory of the United States in the Mexican -- American War ( 1846 -- 48 ) , under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 , Mexico ceded its northern holdings , today known as the American Southwest and California , to the United States of America . The United States vowed to accept the residents ' claims to their lands and to accept them as full citizens with rights of suffrage . This acquisition of territory and residents resulted in Mexicans legally being classified as white , since at that time , in most of the southern United States , only whites could vote . Nevertheless , Texas and other western states raised barriers to voting and political participation by ethnic Mexicans , including barring them from serving on juries . After Texas was admitted as a state to the Union , it continued to claim the northeastern portion of present - day New Mexico . Finally , in the Compromise of 1850 , Texas ceded these claims to the United States of the area in New Mexico lying east of the Rio Grande , in exchange for $10 million . Congress established the separate New Mexico Territory in September 1850 . It included most of the present - day states of Arizona and New Mexico , and part of Colorado . When the boundary was fixed , a surveyor 's error awarded the Permian Basin to the State of Texas . New Mexico dropped its claims to the Permian in a bid to gain statehood in 1911 . In 1853 , the United States acquired the mostly desert southwestern boot heel of the state and southern Arizona below the Gila River in the Gadsden Purchase . It wanted to control lands needed for the right - of - way in order to encourage construction of a transcontinental railroad . Civil war effects in New Mexico New Mexico territory included Arizona , 1860 Territories now divided , 1867 New Mexico played a role in the Trans - Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War . Both Confederate and Union governments claimed ownership and territorial rights over New Mexico Territory . In 1861 , the Confederacy claimed the southern tract as its own Arizona Territory and waged the ambitious New Mexico Campaign in an attempt 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 . However , the Confederate territorial government continued to operate out of Texas , and Confederate troops marched under the Arizona flag until the end of the war . Additionally , more than 8,000 men from New Mexico Territory served in the Union Army . In the late 19th century , the majority of officially European - descended residents in New Mexico were ethnic Mexicans , many of whom had deep roots in the area from early Spanish colonial times . Politically , they still controlled most of the town and county offices through area elections , and wealthy sheepherder families commanded considerable influence . The Anglo - Americans tended to have more ties to the territorial governor and judges , who were appointed by officials out of the region . The two groups struggled for power and the future of the territory . The Anglo minority was `` outnumbered , but well - organized and growing '' . Anglo - Americans made distinctions between the wealthy Mexicans and poor , ill - educated laborers . 20th century to present ( edit ) Homesteader and his children in Pie Town , New Mexico , 1940 Congress admitted New Mexico as the 47th state in the Union on January 6 , 1912 . European - American settlers in the state had an uneasy relationship with the large Native American tribes , most of whose members lived on reservations at the beginning of the 20th century . Although Congress passed a law in 1924 that granted all Native Americans with US citizenship , as well as the right to vote in federal and state elections , New Mexico was among several states that restricted Indian voting by raising barriers to voter registration . Their constitution said that Indians who did not pay taxes could not vote , in their interpretation disqualifying those Native Americans who lived on reservations ( but only the land was tax free . ) A major oil discovery in 1928 brought prosperity to the state , especially Lea County and the town of Hobbs . The town was named after James Hobbs , a homesteader there in 1907 . The Midwest State No. 1 well , begun in late 1927 with a standard cable - tool drilling rig , revealed the first signs of oil from the Hobbs field on June 13 , 1928 . Drilled to 4,330 feet and completed a few months later , the well produced 700 barrels of oil per day on state land . The Midwest Refining Company 's Hobbs well produced oil until 2002 . The New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources called it `` the most important single discovery of oil in New Mexico 's history '' . During World War II , the first atomic bombs were designed and manufactured at Los Alamos , a site developed by the federal government specifically to support a high - intensity scientific effort to rapidly complete research and testing of this weapon . The first bomb was tested at Trinity site in the desert between Socorro and Alamogordo on what is now White Sands Missile Range . <Th_colspan="4"> Historical population Census Pop . % ± 1850 61,547 -- 1860 93,516 51.9 % 1870 91,874 − 1.8 % 1880 119,565 30.1 % 1890 160,282 34.1 % 1900 195,310 21.9 % 1910 327,301 67.6 % 1920 360,350 10.1 % 1930 423,317 17.5 % 1940 531,818 25.6 % 1950 681,187 28.1 % 1960 951,023 39.6 % 1970 1,017,055 6.9 % 1980 1,303,302 28.1 % 1990 1,515,069 16.2 % 2000 1,819,046 20.1 % 2,059,179 13.2 % Est. 2017 2,088,070 1.4 % <Td_colspan="4"> Source : 1910 -- 2010 2015 estimate Native Americans from New Mexico fought for the United States in both the First and Second World Wars . Veterans were disappointed to return and 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 Indians who did not pay taxes ( and could not document if they had paid taxes ) could not vote . Judge Phillips wrote : 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 . New Mexico has benefited greatly from federal government spending on major military and research institutions in the state . It is home to three Air Force bases , White Sands Missile Range , and the federal research laboratories Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories . The state 's population grew rapidly after World War II , growing from 531,818 in 1940 to 1,819,046 in 2000 . Both residents and businesses moved to the state ; some northerners came at first for the mild winters ; others for retirement . 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 to generate revenues for reinvestment in economic development and welfare of their peoples . In the 21st century , employment growth areas in New Mexico include microelectronics , call centers , and Indian casinos . Demography ( edit ) See also : List of settlements in New Mexico by population and New Mexico locations by per capita income New Mexico population density map Population ( edit ) The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of New Mexico was 2,085,109 on July 1 , 2015 , a 1.26 % increase since the 2010 United States Census . The 2000 United States Census recorded the population of New Mexico to be 1,819,046 ; ten years later the 2010 United States Census recorded a population of 2,059,179 , an 11.7 % increase . Of the people residing in New Mexico , 51.4 % were born in New Mexico , 37.9 % were born in a different US state , 1.1 % were born in Puerto Rico , U.S. Island areas , or born abroad to American parent ( s ) , and 9.7 % were foreign born . As of May 1 , 2010 , 7.5 % of New Mexico 's population was reported as under 5 years of age , 25 % under 18 , and 13 % were 65 or older ; women make up around 51 % of the population . As of 2000 , 8 % of the residents of the state were foreign - born . Among U.S. states , New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanic ancestry , at 47 % ( as of July 1 , 2012 ) . This classification covers people of very different cultures and histories , including descendants of Spanish colonists with deep roots in the region , and recent immigrants from a variety of nations in Latin America , each with their own cultures . According to the United States Census Bureau Model - based Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates , the number of persons in poverty has increased to 400,779 ( 19.8 % of the population ) persons in 2010 from 2000 . At that time , the estimated number of persons in poverty was recorded at 309,193 ( 17.3 % of the population ) . The latest available estimates for 2014 estimate the number of persons in poverty at 420,388 ( 20.6 % of the population ) . Birth Data ( edit ) Note : Births in table do not add up , because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race , giving a higher overall number . Live Births by Single Race / Ethnicity of Mother Race 2013 2014 2015 2016 White : 21,325 ( 80.9 % ) 21,161 ( 81.2 % ) 21,183 ( 82.0 % ) ... > Non-Hispanic White 7,428 ( 28.2 % ) 7,222 ( 27.7 % ) 7,157 ( 27.7 % ) 7,004 ( 28.4 % ) American Indian 3,763 ( 14.3 % ) 3,581 ( 13.7 % ) 3,452 ( 13.4 % ) 2,827 ( 11.4 % ) Asian 597 ( 2.3 % ) 578 ( 2.2 % ) 517 ( 2.0 % ) 425 ( 1.7 % ) Black 669 ( 2.5 % ) 732 ( 2.8 % ) 664 ( 2.6 % ) 354 ( 1.4 % ) Hispanic ( of any race ) 14,402 ( 54.6 % ) 14,449 ( 55.5 % ) 14,431 ( 55.9 % ) 13,639 ( 55.2 % ) Total New Mexico 26,354 ( 100 % ) 26,052 ( 100 % ) 25,816 ( 100 % ) 24,692 ( 100 % ) 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 . Settlements ( edit ) See also : List of municipalities in New Mexico , List of census - designated places in New Mexico , and List of counties in New Mexico <Th_colspan="10"> Largest cities or towns in New Mexico Source : 2016 U.S. Census Bureau Estimate Rank Name County Pop . Albuquerque Las Cruces Albuquerque Bernalillo 559,277 Rio Rancho Santa Fe Las Cruces Dona Ana 101,759 Rio Rancho Sandoval / Bernalillo 96,028 Santa Fe Santa Fe 83,875 5 Roswell Chaves 48,184 6 Farmington San Juan 41,629 7 Clovis Curry 39,373 8 Hobbs Lea 38,143 9 Alamogordo Otero 31,283 10 Carlsbad Eddy 28,914 Ancestry ( edit ) <Th_colspan="2"> Race / Ethnicity in New Mexico ( 2010 ) White 68.4 % Non-Hispanic white 40.5 % White Hispanic 28.1 % American Indian 9.4 % Black / African American 2.1 % Asian 1.4 % Pacific Islander 0.1 % Other 15.0 % Two or more races 3.7 % Hispanic / Latino 46.3 % New Mexico is a majority -- minority state . The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 48 % of the total 2015 population was Hispanic or Latino of any race , the highest of any state . The majority of Hispanics in New Mexico claim to be descendants of Spanish colonists who settled here during the 16th , 17th , and 18th centuries . They speak New Mexican Spanish or English at home . The state also has a large Native American population , second in percentage behind that of Alaska . The 2016 racial composition of the population was estimated to be : 82.6 % White American 10.6 % American Indian and Alaska Native 2.5 % Black or African American 1.7 % Asian 0.2 % Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 2.5 % Two or more races 48.5 % Hispanic or Latino 38.1 % White alone New Mexico Racial Breakdown of Population ( hide ) Racial composition 1970 1990 2000 White 90.1 % 75.6 % 66.7 % 68.6 % Native 7.2 % 8.9 % 9.5 % 9.4 % Black 1.9 % 2.0 % 1.9 % 2.1 % Asian 0.2 % 0.9 % 1.1 % 1.4 % Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander -- -- 0.1 % 0.1 % Other race 0.6 % 12.6 % 17.0 % 15.0 % Two or more races -- -- 3.6 % 3.7 % According to the United States Census Bureau , 1.5 % of the population identifies as multiracial / mixed - race , a population larger than both the Asian and NHPI population groups . In 2008 , New Mexico had the highest percentage ( 47 % ) of Hispanics ( of any race ) of any state , with 83 % native - born and 17 % foreign - born . According to the 2000 United States Census , the most commonly claimed ancestry groups in New Mexico were : Mexican ( 16.3 % ) American Indian ( 10.3 % ) German ( 9.8 % ) , Spanish ( 9.3 % ) and English ( 7.2 % ) . Languages ( edit ) <Th_colspan="2"> Languages Spoken in New Mexico English only 64 % Spanish 28 % Navajo 4 % According to the 2010 U.S. Census , 28.45 % of the population aged 5 and older speak Spanish at home , while 3.50 % speak Navajo . Speakers of New Mexican Spanish dialect are mainly descendants of Spanish colonists who arrived in New Mexico in the 16th , 17th , and 18th centuries . New Mexican Spanish is an archaic form of 17th century Castilian Spanish . Official language ( edit ) The original state constitution of 1912 provided for a bilingual government with laws being published in both English and Spanish ; this requirement was renewed twice , in 1931 and 1943 . Nonetheless , the constitution does not declare any language as `` official '' . While Spanish was permitted in the legislature until 1935 , all state officials are required to have a good knowledge of English . Cobarrubias and Fishman therefore argue that New Mexico can not be considered a bilingual state as not all laws are published in both languages . Others , such as Juan Perea , claim that the state was officially bilingual until 1953 . With regard to the judiciary , witnesses 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 . In public education , the state has the constitutional obligation to provide for bilingual education and Spanish - speaking instructors in school districts where the majority of students are hispanophone . In 1995 , the state adopted an official bilingual song , `` New Mexico -- Mi Lindo Nuevo México '' . In 1989 , New Mexico became the first state to officially adopt the English Plus resolution , and in 2008 , the first to officially adopt a Navajo textbook for use in public schools . Religion ( edit ) San Miguel Chapel , built in 1610 in Santa Fe , is the oldest church structure in the U.S. <Th_colspan="5"> Religion in New Mexico ( 2014 ) Religion Percent <Td_colspan="2"> Protestant <Td_colspan="2"> 38 % <Td_colspan="2"> Catholic <Td_colspan="2"> 34 % <Td_colspan="2"> None <Td_colspan="2"> 21 % <Td_colspan="2"> Mormon <Td_colspan="2"> 2 % <Td_colspan="2"> Jehovah 's Witness <Td_colspan="2"> 1 % <Td_colspan="2"> Buddhist <Td_colspan="2"> 1 % <Td_colspan="2"> Other faith <Td_colspan="2"> 3 % According to Association of Religion Data Archives ( ARDA ) , the largest denominations in 2010 were the Catholic Church with 684,941 ; the Southern Baptist Convention with 113,452 ; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints with 67,637 , and the United Methodist Church with 36,424 adherents . According to a 2008 survey by the Pew Research Center , the most common self - reported religious affiliation of New Mexico residents are mentioned in reference . Within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church , New Mexico belongs to the Ecclesiastical Province of Santa Fe . New Mexico has three dioceses , one of which is an archdiocese : Archdiocese of Santa Fe , Diocese of Gallup , Diocese of Las Cruces . Economy ( edit ) Main article : Economy of New Mexico See also : New Mexico locations by per capita income New Mexico state quarter circulated in April 2008 . Oil and gas production , tourism , and federal government spending are important drivers of the state economy . State government has an elaborate system of tax credits and technical assistance to promote job growth and business investment , especially in new technologies . Economic indicators ( edit ) In 2010 , New Mexico 's Gross Domestic Product was $80 billion , and an estimated $85 billion for 2013 . In 2007 , the per capita personal income was $31,474 ( rank 43rd in the nation ) . In 2005 , the percentage of persons below the poverty level was 18.4 % . The New Mexico Tourism Department estimates that in Fiscal Year 2006 , the travel industry in New Mexico generated expenditures of $6.5 billion . As of April 2012 , the state 's unemployment rate was 7.2 % . During the late - 2000s recession , New Mexico 's unemployment rate peaked at 8.0 % for the period June -- October 2010 . Oil and gas production ( edit ) New Mexico is the fourth leading crude oil and eighth leading natural gas producer ( EIA.gov 2015 ) in the United States . The Permian Basin ( part of the Mid-Continent Oil Field ) and San Juan Basin lie partly in New Mexico . 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 . In 2000 the value of oil and gas produced was $8.2 billion . Federal government ( edit ) The F - 22 Raptor is flown by the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman AFB . Federal government spending is a major driver of the New Mexico economy . In 2005 , the federal government spent $2.03 on New Mexico for every dollar of tax revenue collected from the state . This rate of return is higher than any other state in the Union . Many of the federal jobs relate to the military ; the state hosts three air force bases ( Kirtland Air Force Base , Holloman Air Force Base , and Cannon Air Force Base ) ; a testing range ( White Sands Missile Range ) ; and an army proving ground and maneuver range ( Fort Bliss -- McGregor Range ) . A May 2005 estimate by New Mexico State University is that 11.65 % of the state 's total employment arises directly or indirectly from military spending . Other federal installations include the technology labs of Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories . Economic incentives ( edit ) Albuquerque Studios , built in 2007 for rising demand of film production in the state . New Mexico provides a number of economic incentives to businesses operating in the state , including various types of tax credits and tax exemptions . Most of the incentives are based on job creation . New Mexico law allows governments to provide land , buildings , and infrastructure to businesses to promote job creation . Several municipalities have imposed an Economic Development Gross Receipts Tax ( a form of Municipal Infrastructure GRT ) that is used to pay for these infrastructure improvements and for marketing their areas . The state provides financial incentives for film production . The New Mexico Film Office estimated at the end of 2007 that the incentive program had brought more than 85 film projects to the state since 2003 and had added $1.2 billion to the economy . Taxation ( edit ) Main article : Taxation in New Mexico Since 2008 , personal income tax rates for New Mexico have ranged from 1.7 % to 4.9 % , within four income brackets . As of 2007 , active - duty military salaries are exempt from state income tax . New Mexico is one of the largest tax heavens in the U.S. , offering numerous economic incentives and tax breaks on personal and corporate income . It does not have inheritance tax , estate tax , or sales taxes . 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 there may an additional locality component to produce a total tax rate . As of July 1 , 2013 the combined tax rate ranged from 5.125 % to 8.6875 % . 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 1 / 3 of 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 can not 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 . Transportation ( edit ) Santa Fe Trail in Cimarron , New Mexico . In this photo , the US - Mexico border divides Sunland Park and the Mexican state of Chihuahua . 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 . 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 colonists with horses arriving from New Spain as well as trade and communication . The route was called El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro . The Santa Fe Trail was the 19th century US territory 's vital commercial and military highway link to the Eastern United States . All with termini in Northern New Mexico , the Camino Real , the Santa Fe Trail and the Old Spanish Trail are all recognized as National Historic Trails . New Mexico 's latitude and low passes made it an attractive east - west transportation corridor . As a territory , the Gadsden Purchase increased New Mexico 's land area for the purpose of the construction of 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 brought on 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 . Road ( edit ) See also : Speed limits in the United States by jurisdiction § New Mexico , and List of New Mexico highways Map of New Mexico highways . New Mexico has had a problem with drunk driving , but that has lessened . According to the Los Angeles Times , for years the state had the highest alcohol - related crash rates in the U.S. , but ranked 25th in alcohol - related fatal crash rates , as of July 2009 . The automobile changed the character of New Mexico , marking the start of large scale immigration to the state from elsewhere in the United States . Settlers moving West during the Great Depression and post-World War II American culture immortalized the National Old Trails Highway , later U.S. Route 66 . Today , the automobile is heavily relied upon in New Mexico for transportation . New Mexico had 59,927 route miles of highway as of 2000 , of which 7,037 receive federal - aid . In that same year there were 1,003 miles ( 1,614 km ) of freeways , of which 1000 were the route miles of Interstate Highways 10 , 25 and 40 . The former number has increased with the upgrading of roads near Pojoaque , Santa Fe and Las Cruces to freeways . The highway traffic fatality rate was 1.9 fatalities per million miles traveled in 2000 , the 13th highest rate among U.S. states . Notable bridges include the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge near Taos . As of 2001 , 703 highway bridges , or one percent , were declared `` structurally deficient '' or `` structurally obsolete '' . Rural and intercity public transportation by road is provided by Americanos USA , LLC , Greyhound Lines and several government operators . The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a commuter rail operation train that runs along the Central Rio Grande Valley . Urban mass transit ( edit ) See also : Category : Bus transportation in New Mexico The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a commuter rail system serving the metropolitan area of Albuquerque , New Mexico . It began operation on July 14 , 2006 . The system runs from Belen to downtown Santa Fe . Larger cities in New Mexico typically have some form of public transportation by road ; ABQ RIDE is the largest such system in the state . Rail ( edit ) See also : List of New Mexico railroads The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad There were 2,354 route miles of railroads in the year 2000 , this number increased with the opening of the Rail Runner 's extension to Santa Fe . 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 . Narrow gauge railroads once connected many communities in the northern part of the state , from Farmington to Santa Fe . No fewer than 100 railroads of various names and lineage have operated in the jurisdiction at some point . 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 . Railroad surveyors arrived in New Mexico in the 1850s . The first railroads incorporated in 1869 . The first operational railroad , the Atchison , Topeka & Santa Fe Railway ( ATSF ) , entered the territory by way of the lucrative and contested Raton Pass in 1878 . It eventually reached El Paso , Texas in 1881 and with the Southern Pacific Railroad created the nation 's second transcontinental railroad with a junction at Deming . The Southern Pacific Railroad entered the territory from the Territory of Arizona in 1880 . The Denver & Rio Grande Railway , who would generally use narrow gauge equipment in New Mexico , entered the territory from Colorado and began service to Española on December 31 , 1880 . These first railroads were built as long - distance corridors , later railroad construction also targeted resource extraction . Freight ( edit ) New Mexico is served by two class I railroads , the BNSF Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad . Combined , they operate 2,200 route miles of railway in the state . Passenger ( edit ) Downtown Santa Fe train station A commuter rail operation , the New Mexico Rail Runner Express , connects the state 's capital , its largest city , and other communities . The privately operated state owned railroad began operations in July 2006 . The BNSF Railway 's entire line from Belen to Raton , New Mexico was sold to the state , partially for the construction of phase II of this operation , which opened in December 2008 . 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 . The trains connect 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 . Rail Runner operates scheduled service seven days per week . The railway station in Tucumcari With the rise of rail transportation many settlements grew or were founded and the territory became a tourist destination . As early as 1878 , the ATSF promoted tourism in the region with emphasis on Native American imagery . Named trains often reflected the territory they traveled : Super Chief , the streamlined successor to the Chief ; 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 . Passenger train service once connected nine of New Mexico 's present ten most populous cities ( the exception is Rio Rancho ) , while today passenger train service connects two : Albuquerque and Santa Fe . With the decline of most intercity rail service in the United States 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 in May 1971 . Resurrection of passenger rail service from Denver to El Paso , a route once plied in part by the ATSF 's El Pasoan , has been proposed over the years . As early as the 1980s , former Governor Toney Anaya proposed building a high - speed rail line connecting the two cities with New Mexico 's major cities . Front Range Commuter Rail is a project to connect Wyoming and New Mexico with high - speed rail . 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 . The Southwest Chief is a fast Amtrak long distance train , being permitted a maximum speed of 90 mph ( 140 km / h ) in various places on the tracks of the BNSF Railway . It also operates on New Mexico Rail Runner Express trackage . The Southwest Chief is the successor to the Super Chief and El Capitan . The streamliner Super Chief , a favorite of early Hollywood stars , was one of the most famous named trains in the United States and one of the most esteemed for its luxury and exoticness -- train cars were named for regional Native American tribes and outfitted with the artwork of many local artists -- but also for its speed : as few as 39 hours 45 minutes westbound . A sign in Southern New Mexico indicating `` The Future site of the New Mexico Spaceport '' The Sunset Limited makes stops three times a week in both directions at Lordsburg , and Deming , serving Los Angeles , New Orleans and intermediate points . 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 . Aerospace ( edit ) See also : List of airports in New Mexico The Albuquerque International Sunport is the state 's primary port of entry for air transportation . Upham , near Truth or Consequences is the location of the world 's first operational and purpose - built commercial spaceport , Spaceport America . Rocket launches began in April 2007 . It is undeveloped and has one tenant , UP Aerospace , launching small payloads . Virgin Galactic , a space tourism company , plans to make this their primary operating base . Government and Politics ( edit ) Governor Susana Martinez ( R ) Government ( edit ) Main article : Government of New Mexico The Constitution of New Mexico established New Mexico 's governmental structure . The executive branch of government is fragmented as outlined in the state constitution . The executive is composed of the Governor and other statewide elected officials including the Lieutenant Governor ( elected on the same ticket as the Governor ) , Attorney General , Secretary of State , State Auditor , State Treasurer , and Commissioner of Public Lands . The governor appoints a cabinet that leads agencies statutorily designated under his / her jurisdiction . The New Mexico Legislature consists of the House of Representatives and Senate . The judiciary is composed of the New Mexico Supreme Court and lower courts . There is also local government , consisting of counties , municipalities and special districts . Politics ( edit ) This section needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( January 2018 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) See also : Elections in New Mexico and Political party strength in New Mexico Current Governor Susana Martinez ( R ) and Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez ( R ) , were first elected in 2010 , and re-elected in 2014 . Terms for both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor expire in January 2019 . Governors serve a term of four years , and may seek re-election for one additional term ( limit of two terms ) . Other constitutional officers , all of whose terms also expire in January 2019 , include Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver ( D ) , Attorney General Hector Balderas ( D ) , State Auditor Wayne Johnson ( R ) , State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn ( L ) , and State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg ( D ) . <Th_colspan="6"> State Executive Officers <Th_colspan="1"> Office Name Party Governor Susana Martinez Republican Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez Republican Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver Democrat Attorney General Hector Balderas Democrat Auditor Wayne Johnson Republican Treasurer Tim Eichenberg Democrat Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn Jr . Libertarian <Th_colspan="6"> Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of November 3 , 2016 <Th_colspan="2"> Party Number of Voters Percentage Democratic 599,813 47 % Republican 399,930 31 % Unaffiliated 242,106 19 % Minor parties 47,571 4 % <Th_colspan="2"> Total 1,289,420 100 % Currently , both chambers of the New Mexico State Legislature have Democratic majorities . There are 26 Democrats and 16 Republicans in the Senate , and 38 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the House of Representatives . New Mexico 's members of the United States Senate are Democrats Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall . Democrats Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben R. Luján represent the first and third congressional districts , respectively , and Republican Steve Pearce represents the second congressional district in the United States House of Representatives . See New Mexico congressional map . New Mexico had been considered a swing state , whose population has favored both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates , but it became more of a Democratic stronghold after the presidential election of 2008 . The governor is Susana Martinez ( R ) , who succeeded Bill Richardson ( D ) on January 1 , 2011 after he served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011 . Before Richardson , Gary Johnson served as governor from 1995 to 2003 . Johnson served as a Republican , but in 2012 and 2016 , he ran for President from the Libertarian Party . In previous presidential elections , Al Gore carried the state ( by 366 votes ) in 2000 ; George W. Bush won New Mexico 's five electoral votes in 2004 , and the state 's electoral votes were won by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008 , 2012 , and 2016 . Since achieving statehood in 1912 , New Mexico has been carried by the national popular vote victor in every presidential election of the past 104 years , except 1976 , when Gerald Ford won the state by 2 % , but lost the national popular vote by 2 % . Gubernatorial election results Year Republican Democratic 2014 57.34 % 288,549 42.66 % 214,636 53.29 % 321,219 46.55 % 280,614 2006 31.18 % 174,364 68.82 % 384,806 2002 39.05 % 189,074 55.49 % 268,693 1998 54.53 % 271,948 45.47 % 226,755 49.81 % 232,945 39.92 % 186,686 1990 45.15 % 185,692 54.61 % 224,564 1986 53.05 % 209,455 46.95 % 185,378 Presidential elections results Year Republican Democratic 2016 40.04 % 319,685 48.25 % 385,232 2012 42.84 % 335,788 52.99 % 415,335 2008 41.78 % 346,832 56.91 % 472,422 49.8 % 376,930 49.1 % 370,942 2000 47.85 % 286,417 47.91 % 286,783 42 % 232,751 49 % 273,495 37 % 212,617 46 % 261,617 51 % 270,341 46 % 244 , 49 1984 59 % 307,101 39 % 201,769 1980 55 % 250,779 36 % 167,826 1976 50 % 211,419 48 % 201,148 1972 60 % 235,606 36 % 141,084 Democratic strongholds in the state include the Santa Fe Area , various areas 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 of the Native American reservations , particularly the Navajo Nation . 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 . While registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 200,000 , New Mexico voters have favored moderate to conservative candidates of both parties at the state and federal levels . On major political issues , New Mexico abolished its death penalty statute , though not retroactively , effective July 1 , 2009 . This means individuals on New Mexico 's Death Row can still be executed . On March 18 , 2009 , then Governor Bill Richardson signed the law abolishing the death penalty in New Mexico following the assembly and senate vote the week before , thus becoming the 15th U.S. state to abolish the penalty . On gun control , New Mexico arguably has some of the least restrictive firearms laws in the country . State law pre-empts all local gun control ordinances . Unlike states with strong gun control laws , a New Mexico resident may purchase any firearm deemed legal under federal law . There are no waiting periods under state law for picking up a firearm after it has been purchased , and there are no restrictions on magazine capacity . Additionally , New Mexico allows open carry of a loaded firearm without a permit , and is `` shall - issue '' for concealed carry permits . Before December 2013 , New Mexico law neither explicitly allowed nor prohibited same - sex marriage . Policy concerning the issuance of marriage licenses to same - sex couples was determined at the county level ; that is , some county clerks issued marriage licenses to same - sex couples , while others did 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 at the statewide level . Education ( edit ) The New Mexico Public Education Department is situated in Santa Fe . Due to its relatively low population , in combination with numerous federally - funded research facilities , New Mexico had the highest concentration of PhD holders of any state in 2000 . Despite this , the state routinely ranks near the bottom in surveys of quality of primary and secondary school education . New Mexico has a higher concentration of persons who do not finish high school or have some college without a degree than the nation as a whole . For the state , 23.9 % of people over 25 years of age have gone to college but not earned a degree . This is compared with 21.0 % of the nation as a whole according to United States Census Bureau 2014 American Community Survey estimates . Los Alamos County has the highest number percent of post secondary degree holders of any county in New Mexico with 38.7 % of the population ( 4,899 persons ) estimated by the 2010 - 2014 American Community Survey . Primary and secondary education ( edit ) See also : List of high schools in New Mexico The New Mexico Public Education Department oversees the operation of primary and secondary schools . Colleges and universities ( edit ) Main article : List of colleges and universities in New Mexico Major state universities ( edit ) University of New Mexico at Albuquerque New Mexico State University at Las Cruces Eastern New Mexico University at Portales New Mexico Highlands University at Las Vegas Western New Mexico University at Silver City New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology at Socorro 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 Culture ( edit ) See also : List of people from New Mexico , New Mexican cuisine , New Mexico chile , New Mexico wine , List of breweries in New Mexico , Music of New Mexico , and New Mexico music Symbols of the Southwest : a string of chili peppers ( a ristra ) and a bleached white cow 's skull hang in a market near Santa Fe With a Native American population of 134,000 in 1990 , New Mexico still ranks as an important center of Native American culture . Both the Navajo and Apache share Athabaskan origin . The Apache and some Ute live on federal reservations within the state . With 16 million acres ( 6,500,000 ha ) , mostly in neighboring Arizona , the reservation of the Navajo Nation ranks as the largest in the United States . The prehistorically agricultural Pueblo Indians live in pueblos scattered throughout the state . Almost half of New Mexicans claim Hispanic origin ; many are descendants of colonial settlers . They settled in the state 's northern portion . Most of the Mexican immigrants reside in the southern part of the state . Also 10 - 15 % of the population , mainly in the north , may contain Hispanic Jewish ancestry . Many New Mexicans speak a unique dialect of Spanish . Because of the historical isolation of New Mexico from other speakers of the Spanish language , some of the vocabulary of New Mexican Spanish is unknown to other Spanish speakers . It uses numerous Native American words for local features and includes anglicized words that express American concepts and modern inventions . Albuquerque has the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science , the National Hispanic Cultural Center , and the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History , as well as hosts the famed annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta every fall . Art and literature ( edit ) 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 . See Mimbres culture . Many examples of this work can be seen at the Deming Luna Mimbres Museum and at the Western New Mexico University Museum . A large artistic community thrives in Santa Fe , and has included such people as Bruce Nauman , Richard Tuttle , John Connell and Steina Vasulka . The capital city has several art museums , including the New Mexico Museum of Art , Museum of Spanish Colonial Art , Museum of International Folk Art , Museum of Indian Arts and Culture , Museum of Contemporary Native Arts , SITE Santa Fe and others . Colonies for artists and writers thrive , and the small city teems with art galleries . In August , the city hosts the annual Santa Fe Indian Market , which is the oldest and largest juried Native American art showcase in the world . Performing arts include the renowned Santa Fe Opera which presents five operas in repertory each July to August , the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival held each summer , and the restored Lensic Theater a principal venue for many kinds of performances . Santa Fe is also home to Frogville Records , an indie record label . The weekend after Labor Day boasts the burning of Zozobra , a 50 ft ( 15 m ) marionette , during Fiestas de Santa Fe . The interior of the Crosby Theater at the Santa Fe Opera ; viewed from the mezzanine . Art is also a frequent theme in Albuquerque , New Mexico 's largest city . 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 . Albuquerque also has the unique and memorable 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 . 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 and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center which highlights the cultural heritage of the First Nations people of New Mexico . New Mexico holds strong to its Spanish heritage . Old Spanish traditions such zarzuelas and flamenco are popular in New Mexico . 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 Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque held each year in which native Spanish and New Mexican flamenco dancers perform at the University of New Mexico . In the mid-20th century there was a thriving Hispano school of literature and scholarship being produced in both English and Spanish . Among the more notable authors were : Angélico Chávez , Nina Otero - Warren , Fabiola Cabeza de Baca , Aurelio Espinosa , Cleofas Jaramillo , Juan Bautista Rael , and Aurora Lucero - White Lea . As well , writer D.H. Lawrence lived near Taos in the 1920s , at the D.H. Lawrence Ranch , where there is a shrine said to contain his ashes . New Mexico 's strong Spanish , Native American , and Wild West frontier motifs have provided material for many authors in the state , including internationally recognized Rudolfo Anaya and Tony Hillerman . Silver City , in the southwestern mountains of the state , was originally a mining town , and at least one nearby mine still operates . It is perhaps better known now as the home of and / or exhibition center for large numbers of artists , visual and otherwise . Another former mining town turned art haven is Madrid , New Mexico . It was brought to national fame as the filming location for the movie Wild Hogs in 2007 . The City of Las Cruces , in southern New Mexico , has a museum system that is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program . Las Cruces also has a variety of cultural and artistic opportunities for residents and visitors . Aside from the aforementioned Wild Hogs , other movies filmed in New Mexico include Sunshine Cleaning and Vampires . The various seasons of the A&E / Netflix series Longmire have been filmed in several locations in New Mexico , including Las Vegas , Santa Fe , Eagle Nest , and Red River . Sports ( edit ) The New Mexico Stars play in the Santa Ana Star Center No major league professional sports teams are based in New Mexico , but the Albuquerque Isotopes are a Pacific Coast League Triple - A baseball affiliate of the MLB Colorado Rockies . New Mexico is home to several baseball teams of the Pecos League : Santa Fe Fuego , Roswell Invaders and the White Sands Pupfish . The Duke City Gladiators of the CIF are an indoor football team that plays their home games at the Tingley Coliseum . The Albuquerque Sol F.C are a soccer club that plays in the PDL ( the 4th tier of the American soccer pyramid ) . Collegiate athletics in New Mexico involve various University of New Mexico Lobos and New Mexico State Aggies teams in many sports . For many years the two universities have had a rivalry often referred to as the `` Rio Grande Rivalry '' or the `` Battle of I - 25 '' in recognition of the campuses both located along that interstate highway . NMSU also has a rivalry with the University of Texas at El Paso that is called `` The Battle of I - 10 '' . The winner of the NMSU - UTEP football game receives the Silver Spade trophy . Olympic gold medalist Tom Jager , who is an advocate of controversial high - altitude training for swimming , has conducted training camps in Albuquerque ( elevation 5,312 ft ( 1,619.1 m ) ) and Los Alamos ( 7,320 ft ( 2,231 m ) ) . NRA Whittington Center in Raton is the United States ' largest and most comprehensive competitive shooting range and training facility . See also ( edit ) New Mexico portal Index of New Mexico - related articles Outline of New Mexico -- organized list of topics about New Mexico References ( edit ) Jump up ^ `` Most spoken languages in New Mexico in 2010 '' . MLA Data Center . Retrieved November 4 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` New Mexico : Population estimates '' . U.S. Census Bureau . July 1 , 2017 . Retrieved May 6 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Median Annual Household Income '' . The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . Retrieved December 9 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Wheeler '' . NGS data sheet . U.S. National Geodetic Survey . Retrieved October 24 , 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` Elevations and Distances in the United States '' . United States Geological Survey . 2001 . Archived from the original on October 15 , 2011 . Retrieved October 24 , 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988 . Jump up ^ `` Is New Mexico a State ? Some Americans Do n't Know '' . npr.org . Retrieved February 6 , 2018 . Jump up ^ `` How Did New Mexico Get Its Name '' . mexica.org . Word Press . Retrieved February 6 , 2018 . Jump up ^ Norris , Tina ; Vines , Paula L. ; Hoeffel , Elizabeth M. ( February 2012 ) . `` The American Indian and Alaska Native Population : 2010 '' ( PDF ) . Census 2010 Brief . United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 1 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Roberts , Calvin A. Roberts ; Susan A. ( 2006 ) . New Mexico ( Rev. ed. ed . ) . Albuquerque : Univ. of New Mexico Press . p. 64 - 65 . ISBN 9780826340030 . CS1 maint : Extra text ( link ) Jump up ^ `` New Mexico State Flag -- About the New Mexico Flag , its adoption and history from '' . Netstate.Com . Retrieved June 10 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Weber , David J. ( 1992 ) . The Spanish Frontier in North America . New Haven and London : Yale University Press . p. 79 . Jump up ^ 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 . Jump up ^ 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 . ISBN 978 - 1 - 59017 - 273 - 5 . 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 . Jump up ^ Rivera , José A. , Acequia Culture : Water , Land , and Community in the Southwest , University of New Mexico Press , 1998 . ^ Jump up to : `` CLIMATE OF NEW MEXICO '' . New Mexico State University . Archived from the original on July 8 , 2004 . Retrieved March 20 , 2010 . Jump up ^ http://www.amerisurv.com/PDF/TheAmericanSurveyor_Roeder-TX-NMLine_December2006.pdf Jump up ^ `` MAPS '' . NM Partnership . Archived from the original on September 14 , 2014 . Retrieved September 17 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Rivers of the World '' . USGS . Archived from the original on March 5 , 2009 . Retrieved May 22 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Find a Forest by State '' . USDA Forest Service . Retrieved March 20 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` New Mexico '' . National Park Service . Archived from the original on July 9 , 2008 . Retrieved July 17 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Kasha - Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument '' . www.blm.gov . Retrieved April 22 , 2018 . Jump up ^ `` All - Time Climate Extremes for NM '' . National Climatic Data Center . Archived from the original on May 28 , 2010 . Retrieved March 18 , 2011 . Jump up ^ John W. Briggs. `` Making it in Magdalena ''. `` Reflector ''. 2016 . Jump up ^ Lauren Villagran . `` New Mexico 's window to the stars '' . Albuquerque Journal . 2017 . Jump up ^ Merriam Bailey , Florence ( 1928 ) . Birds of New Mexico . The University of Michigan . Jump up ^ Hogan , C. Michael ( 2008 ) . `` Wild turkey : Meleagris gallopavo '' . GlobalTwitcher.com . Archived from the original on July 25 , 2017 . Retrieved April 2 , 2010 . Jump up ^ New Mexico ; New Mexico Compilation Commission ( 1966 ) . New Mexico statutes , 1953 , annotated. 2 . Indianapolis : A. Smith Co. p. 68 . OCLC 28494004 . Retrieved July 31 , 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Murphy , Dan ( 2000 ) . New Mexico , the distant land : an illustrated history . photo research by John O. Baxter ( 2000 ed . ) . Sun Valley , CA : American Historical Press . ISBN 978 - 1 - 892724 - 09 - 0 . ^ Jump up to : Simmons , Marc ( 1988 ) . New Mexico : An Interpretive History ( New ed . ) . Albuquerque : University of New Mexico Press . ISBN 0 - 8263 - 1110 - 5 . Jump up ^ 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 . ISBN 978 - 1 - 59017 - 273 - 5 . 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 . Jump up ^ `` Cuarto Centenario : 400 Years of New Mexico Culture and History '' . New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs . 1999 . Archived from the original on October 7 , 2008 . Retrieved October 12 , 2008 . ^ Jump up to : Simmons , Mark ( 1991 ) . The Last Conquistador : Juan De Oñate and the Settling of the Far Southwest . Norman : University of Oklahoma Press . ISBN 0 - 8061 - 2368 - 0 . Jump up ^ Resistance and Accommodation in New Mexico . Source : C.W. Hackett , ed. , Historical Documents relating to New Mexico , Nueva Vizcaya , and Approaches Thereto , to 1773 , vol . III ( Washington : Carnegie Institution of Washington , 1937 ) pp. 327 -- 335 . Jump up ^ `` The Founding of Albuquerque -- The Albuquerque Museum '' . City of Albuquerque . Archived from the original on May 29 , 2012 . Retrieved October 12 , 2008 . Jump up ^ New Mexico ( state ) . Britannica Online Encyclopedia . Jump up ^ `` Boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase as Recognized Today '' . Louisiana : European Explorations and the Louisiana Purchase . Library of Congress . December 2001 . Retrieved December 6 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` American Civil War Research Database statistics '' . Civilwardata.com . March 4 , 2012 . Retrieved June 10 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Charles Montgomery , `` Becoming ' Spanish - American ' : Race and Rhetoric in New Mexico Politics , 1880 - 1928 '' , Journal of American Ethnic History Vol. 20 , No. 4 ( Summer , 2001 ) , pp. 59 - 84 ( published by University of Illinois Press for Immigration and Ethnic History Society ) ; accessed via JSTOR , July 20 , 2016 ^ Jump up to : Willard Hughes Rollings , `` Citizenship and Suffrage : The Native American Struggle for Civil Rights in the American West , 1830 - 1965 '' , Nevada Law Journal Vol. 5 : 126 , Fall 2004 ; accessed July 18 , 2016 Jump up ^ `` New Mexico Oil Discovery '' . Retrieved July 7 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Wells , Bruce . `` New Mexico Oil Discovery '' . American Oil & Gas Historical Society . Retrieved June 8 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Resident Population Data . `` Resident Population Data -- 2010 Census '' . 2010.census.gov . Archived from the original on October 19 , 2013 . Retrieved December 24 , 2012 . ^ Jump up to : `` Table 1 . Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States , Regions , States , and Puerto Rico : April 1 , 2010 to July 1 , 2015 '' . U.S. Census Bureau . December 26 , 2015 . Archived from the original ( CSV ) on December 23 , 2015 . Retrieved December 26 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Table 16 . Population : 1790 to 1990 '' . Population and Housing Unit Counts. 1990 Census of Population and Housing . CPH - 2 - 1 . U.S. Department of Commerce , Bureau of the Census . pp. 26 -- 27 . ISBN 99946 - 41 - 25 - 5 . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on October 28 , 2011 . Retrieved July 3 , 2008 . Jump up ^ Reynis , Lee A. ; Marshall J. Vest ( 2005 ) . `` The Southwest Heartland : The Good , the Bad & the Ugly '' ( PDF ) . University of New Mexico , Bureau of Business and Economic Research . p. 12 . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on February 25 , 2009 . Retrieved October 12 , 2008 . ^ Jump up to : `` New Mexico Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM '' . bber.unm.edu . Retrieved February 28 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Bureau , U.S. Census . `` American FactFinder -- Results '' . Archived from the original on August 15 , 2014 . ^ Jump up to : `` New Mexico QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau '' . United States Census Bureau . Archived from the original on February 11 , 2010 . Retrieved March 28 , 2010 . Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_01.pdf Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_12.pdf Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_01.pdf Jump up ^ https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf Jump up ^ `` 2010 Census Data '' . U.S. Census Bureau . Archived from the original on March 24 , 2011 . Retrieved March 29 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Of The Four Majority - Minority States In America , Minorities Do Best In Texas '' . forbes.com . Retrieved January 14 , 2018 . Jump up ^ `` Alaska QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau '' . US Census Bureau . Retrieved April 10 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Quick Facts - New Mexico Population Estimates , July 1 , 2016 '' . US Census Bureau . Retrieved December 7 , 2017 . ^ Jump up to : `` Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race , 1790 to 1990 , and By Hispanic Origin , 1970 to 1990 , For The United States , Regions , Divisions , and States '' . Census.gov . Archived from the original on December 24 , 2014 . Retrieved April 21 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Population of New Mexico : Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Map , Demographics , Statistics , Quick Facts Jump up ^ 2010 Census Data . `` 2010 Census Data '' . Census.gov . Retrieved April 21 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Demographic Profile of Hispanics in New Mexico , 2007 . Pew Hispanic Center . Jump up ^ Brittingham , Angela ; de la Cruz , G. Patricia ( June 2004 ) . `` Table 3 . Largest Ancestries for the United States , Regions , States , and for Puerto Rico : 2000 '' ( PDF ) . Ancestry : 2000 ; Census 2000 Brief . US Census Bureau . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on September 20 , 2004 . Retrieved November 8 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` MLA Language Map Data Center : Most spoken languages in New Mexico '' . Mla.org . July 17 , 2007 . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` The Spanish language in New Mexico and southern Colorado '' . Archive.org . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . Jump up ^ Rubén Cobos . A Dictionary of New Mexico & Southern Colorado Spanish . Santa Fe : Museum of New Mexico Press , 2003 Jump up ^ Crawford , John ( 1992 ) . Language loyalties : a source book on the official English controversy . Chicago : University of Chicago Press . p. 62 . ^ Jump up to : Cobarrubias , Juan ; Fishman , Joshua A ( 1983 ) . Progress in Language Planning : International Perspectives . Walter de Gruyter . p. 195 . ^ Jump up to : Constitution of the State of New Mexico . Adopted January 21 , 1911 . Jump up ^ Perea , Juan F. Los Olvidados : On the Making of Invisible People . New York University Law Review , 70 ( 4 ) , 965 - 990 . Jump up ^ Roberts , Calvin A. ( 2006 ) . Our New Mexico : A Twentieth Century History . Albuquerque : University of New Mexico Press . p. 23 . Jump up ^ `` State Symbols '' . New Mexico Blue Book 2007 -- 2008 . New Mexico Secretary of State . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on November 29 , 2008 . Retrieved January 3 , 2009 . Jump up ^ Joseph , John Earl ( 2006 ) . Language and Politics . Edinburgh University Press . p. 63 . Jump up ^ Felicia Fonseca ( July 31 , 2008 ) . `` New Mexico first state to adopt Navajo textbook '' . Seattle Times . Retrieved October 29 , 2011 . Jump up ^ The Pew Forum - America 's Changing Religious Landscape Jump up ^ `` The Association of Religion Data Archives State Membership Report '' . www.thearda.com . Retrieved November 27 , 2013 . Jump up ^ `` ARCHDIOSF.ORG '' . Retrieved April 11 , 2010 . There is one Eastern Catholic parish in the state , which is under the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix . Jump up ^ `` GDP by State '' . Greyhill Advisors . Retrieved September 9 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Per Capita Personal Income by State '' . University of New Mexico , Bureau of Business and Economic Research . April 4 , 2008 . Archived from the original on March 2 , 2009 . Retrieved October 13 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Persons Below Poverty by New Mexico County '' . University of New Mexico , Bureau of Business and Economic Research . January 18 , 2008 . Archived from the original on June 24 , 2010 . Retrieved October 13 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Travel Economic Impact Model '' ( PDF ) . New Mexico Tourism Department . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on October 28 , 2008 . Retrieved October 2 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Local Area Unemployment Statistics '' . Jump up ^ `` Local Area Unemployment Statistics '' . Retrieved May 11 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` EIA State Energy Profiles : New Mexico '' . US Department of Energy , Energy Information Administration . October 9 , 2008 . Retrieved October 9 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Oil & Gas Program '' . New Mexico Institute of Technology , New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources . Retrieved October 9 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Federal Spending Received Per Dollar of Taxes Paid by State , 2005 '' . Tax Foundation . October 9 , 2007 . Retrieved September 21 , 2008 . Jump up ^ Dr. Chris Erickson ; Erin Ward ( May 2005 ) . `` Economic Impact of the Closure of Cannon Air Force Base '' . New Mexico Business Outlook . New Mexico State University . Archived from the original on September 2 , 2006 . Retrieved October 13 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Business Assistance : Incentives '' . State of New Mexico Economic Development Department . Archived from the original on April 6 , 2008 . Retrieved June 2 , 2008 . Jump up ^ Domrzalski , Dennis ( September 19 , 2003 ) . 28 New Mexico towns tap into $45 M in incentives . New Mexico Business Weekly . OCLC 30948175 . Retrieved June 2 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` Governor Signs Film Production Tax Incentives '' . New Mexico Economic Development Department . March 4 , 2002 . Archived from the original on November 14 , 2006 . Retrieved September 12 , 2007 . Jump up ^ `` New Mexico 's Film Incentives '' . New Mexico Film Office . Archived from the original on May 9 , 2008 . Retrieved June 2 , 2008 . Jump up ^ Hay , Kiera ( December 10 , 2007 ) . State 's Incentives Keep Film Industry Growing . Albuquerque Journal . OCLC 9392114 . Retrieved June 2 , 2008 . ^ Jump up to : Bell , Kay . `` State taxes : New Mexico '' . Bankrate . Retrieved April 21 , 2018 . Jump up ^ `` Governor Richardson Announces New Laws to Take Effect ; New State laws go into effect June 15 , 2007 '' ( PDF ) ( Press release ) . Office of the Governor , State of New Mexico . June 14 , 2008 . Retrieved September 5 , 2008 . HB 436 Working Families Tax Credit ... eliminates taxes on active duty military salaries . Jump up ^ Sohm , Joe ( May 4 , 2012 ) . `` Top 10 US Tax Haven States SBC Magazine '' . www.sbcmag.info . Retrieved April 21 , 2018 . Jump up ^ English , Michael ( September 18 , 2015 ) . `` New Mexico touted as tax - friendly state in latest ranking '' . www.bizjournals.com . Retrieved April 21 , 2018 . Jump up ^ `` New Mexico Retirement Tax Friendliness SmartAsset.com '' . SmartAsset . Retrieved April 21 , 2018 . Jump up ^ `` Gross Receipts Taxes FAQ '' ( PDF ) . State of New Mexico , Taxation and Revenue Department . August 6 , 2006 . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on March 31 , 2007 . Retrieved October 9 , 2008 . Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Archived October 24 , 2013 , at the Wayback Machine . Jump up ^ `` Property Tax FAQ '' ( PDF ) . State of New Mexico , Taxation and Revenue Department . August 7 , 2007 . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on March 31 , 2007 . Retrieved October 9 , 2008 . Jump up ^ Chaco Canyon Archived June 4 , 2010 , at the Wayback Machine . Jump up ^ 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 . Jump up ^ Santa Fe Trail Association Archived March 5 , 2011 , at the Wayback Machine . Jump up ^ `` Santa Fe National Historic Trail ( U.S. National Park Service ) '' . Nps.gov . Retrieved June 10 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Los Angeles Times , New Mexico turns a corner on drunk driving , July 7 , 2009 , by Kate Linthicum , http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/07/nation/na-new-mexico-dwi7 Jump up ^ U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics , Table 1 - 2 : New Mexico Public Road Length , Miles by Ownership 2000 ( 2 ) Jump up ^ U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics , Table 1 - 1 : New Mexico Public Road Length , by Functional System ( 3 ) Jump up ^ `` U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics , Table 2 - 1 : Highway Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rates : 2000 '' . Bts.gov . Retrieved June 10 , 2012 . Jump up ^ U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics , Table 1 - 5 : Highway Bridge Condition : 2001 ( 4 ) ^ Jump up to : Holmes , Sue Major ( January 14 , 2009 ) . `` Mass . firm sues state over Railrunner name '' . Boston Globe . Retrieved February 2 , 2009 . Jump up ^ `` ABQ RIDE -- City of Albuquerque '' . City of Albuquerque . Archived from the original on March 17 , 2010 . Retrieved April 12 , 2010 . ^ Jump up to : U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics , Table 1 - 9 : Freight Railroads in New Mexico and the United States : 2000 ( 5 ) ^ Jump up to : Myrick , David F. ( 1970 ) . New Mexico 's Railroads -- An Historical Survey . Golden , Colorado : Colorado Railroad Museum . ISBN 0 - 8263 - 1185 - 7 . Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 70 - 116915 . ^ Jump up to : `` 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 . ^ Jump up to : `` Stations -- New Mexico Rail Runner Express '' . Nmrailrunner.com . Retrieved June 10 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Grimm , Julie Ann ( December 17 , 2008 ) . `` Delays , struck cow mark Rail Runner 's first day , but riders optimistic '' . The Santa Fe New Mexican . Archived from the original on September 8 , 2012 . Retrieved February 2 , 2009 . Jump up ^ `` New Mexico Rail Runner Express weekday schedule '' ( PDF ) . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on March 25 , 2009 . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Rail Runner schedule page '' . Nmrailrunner.com. April 12 , 2010 . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . ^ Jump up to : Richards , C Fenton Jr ( 2001 ) . Santa Fe -- The Chief Way . Second Printing , 2005 . Robert Strein & John Vaughn . New Mexico Magazine . ISBN 0 - 937206 - 71 - 7 . ^ Jump up to : Dorin , Patrick C. ( 2004 ) . Santa Fe Passenger Trains in the Streamlined Era . design and layout by Megan Johnson . USA : TLC Publishing , Inc . ISBN 1 - 883089 - 99 - 9 . Jump up ^ Herron , Gary ( December 22 , 2008 ) . `` Media and politicians enjoy inaugural ride , public opening met with delays '' . The Observer . UK . Retrieved February 2 , 2009 . Jump up ^ Proctor , Cathy ( May 15 , 2005 ) . `` Idea floated for Front Range rail line '' . Jump up ^ `` Southwest Chief passenger timetable '' ( PDF ) . Amtrak . October 2008 . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on March 4 , 2009 . Retrieved February 2 , 2009 . Jump up ^ Blaszak , Michael W. ( 2009 ) . `` Speed , Signals , and Safety '' . Fast Trains . Classic Trains Special Edition No. 7 . Waukesha , Wisconsin : Kalmbach Publishing Co. : 47 . ISBN 978 - 0 - 89024 - 763 - 1 . Jump up ^ `` Sunset Limited passenger timetable '' ( PDF ) . Amtrak . January 2009 . Retrieved February 2 , 2009 . Jump up ^ Ohtake , Miyoko ( August 25 , 2007 ) . `` Virgin Galactic Preps for Liftoff at World 's First Commercial Spaceport '' . Wired Magazine ( 15 : 10 ) . Archived from the original on May 15 , 2008 . Retrieved January 24 , 2009 . ^ Jump up to : Robinson - Avila ( December 31 , 2008 ) . `` NM Spaceport , Virgin Galactic sign 20 - year lease '' . New Mexico Business Weekly . Retrieved January 24 , 2009 . ^ Jump up to : AFP ( December 19 , 2008 ) . `` First Commercial Spaceport Gets Green Light '' . Discovery Channel . Retrieved January 24 , 2009 . Jump up ^ UP Aerospace does launches ' quickly and cheaply ' , DenverBiz Journal , October 2008 ( 6 ) Jump up ^ `` News Release 03.04. 2008 / Spaceport Sweden and Virgin Galactic '' . Archived from the original on July 1 , 2008 . Retrieved June 26 , 2008 . Jump up ^ `` NM Secretary of State 's Office official web site '' . Sos.state.nm.us . Retrieved January 20 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` NM Attorney General 's Office official web site '' . Ago.state.nm.us . Archived from the original on August 17 , 2007 . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` NM State Auditor 's Office official web site '' . Saonm.org . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` NM State Lands official web site '' . Nmstatelands.org . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` NM State Treasurer 's Office official web site '' . Stonm.org . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` Voter Registration Statistics '' ( PDF ) . New Mexico Secretary of State Elections Bureau . Retrieved November 8 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` New Mexico Presidential Election Voting History '' . 270towin.com . Retrieved April 21 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Le Nouveau - Mexique abolit la peine de mort ( archive ) in Le Monde of March 19 , 2009 Jump up ^ `` Venture Capitals '' . Wired . Retrieved July 31 , 2010 . Jump up ^ `` These Are The States With The Best And Worst School Systems , According To New Rankings '' . Huffington Post . August 4 , 2014 . Retrieved November 22 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Data Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM '' . bber.unm.edu . Retrieved February 28 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` County Data Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM '' . bber.unm.edu . Retrieved February 28 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` The American Indian and Alaska Native Population : 2000 '' ( PDF ) . Retrieved January 26 , 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Deming Luna County Museum '' . Lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com . Retrieved April 21 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Western New Mexico University Museum '' . Wnmumuseum.org . Retrieved April 21 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Popejoy Hall '' . Retrieved May 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` KiMo Theater '' . Archived from the original on May 16 , 2012 . Retrieved May 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` African American Performing Arts Center , Albuquerque , New Mexico '' . Aapacnm.org . Archived from the original on April 18 , 2012 . Retrieved June 10 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Indian Pueblo Cultural Center '' . Retrieved May 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Zarzuela in New Mexico '' . Zarzuela.net . Retrieved June 10 , 2012 . Jump up ^ ( 7 ) Archived March 7 , 2012 , at the Wayback Machine . Jump up ^ `` New Mexico Authors Page '' . Retrieved May 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Silver City Art '' . Archived from the original on April 21 , 2012 . Retrieved May 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Madrid Art '' . Retrieved May 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` City of Las Cruces '' . Archived from the original on April 13 , 2012 . Retrieved May 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau '' . Retrieved May 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ Christine ( January 16 , 2012 ) . `` A & E will film the new series ' Longmire ' , starring Katee Sackhoff & Lou Diamond Phillips , in New Mexico this spring '' . Onlocationvacations.com . Retrieved June 15 , 2012 . Jump up ^ `` High Hopes : Altitude Training for Swimmers '' , by Michael Scott , SwimmingWorldMagazine.com magazine archives ( 8 ) ( 10 - 15 - 08 ) Jump up ^ Associated Press . `` The N.R.A. Whittington Center Shooting Range in New Mexico Caters to All in the Middle of Nowhere '' . The New York Times . Retrieved October 12 , 2017 . Further reading ( edit ) Beck , Warren . Historical Atlas of New Mexico 1969 . Chavez , Thomas E. An Illustrated History of New Mexico , 267 pages , University of New Mexico Press 2002 , ISBN 0 - 8263 - 3051 - 7 Bullis , Don . New Mexico : A Biographical Dictionary , 1540 -- 1980 , 2 vol , ( Los Ranchos de Albuquerque : Rio Grande , 2008 ) 393 pp. ISBN 978 - 1 - 890689 - 17 - 9 Gonzales - Berry , Erlinda , David R. Maciel , eds . The Contested Homeland : A Chicano History of New Mexico , University of New Mexico Press 2000 , ISBN 0 - 8263 - 2199 - 2 , 314 pp . 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 , ISBN 0 - 585 - 38014 - 7 , 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 , ISBN 0826324231 Simmons , Marc . New Mexico : An Interpretive History , University of New Mexico Press 1988 , ISBN 0 - 8263 - 1110 - 5 , 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 , ( ISBN 0 - 8263 - 0530 - X ) , fiction External links ( edit ) Find more aboutNew Mexicoat Wikipedia 's sister projects Definitions from Wiktionary Media from Wikimedia Commons News from Wikinews Texts from Wikisource Travel guide from Wikivoyage New Mexico at Curlie ( based on DMOZ ) State government ( edit ) New Mexico Government 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 . Bureau of Business and Economic Research ( BBER ) at University of New Mexico -- Exists to provide credible and objective data and research to inform economic development and public policy in New Mexico . US Government ( edit ) New Mexico State Guide , from the Library of Congress Energy Profile for New Mexico -- Economic , environmental , and energy data New Mexico -- Science In Your Backyard -- United States Geological Society `` American Southwest '' -- Discover Our Shared Heritage travel itinerary -- National Park Service New Mexico state facts -- Economic Research Service -- United States Department of Agriculture Tourism ( edit ) Flora of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico Geographic data related to New Mexico at OpenStreetMap Preceded by Oklahoma List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on January 6 , 1912 ( 47th ) Succeeded by Arizona <Th_colspan="2"> ( hide ) Topics related to New Mexico Land of Enchantment <Td_colspan="2"> <Th_colspan="3"> ( hide ) State of New Mexico <Td_colspan="3"> Santa Fe ( capital ) Topics Index Census - designated places Cuisine Bizcochito Chile Culture Delegations Geography Government History Nuevo México Territory Landmarks Military National Guard Civil War World War II Music New Mexico music New Mexicans Hispanos Pueblos and Tribes Paleontology Symbols Tourist attractions Transportation Seal of New Mexico Society Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics Regions Apachian zone Central New Mexico Chicoma Mountain Chihuahuan Desert Colorado Plateau Eastern New Mexico Llano Estacado Manzano Mountains Mogollon Plateau Northern New Mexico Permian Basin Rio Grande Rocky Mountains San Luis Valley Sandia Mountains Shortgrass prairie Sangre de Cristo Mountains Wheeler Peak ( highest point ) Southwestern New Mexico Cities Alamogordo Albuquerque ( Metropolitan Area ) Artesia Carlsbad Clovis Corrales Deming Española Farmington Gallup Grants Hobbs Las Cruces Las Vegas Los Alamos Los Lunas Lovington Portales Raton Rio Rancho Roswell Ruidoso Santa Fe Silver City Socorro Sunland Park Taos Tucumcari Counties See : List of counties in New Mexico Bernalillo Catron Chaves Cibola Colfax Curry De Baca Doña Ana Eddy Grant Guadalupe Harding Hidalgo Lea Lincoln Los Alamos Luna McKinley Mora Otero Quay Rio Arriba Roosevelt San Juan San Miguel Sandoval Santa Fe Sierra Socorro Taos Torrance Union Valencia <Th_colspan="2"> Protected areas of New Mexico National Parks Carlsbad Caverns National Historical Parks Chaco Culture Manhattan Project Pecos National Monuments Aztec Ruins Bandelier Capulin Volcano El Malpais El Morro Fort Union Gila Cliff Dwellings Petroglyph Salinas Pueblo Missions White Sands National Trails El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Old Spanish Trail Santa Fe Trail National Forests Apache - Sitgreaves Carson Cibola Coronado Gila Lincoln Santa Fe National Grasslands Kiowa National Wildlife Refuges Bitter Lake Bosque del Apache Grulla Las Vegas Maxwell San Andres Sevilleta National Conservation Areas El Malpais Fort Stanton -- Snowy River Cave BLM National Monuments Kasha - Katuwe Tent Rocks Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks Prehistoric Trackways Rio Grande del Norte National Natural Landmarks See List of National Natural Landmarks in New Mexico National Preserves Valles Caldera Wilderness Aldo Leopold Apache Kid Bandelier Bisti / De-Na - Zin Blue Range Bosque del Apache Capitan Mountains Carlsbad Caverns Cebolla Chama River Canyon Columbine - Hondo Cruces Basin Dome Gila Latir Peak Manzano Mountain Ojito Pecos Sabinoso Salt Creek San Pedro Parks Sandia Mountain West Malpais Wheeler Peak White Mountain Withington Wild and Scenic Rivers East Fork Jemez River Pecos River Red River Rio Chama Rio Grande State Parks Bluewater Lake Bottomless Lakes Brantley Lake Caballo Lake Cerrillos Hills Cimarron Canyon City of Rocks Clayton Lake Conchas Lake Coyote Creek Eagle Nest Lake El Vado Lake Elephant Butte Lake Fenton Lake Heron Lake Hyde Memorial Leasburg Dam Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Manzano Mountains Mesilla Valley Bosque Morphy Lake Navajo Lake Oasis Oliver Lee Memorial Pancho Villa Percha Dam Rio Grande Nature Center Rockhound Santa Rosa Lake Storrie Lake Sugarite Canyon Sumner Lake Ute Lake Vietnam Veterans Memorial Villanueva <Th_colspan="2"> Western United States Regions Rocky Mountains Great Basin West Coast Pacific Northwest Mountain States States Alaska Arizona California Colorado Hawaii Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Oregon Utah Washington Wyoming Major metropolitan areas Los Angeles Phoenix San Francisco Bay Area San Bernardino - Riverside Seattle San Diego Denver Portland Las Vegas Sacramento Major cities Anchorage Albuquerque Denver Honolulu Las Vegas Los Angeles Long Beach Oakland Phoenix Portland Reno Riverside Sacramento San Bernardino San Diego San Francisco San Jose Salt Lake City Seattle Spokane Tucson State capitals Boise Carson City Cheyenne Denver Helena Honolulu Juneau Olympia Phoenix Sacramento Salem Salt Lake City Santa Fe <Th_colspan="2"> New France ( 1534 -- 1763 ) Subdivisions Acadia ( 1604 -- 1713 ) Canada ( 1608 -- 1763 ) Pays d'en Haut Domaine du roy Louisiana ( 1682 -- 1762 , 1802 -- 1803 ) Illinois Country Ohio Country Newfoundland ( 1662 -- 1713 ) Île Royale ( 1713 -- 1763 ) Towns Acadia ( Port Royal ) Canada Quebec Trois - Rivières Montreal Détroit Île Royale Louisbourg Louisiana Mobile Biloxi New Orleans Newfoundland Plaisance List of towns Forts Fort Rouillé Fort Michilimackinac Fort de Buade Fort de Chartres Fort Detroit Fort Carillon Fort Condé Fort Duquesne Fortress of Louisbourg Castle Hill Fort St. Louis ( Illinois ) Fort St. Louis ( Texas ) List of Forts Government Canada Governor General Intendant Sovereign Council Bishop of Quebec Governor of Trois - Rivières Governor of Montreal Acadia Governor Lieutenant - General Newfoundland Governor Lieutenant - General Louisiana Governor Intendant Superior Council Île Royale Governor Intendant Superior Council Law Intendancy Superior Council Admiralty court Provostship Officiality Seigneurial court Bailiff Maréchaussée Code Noir Economy Seigneurial system Fur trade Company of 100 Associates Crozat 's Company Mississippi Company Compagnie de l'Occident Chemin du Roy Coureur des bois Voyageurs Society Population 1666 census Habitants King 's Daughters Casquette girls Métis Amerindians Slavery Plaçage Gens de couleur libres Religious orders Jesuit missions Récollets Grey Nuns Ursulines Sulpicians War and peace Military of New France Intercolonial Wars French and Iroquois Wars Great Upheaval Great Peace of Montreal Schenectady massacre Deerfield massacre Related French colonization of the Americas French colonial empire History of Quebec History of the Acadians History of the French - Americans French West Indies Carib Expulsion Atlantic slave trade <Td_colspan="2"> Portal Commons <Th_colspan="2"> New Spain ( 1521 -- 1821 ) Conflicts Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire → Spanish conquest of Guatemala → Spanish conquest of Yucatán → Anglo - Spanish War ( 1585 -- 1604 ) → Anglo - Spanish War ( 1625 -- 30 ) → Dutch Revolt → Anglo - Spanish War ( 1654 -- 60 ) → Piracy in the Caribbean → Queen Anne 's War → War of Jenkins ' Ear → Seven Years ' War → Spanish involvement in the American Revolutionary War Conflicts with indigenous peoples during colonial rule Mixtón War → Yaqui Wars → Chichimeca War → Philippine revolts against Spain → Acaxee Rebellion → Spanish -- Moro conflict → Acoma Massacre → Tepehuán Revolt → Tzeltal Rebellion → Pueblo Revolt → Pima Revolt → Spanish American wars of independence Government and administration Central government Habsburg Spain Charles I Joanna of Castile Philip II Philp III Philip IV Charles II Bourbon Spain Philip V ( also reigned after Louis I ) Louis I Ferdinand VI Charles III Charles IV Ferdinand VII of Spain ( also reigned after Joseph I ) Viceroys of New Spain List of viceroys of New Spain Audiencias Guadalajara Captaincy General of Guatemala Manila Mexico Santo Domingo Captancies General Cuba Guatemala Philippines Puerto Rico Santo Domingo Yucatán Provincias Internas Intendancy Havana New Orleans State of Mexico Chiapas Comayagua Nicaragua Camagüey Santiago de Cuba Guanajuato Valladolid Guadalajara Zacatecas San Luis Potosí Veracruz Puebla Oaxaca Durango Sonora Mérida , Yucatán Politics Viceroy Gobernaciones Adelantado Captain general Corregidor ( position ) Cabildo Encomienda Treaties Treaty of Tordesillas Treaty of Zaragoza Peace of Westphalia Treaty of Ryswick Treaty of Utrecht Congress of Breda Treaty of Fontainebleau ( 1762 ) Treaty of Paris ( 1783 ) Treaty of Córdoba Adams -- Onís Treaty Notable cities , provinces , & territories Cities Mexico City Veracruz Xalapa Puebla Toluca Cuernavaca Oaxaca Morelia Acapulco Campeche Mérida Guadalajara Durango Monterrey León Guanajuato Zacatecas Pachuca Querétaro Saltillo San Luis Potosí Los Ángeles Yerba Buena ( San Francisco ) San José San Diego Santa Fe Albuquerque El Paso Los Adaes San Antonio Tucson Pensacola St. Augustine Havana Santo Domingo San Juan Antigua Guatemala Cebu Manila Provinces & territories La Florida Las Californias Santa Fe de Nuevo México Alta California Baja California Tejas Nueva Galicia Nueva Vizcaya Nueva Extremadura New Kingdom of León Cebu Bulacan Pampanga Other areas Spanish Formosa Explorers , adventurers & conquistadors Pre-New Spain explorers Christopher Columbus Ferdinand Magellan Juan Sebastián Elcano Vasco Núñez de Balboa Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar Explorers & conquistadors Hernán Cortés Juan Ponce de León Nuño de Guzmán Bernal Díaz del Castillo Pedro de Alvarado Pánfilo de Narváez Hernando de Soto Francisco Vásquez de Coronado Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo Miguel López de Legazpi Ángel de Villafañe Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca Pedro Menéndez de Avilés Luis de Carabajal y Cueva Juan de Oñate Juan José Pérez Hernández Gaspar de Portolà Manuel Quimper Cristóbal de Oñate Andrés de Urdaneta Ruy López de Villalobos Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar Francisco Hernández de Córdoba ( Yucatán conquistador ) Francisco Hernández de Córdoba ( founder of Nicaragua ) Gil González Dávila Francisco de Ulloa Juan José Pérez Hernández Dionisio Alcalá Galiano Bruno de Heceta Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra Alonso de León Ignacio de Arteaga y Bazán José de Bustamante y Guerra José María Narváez Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa Antonio Gil Y'Barbo Alexander von Humboldt Thomas Gage Catholic Church in New Spain Spanish missions in the Americas Spanish missions in Arizona Spanish missions in Baja California Spanish missions in California Spanish missions in the Carolinas Spanish missions in Florida Spanish missions in Georgia Spanish missions in Louisiana Spanish missions in Mexico Spanish missions in New Mexico Spanish missions in the Sonoran Desert Spanish missions in Texas Spanish missions in Virginia Spanish missions in Trinidad Friars , fathers , priests , & bishops Pedro de Gante Gerónimo de Aguilar Toribio de Benavente Motolinia Bernardino de Sahagún Juan de Zumárraga Alonso de Montúfar Vasco de Quiroga Bartolomé de las Casas Alonso de Molina Diego Durán Diego de Landa Gerónimo de Mendieta Juan de Torquemada Juan de Palafox y Mendoza Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora Eusebio Kino Francisco Javier Clavijero Junípero Serra Francisco Palóu Fermín Lasuén Esteban Tápis José Francisco de Paula Señan Mariano Payeras Sebastián Montero Marcos de Niza Francisco de Ayeta Antonio Margil Francisco Marroquín Manuel Abad y Queipo Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla José María Morelos Other events Suppression of the Jesuits California mission clash of cultures Cargo system Indian Reductions Society and culture Indigenous peoples Mesoamerican Aztec Maya Huastec Mixtec P'urhépecha Totonac Pipil Kowoj K'iche ' Kaqchikel Zapotec Poqomam Mam Caribbean Arawak Ciboney Guanajatabey California Mission Indians Cahuilla Chumash Cupeño Juaneño Kumeyaay Luiseño Miwok Mohave Ohlone Serrano Tongva Southwestern Apache Coahuiltecan Cocopa Comanche Hopi Hualapai La Junta Navajo Pima Puebloan Quechan Solano Yaqui Zuni North - Northwest Mexico Acaxee Chichimeca Cochimi Kiliwa Ópata Tepehuán Florida & other Southeastern tribes Indigenous people during De Soto 's travels Apalachee Calusa Creek Jororo Pensacola Seminole Timucua Yustaga Filipino people Negrito Igorot Mangyan Peoples of Palawan Ati Panay Lumad Bajau Tagalog Cebuano Others Taiwanese aborigines Chamorro people Architecture Spanish Colonial style by country Colonial Baroque style Forts Missions Trade & economy Real Columbian Exchange Manila galleon Triangular trade People & classes Casta Peninsulars Criollo Indios Mestizo Castizo Coyotes Pardos Zambo Negros People Juan Bautista de Anza Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo Francis Drake Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Eusebio Kino La Malinche Fermín Lasuén Limahong Moctezuma II Junípero Serra Hasekura Tsunenaga <Td_colspan="2"> New Spain Portal <Th_colspan="2"> Political divisions of the United States States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York 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Insular areas American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Outlying islands Baker Island Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Kingman Reef Midway Atoll Navassa Island Palmyra Atoll Wake Island Indian reservations List of Indian reservations Coordinates : 34 ° N 106 ° W ﻿ / ﻿ 34 ° N 106 ° W ﻿ / 34 ; - 106 GND : 4042006 - 1 ISNI : 0000 0004 0647 0855 LCCN : n79005595 NARA : 10045266 SUDOC : 176302948 VIAF : 131332136 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Mexico&oldid=843428394 '' Categories : New Mexico Former Spanish colonies States and territories established in 1912 States of the United States Western United States 1912 establishments in New Mexico Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Extra text All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from June 2016 Articles with dead external links from June 2012 Webarchive template wayback links Articles with dead external links from January 2018 Wikipedia indefinitely move - protected pages Use mdy dates from May 2018 Articles containing Spanish - language text Articles containing Navajo - language text Articles containing Latin - language text Articles containing explicitly cited English - language text All accuracy disputes Articles with disputed statements from February 2017 Pages using bar box without float left or float right All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018 Articles containing potentially dated statements from April 2012 All articles containing potentially dated statements Articles containing potentially dated statements from July 2009 Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2000 Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2001 Articles needing additional references from January 2018 All articles needing additional references Articles containing potentially dated statements from November 2016 Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015 Articles with Curlie links Coordinates on Wikidata Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Languages Afrikaans አማርኛ Ænglisc Aragonés ܐܪܡܝܐ Arpetan Asturianu Avañe'ẽ Aymar aru Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ भोजपुरी Bikol Central Bislama Български Boarisch བོད ་ ཡིག Bosanski Brezhoneg Буряад Català Чӑвашла Cebuano Čeština Chavacano de Zamboanga Corsu Cymraeg Dansk Davvisámegiella Deutsch Diné bizaad Eesti Ελληνικά Emiliàn e rumagnòl Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Fiji Hindi Føroyskt Français Frysk Gaeilge Gaelg Gagauz Gàidhlig Galego 客家 語 / Hak - kâ - ngî Хальмг 한국어 Hawaiʻi Հայերեն हिन्दी Hornjoserbsce Hrvatski Ido Igbo Ilokano বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী Bahasa Indonesia Interlingua Iñupiak Ирон Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa Kapampangan ქართული Қазақша Kernowek Kiswahili Kreyòl ayisyen Kurdî Кыргызча Кырык мары Ladino لۊری شومالی Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Ligure Limburgs Lumbaart Magyar मैथिली Македонски Malagasy മലയാളം Māori मराठी მარგალური مصرى مازِرونی Bahasa Melayu Mìng - dĕ̤ng - ngṳ̄ Монгол မြန်မာဘာသာ Nāhuatl Dorerin Naoero Nederlands Nedersaksies नेपाली नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Нохчийн Nordfriisk Norsk Norsk nynorsk Occitan Олык марий Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча ਪੰਜਾਬੀ पालि پنجابی Papiamentu Piemontèis Plattdüütsch Polski Português Română Rumantsch Runa Simi Русский Саха тыла Gagana Samoa संस्कृतम् Sardu Scots Seeltersk Shqip Sicilianu Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Ślůnski کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Taqbaylit Татарча / tatarça తెలుగు ไทย ᏣᎳᎩ Türkçe Українська اردو ئۇيغۇرچە / Uyghurche Vèneto Tiếng Việt Volapük 文言 Winaray ייִדיש Yorùbá 粵語 Zazaki Žemaitėška 中文 Kabɩyɛ Lingua Franca Nova 162 more Edit links This page was last edited on 29 May 2018 , at 02 : 58 . 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