Taos Pueblo is located in New Mexico and has been continuously inhabited by people for around 1, 000 years. The Spanish conqueror Francisco Vásquez de Coronado already roamed the US state in 1540.
- Native people lived in New Mexico even before the Spanish conquerors and European settlers.
- New Mexico was under Spanish and Mexican rule for a long time, and there was brisk trade with American settlers in neighboring areas.
- With the victory of the Americans in the American-Mexican war and the purchase of the southern state territory, New Mexico became part of the USA.
Santa Fe – The history of New Mexico begins long before European colonization. The Anasazi and Chaco tribes lived in the region until the 13th or 14th centuries. Their civilizations perished due to climatic changes. Later the Spanish conquerors occupied the country. A settlement in the north of the state is said to have been continuously inhabited for over 1, 000 years, making it the top spot in the entire United States.
The territory of New Mexico belonged first to the Spaniards and later to the Mexicans. After the American-Mexican war, the northern part fell to the settlers, the south was subsequently bought. The founding of New Mexico in its present form dates back to January 6, 1912. On that day, the citizens joined the United States as the 47th state.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG: Overview of state New Mexico, including major cities and most commonly used abbreviations of New Mexico.
New Mexico – Geography and major cities of the state
With an area of 314, 915 km², New Mexico is about the size of Poland and the fifth largest US state. The geography of the country is characterized by a plateau. However, this does not run evenly, because four geological provinces of North America meet in New Mexico. Some of the most impressive formations include:
- The gentle rise from the prairie to the High Plains to the east
- The Chihuahua Desert in the Basin and Range Province in the southwest
- The towering Colorado Plateau to the northwest
- The impressive Sangre de Cristo Range as the southern part of the Rocky Mountains in the north
Large parts of the country are very dry. Only north of the mountains of Santa Fe does rain fall regularly, where winter sports are popular. In the west of the continental divide, vast forests characterize the picture. In some areas, New Mexico is virtually untouched by humans to this day.
The cities in New Mexico are rather small, although the population is growing massively. This is particularly due to the immigrants from Mexico and South America who settle in the larger communities. According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, among the largest cities, the capital Santa Fe is in third place with around 75, 000 inhabitants. More residents have:
- Albuquerque (around 550, 000 inhabitants)
- Las Cruses (about 100, 000 inhabitants)
New Mexico Population and Economy
The population of New Mexico is about 2 million people, and the tendency is increasing due to the strong immigration and a good economy.
The ethnic composition of the inhabitants is distributed as follows:
- 7% White (non-Hispanic)
- 1% Hispanic descent
- 5% Indians (esp. Pueblos)
- 9% African American
- 1% Asian Americans
- 6% ancestry mixed
The barren land in New Mexico allows agriculture only with irrigation. This is why cattle breeding is prominent, and to a lesser extent, arable farming is practiced with maize, millet, cotton and wheat. The mining economy is strong (oil, natural gas, potash). The industry produces:
- Chemical products
- Food
- machinery
- Metal goods
- Wood products
Elections in New Mexico
Although New Mexico was long a swing state, where both parties had opportunities, the state received little attention in elections. This is due to the relatively small population – New Mexico only has five electors in Electoral College.
The situation has changed since 2000. Since then, the Democrats have always won with a small but certain majority. Election observers have rated New Mexico for several years as a reliable democratic voter.
