Quick Facts: New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. It is bordered by Arizona to the west, Colorado to the north, Oklahoma and Texas to the east, with Texas and Mexico to the south.

ABBREVIATION: NM
NICKNAME: The Land of Enchantment
POPULATION: 2,130,256 (2024 est.)
CAPITAL: Santa Fe
STATE BIRD: Roadrunner
STATE FLOWER: Yucca
AREA: 121,589 sq. mi.
TIME ZONE: Mountain
ENTERED UNION: Jan. 6, 1912
ALTITUDE: High, 13,167 ft. Wheeler Peak
CLIMATE: Clean air, nearly constant sunshine, low humidity and little rainfall. Hot summers, winters generally mild.

New Mexico has plains so flat that “the water does not know which way to run when it rains”. The proud state of New Mexico is a spacious land of limestone caverns, mountain wilderness, high plateaus, and sweeping deserts which can be made fruitful only by irrigation. Yet New Mexico has supported mankind longer than almost any other area of the United States.

Thousands of years before Francisco Coronado led his 16th Century Spanish conquistadors into the sun-scorched land in search of the gold and silver of the mythical Seven Cities of Cibola, a civilization of Indians known as the Basket Makers quietly flourished in northwestern New Mexico region.

Today, Pueblo Indians, who may be descendants of the Basket makers, live atop a 357-foot sandstone mesa near Albuquerque in the “sky city” of Acoma, the oldest continuously inhabited spot in the United States. In addition, further north, Santa Fe is home to one of the oldest churches in North America, the handsome mission-style San Miguel, built by Spanish padres around 1610.

San Miguel Chapel, Santa Fe, New Mexico

As in the rest of the Southwest, cattle, cotton, tourists, and mining-mostly potash, uranium, and petroleum-are major industries. But New Mexico’s open vastness has had an added spur to its economy.

It was on the isolated mesa of Los Alamos, only 80 miles from Acoma, that man assembled his first atomic bomb, and it was equally isolated Alamogordo in the southern part of the state-in the region the Spanish called Jornada del Muerto (Dead Man’s Journey) that the bomb was exploded in 1945.

The state is now dotted with subsidiary defense industries, missile-testing sites and government laboratories, which give New Mexico a sizeable portion of its income.

Fun Facts:

In terms of percent of its total population, New Mexico has more Native Americans and Hispanic people than any other state in the lower 48 (2012 est.).
The largest gypsum dune field in the world is in White Sands National Monument.
The ‘Big Room’, the largest underground chamber in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, is big enough to hold six football fields.
The Roadrunner, New Mexico’s state bird, can reach ground speeds of 15 miles per hour.
In 1950 the town of Hot Springs volunteered to change its name to ‘Truth or Consequences’. It is the only city in the country named for a game show. In 1950, Ralph Edwards, the host of the radio quiz show Truth or Consequences, announced that he would air the program from the first town that renamed itself after the show; Hot Springs won the honor. Edwards visited the town during the first weekend of May for the next 50 years. This event was called “Fiesta” and included a beauty contest, a parade, and a stage show.
Santa Fe the highest capital city in the United States at 7,000 feet above sea level.

History:

New Mexico, known as the “Land of Enchantment,” has one of the richest and most complex histories in the United States. From ancient Indigenous civilizations and Spanish colonization to its place in the modern American Southwest, New Mexico has long been a cultural crossroads, blending Native, Hispanic, and Anglo traditions.

Long before European contact, New Mexico was home to advanced Indigenous societies. The Ancestral Puebloans (also known as the Anasazi), Mogollon, and Hohokam peoples built intricate cliff dwellings, ceremonial kivas, and irrigation systems, particularly in areas like Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde.

Their descendants, including the modern Pueblo peoples, as well as the Navajo (Diné) and Apache, have maintained their distinct cultural identities, traditions, and languages for centuries.

In 1540, Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led an expedition into the region in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. Though he never found the riches he sought, his journey marked the beginning of European interest in the area.

By 1598, Spanish colonization formally began under Juan de Oñate, who established the first permanent European settlement near present-day Ohkay Owingeh, then called San Juan de los Caballeros. This marked the founding of New Mexico as part of the Spanish Empire.

Spanish settlers introduced Catholicism, European architecture, and the Spanish language. Missions were built throughout the region to convert Native populations, sometimes leading to conflict and resistance. In 1680, the Pueblo Revolt—led by a Tewa religious leader named Popé—successfully expelled the Spanish for 12 years.

This remains one of the most successful Indigenous uprisings in North American history. The Spanish eventually returned but allowed greater religious and cultural freedom.

After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico took control of New Mexico. However, by 1846, during the Mexican-American War, the United States occupied the territory. Under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, New Mexico officially became U.S. territory.

This brought dramatic political, economic, and cultural changes to the region, including new governance, settlement by Americans, and tensions between Anglo settlers and existing Hispanic and Native communities.

New Mexico remained a U.S. territory for over 60 years before finally achieving statehood on January 6, 1912, becoming the 47th state. During the 20th century, the state played a vital role in American history. Most notably, it was the site of the secret Manhattan Project during World War II.

The first atomic bomb was tested at the Trinity Site near Alamogordo in 1945.

Today, New Mexico is known for its diverse population, vibrant arts scene, and striking landscapes. It remains one of the most culturally unique states in the U.S., with strong Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo-American influences. Cities like Santa Fe and Albuquerque showcase this heritage through architecture, cuisine, and festivals.

New Mexico’s history is one of endurance, blending, and transformation. From ancient civilizations and colonial struggles to scientific milestones and cultural renewal, New Mexico continues to enchant with its deep past and enduring spirit.