View source for New Mexico

{{Short description|U.S. state}}
{{about|the U.S. state}}
{{pp-move|small=yes}}
{{Very long|date=April 2026|words=15,500}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox U.S. state
| name = New Mexico
| native_name = {{ubl | {{native name|es|Nuevo México}} | {{native name|nv|Yootó Hahoodzo}} }}
| Former = {{ubl | [[Santa Fe de Nuevo México|Nuevo México]] (1598–1848) | [[New Mexico Territory]] (1850–1912) }}
| image_flag = Flag of New Mexico.svg
| flag_link = Flag of New Mexico
| anthem = {{ubl | "[[O Fair New Mexico]]" and "[[Así Es Nuevo México]]" | [[File:"O Fair New Mexico" - Regional anthem of New Mexico.oga|center]] }}
| image_seal = NewMexico-StateSeal.svg
| image_map = New Mexico in United States.svg
| nickname = The Land of Enchantment
| motto = ''{{lang|la|[[Crescit eundo]]}}'' (''It grows as it goes'')
| population_demonym = New Mexican ({{langx|es|link=no|Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano}})<ref>[http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=neomexicano Neomexicano definition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627173318/http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=neomexicano |date=June 27, 2018 }} by [[Royal Spanish Academy]] (Real Academia Española)</ref>
| seat = [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]]
| LargestCity = [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]]
| LargestCounty = [[Bernalillo County, New Mexico|Bernalillo]]
| LargestMetro = [[Albuquerque metropolitan area]]
| OfficialLang = None
| Languages = English, Spanish ([[New Mexican Spanish|New Mexican]]), [[Navajo language|Navajo]], [[Keres language|Keres]], [[Zuni language|Zuni]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&SRVY_YEAR=2010&geo=state&state_id=35&mode=geographic|title=Most spoken languages in New Mexico in 2010|publisher=MLA Data Center|access-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523182222/http://www.mla.org/map_data_results%26SRVY_YEAR%3D2010%26geo%3Dstate%26state_id%3D35%26mode%3Dgeographic|archive-date=May 23, 2013}}</ref>
| Governor = {{nowrap|[[Michelle Lujan Grisham]] ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])}}
| Lieutenant Governor = {{nowrap|[[Howie Morales]] (D)}}
| Legislature = [[New Mexico Legislature]]
| Upperhouse = [[New Mexico Senate|Senate]]
| Lowerhouse = [[New Mexico House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| Judiciary = [[New Mexico Supreme Court]]
| Senators = {{plainlist}}
* {{nowrap|[[Martin Heinrich]] (D)}}
* {{nowrap|[[Ben Ray Luján]] (D)}}
{{endplainlist}}
| Representative = {{plainlist}}
* {{nowrap|[[New Mexico's 1st congressional district|1]]: [[Melanie Stansbury]] (D)}}
* {{nowrap|[[New Mexico's 2nd congressional district|2]]: [[Gabe Vasquez]] (D)}}
* {{nowrap|[[New Mexico's 3rd congressional district|3]]: [[Teresa Leger Fernández]] (D)}}
{{endplainlist}}
| postal_code = NM
| TradAbbreviation = N.M., N.Mex.
| area_rank = 5th
| area_total_sq_mi = 121,591<ref name="uscensus2010_cph-2-1_area">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-1.pdf |title=United States Summary: 2010{{snd}}Population and Housing Unit Counts |website=U.S. Census Bureau |date=September 2012 |access-date=March 14, 2020 |page=41 |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019110435/http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-1.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| area_total_km2 = 314,915
| area_land_sq_mi = 121,298<ref name="uscensus2010_cph-2-1_area" />
| area_land_km2 = 314,161
| area_water_sq_mi = 292<ref name="uscensus2010_cph-2-1_area" />
| area_water_km2 = 757
| area_water_percent = 0.24
| population_rank = 36th
| population_as_of = 2025
| 2020Pop = {{DecreaseNeutral}} 2,125,498<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/NM/PST045224|accessdate=January 9, 2025|title= United States Census Quick Facts New Mexico}}</ref>
| population_density_rank = 45th
| 2020DensityUS = 17.2
| 2020Density = 6.62
| MedianHouseholdIncome = ${{round|62268|-2}} (2<span>0</span>23)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2024/demo/acsbr-023.pdf|title=Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2023|accessdate=January 12, 2025}}</ref>
| IncomeRank = [[List of U.S. states and territories by income#States and territories ranked by median household income|43rd]]
| AdmittanceOrder = 47th
| AdmittanceDate = January 6, 1912
| timezone1 = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain]]
| utc_offset1 = −07:00
| timezone1_DST = [[Mountain Daylight Time|MDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST = −06:00
| Longitude = 103° W to 109°3′ W
| Latitude = 31°20′ N to 37°N
| width_mi = 344
| width_km = 552
| length_mi = 371
| length_km = 596
| elevation_max_point = [[Wheeler Peak (New Mexico)|Wheeler Peak]]<ref>{{cite ngs |id=GM0779 |designation=Wheeler |access-date =October 24, 2011 }}</ref><ref name="USGS">{{cite web |url=http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html |title=Elevations and Distances in the United States |publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]] |year=2001 |access-date=October 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015012701/http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html |archive-date=October 15, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{refn|group=Note|name="NAVD88"|Elevation adjusted to [[North American Vertical Datum of 1988]]}}
| elevation_max_ft = 13,161
| elevation_max_m = 4011.4
| elevation_ft = 5,701
| elevation_m = 1,741
| elevation_min_point = [[Red Bluff Reservoir]] on {{nowrap|Texas border}}<ref name="USGS"/>{{refn|group=Note|name="NAVD88"}}
| elevation_min_ft = 2,845
| elevation_min_m = 868
| iso_code = US-NM
| website = https://nm.gov
| Capital = 
| Representatives = 
}}

'''New Mexico'''{{efn|{{langx|es|Nuevo México}}, {{IPA|es|ˈnweβo ˈmexiko|pron|Es-Nuevo México.oga}}; {{langx|nv|Yootó Hahoodzo}}, {{IPA|nv|jòːtʰó hɑ̀hòːtsò|pron}}}} is a landlocked state in the [[Southwestern United States|Southwestern]] region of the United States. It is one of the [[Mountain States]] of the southern [[Rocky Mountains]], sharing the [[Four Corners]] region with [[Utah]], [[Colorado]], and [[Arizona]]. It also borders the state of [[Texas]] to the east and southeast, [[Oklahoma]] to the northeast, and shares [[Mexico-United States border|an international border]] with the [[Mexican states]] of [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]] and [[Sonora]] to the south. New Mexico's largest city is [[Albuquerque]], and its [[List of capitals in the United States|state capital]] is [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], the oldest state capital in the U.S.—founded in 1610 as the government seat of [[Santa Fe de Nuevo México|Nuevo México]] in [[New Spain]]—and the highest in elevation, at {{convert|6,998|ft|m|0}}.

New Mexico is the [[List of U.S. states and territories by area|fifth-largest of the fifty states]] by area, but with just over 2.1 million residents, ranks [[List of U.S. states and territories by population|36th in population]] and [[List of U.S. states and territories by population density|45th in population density]].<ref>[[2020 United States census]]</ref> Its climate and geography are highly varied, ranging from forested mountains to sparse deserts; the [[Northern New Mexico|northern]] and [[eastern New Mexico|eastern regions]] exhibit a colder [[alpine climate]], while the west and south are warmer and [[Desert climate|more arid]]. The [[Rio Grande]] and [[Rio Grande Valley (New Mexico)|its fertile valley]] runs north-to-south, creating a [[riparian zone|riparian]] biome through the [[central New Mexico|center of the state]] that supports a [[bosque]] habitat and distinct [[Albuquerque Basin]] climate. One-third of New Mexico's land is federally owned, including many protected [[Wilderness areas of the United States|wilderness areas]], 15 [[List of areas in the United States National Park System|national parks]] and monuments, and [[List of World Heritage Sites in the United States|three UNESCO World Heritage Sites]] wholly contained within the state—the most of any U.S. state.<ref>{{Cite web|title=United States of America|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/us|access-date=2022-01-26|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-date=January 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129201412/http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/us/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[economy of New Mexico|New Mexico's economy]] is highly diversified; major sectors include mining, oil and gas, aerospace, [[media in Albuquerque, New Mexico|media]], and [[List of films shot in New Mexico|film.]]<ref name="Sector 2014">{{cite web | last=Sector | first=End-Use | title=New Mexico Profile | website=Homepage – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) | date=June 19, 2014 | url=https://www.eia.gov/state/print.php?sid=NM | access-date=June 27, 2022 | archive-date=May 20, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520175158/https://www.eia.gov/state/print.php?sid=NM | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Vickers 2012">{{cite web|last=Vickers|first=Jenny|title=High-Tech Hubs Are Moving To Their Markets|website=Business Facilities|date=October 24, 2012|url=https://businessfacilities.com/2012/10/feature-story-high-tech-hubs-are-moving-to-their-markets/|access-date=June 27, 2022|archive-date=August 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815135210/https://businessfacilities.com/2012/10/feature-story-high-tech-hubs-are-moving-to-their-markets/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Forbes 2019">{{cite web|title=Albuquerque, NM|website=Forbes|date=August 14, 2019|url=https://www.forbes.com/places/nm/albuquerque/|access-date=June 27, 2022|archive-date=June 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627153017/https://www.forbes.com/places/nm/albuquerque/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gomez |first=Adrian |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |title=New Mexico's film industry has bounded back to near pre-pandemic levels |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2395317/new-mexicos-film-industry-has-bounded-back-to-near-prepandemic-levels.html |date=May 29, 2021 |access-date=2021-07-19 |language=en-US |archive-date=July 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719021621/https://www.abqjournal.com/2395317/new-mexicos-film-industry-has-bounded-back-to-near-prepandemic-levels.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Its total [[real gross domestic product]] (GDP) in 2023 was over $105 billion, with a GDP per capita of $49,879.<ref name="statista">{{Cite web |title=U.S. federal state of New Mexico – real GDP 2000–2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/188085/gdp-of-the-us-federal-state-of-new-mexico-since-1997/ |access-date=2021-08-08 |website=Statista |language=en |archive-date=August 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815030031/https://www.statista.com/statistics/188085/gdp-of-the-us-federal-state-of-new-mexico-since-1997/ |url-status=live }}</ref> New Mexico often ranks low in wealth, healthcare, and education, but has some of the highest concentrations of scientists, engineers, along with other highly skilled workers, and one of the most educated (albeit very small) counties in the U.S.: [[Los Alamos County, New Mexico|Los Alamos County]].<ref name="Chief-2021">{{Cite news |last=Chief |first=Dan Boyd |date=August 9, 2021 |title=NM considering statewide guaranteed basic income program |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2418234/nm-considering-statewide-guaranteed-basic-income-program-ex-policy-would-provide-lowincome-residents-with-regular-aid-payments.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810231725/https://www.abqjournal.com/2418234/nm-considering-statewide-guaranteed-basic-income-program-ex-policy-would-provide-lowincome-residents-with-regular-aid-payments.html |archive-date=August 10, 2021 |access-date=2021-08-10 |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Diego |date=2024-06-18 |title=New Mexico 50th in Education – Again |url=https://nmeducation.org/new-mexico-50th-in-education-again/ |access-date=2025-07-16 |website=New Mexico Education |language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250313110839/https://nmeducation.org/new-mexico-50th-in-education-again/|archive-date=13 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Astronomers & physicists | website=Data USA | url=https://datausa.io/profile/soc/astronomers-physicist | access-date=September 29, 2025 | quote=The locations with a relatively high concentration of Astronomers & physicists are North Central New Mexico PUMA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251113100423/https://datausa.io/profile/soc/astronomers-physicist|archive-date=13 November 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=New Mexico | website=Data USA | url=https://datausa.io/profile/geo/new-mexico?measureOccupations=workforce | access-date=September 29, 2025 | quote= The most common job groups, by number of people living in New Mexico, are Other managers, The industries with the most establishments Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, Construction}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Burrows | first=Dan | title=The 10 'Real' Richest Counties in the US | website=Kiplinger | date=August 2, 2021 | url=https://www.kiplinger.com/real-estate/603232/the-real-richest-counties-in-the-us | access-date=September 29, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421170930/https://www.kiplinger.com/real-estate/603232/the-real-richest-counties-in-the-us|archive-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> New Mexico has a significant federal presence,<ref>{{Cite news|title=N.M. military bases play key roles in national defense|newspaper=Albuquerque Journal|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/247211/n-m-military-bases-play-key-roles-in-national-defense.html|access-date=2022-01-26|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126152417/https://www.abqjournal.com/247211/n-m-military-bases-play-key-roles-in-national-defense.html|url-status=live}}</ref> including [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]] installations such as [[White Sands Missile Range]] and [[Kirtland Air Force Base]], and [[United States Department of Energy National Laboratories|Department of Energy]] research centers such as the [[Sandia National Laboratories|Sandia]] and [[Los Alamos National Laboratory|Los Alamos National Laboratories]]. The state hosted several [[Project Y|key facilities]] of the [[Manhattan Project]], which developed the world's first [[Nuclear weapon|atomic bomb]], and was the site of the first nuclear test, [[Trinity (nuclear test)|Trinity]].

In [[Prehistory|prehistoric times]], New Mexico was home to [[Ancestral Puebloans]], the [[Mogollon culture|Mogollon]] culture, and [[Ute people#Ute ancestral lands and culture|ancestral Ute]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Roberts|first1=Calvin A. Roberts; Susan A.|title=New Mexico|date=2006|publisher=Univ. of New Mexico Press|isbn=978-0-8263-4003-0|edition=Rev.|location=Albuquerque|pages=64–65}}</ref> [[Navajo]] and [[Jicarilla Apache|Apache]] arrived in the late 15th century and the [[Comanche]] in the early 18th century. The [[Pueblo peoples]] occupied several dozen villages, mostly in northern New Mexico's Rio Grande valley.<ref>Pritzker, 52</ref><ref>For example, the Great Canadian Parks website suggests the Navajos may be descendants of the lost Naha tribe, a [[Slavey people|Slavey]] tribe from the [[Nahanni National Park Reserve|Nahanni]] region west of Great Slave Lake. {{cite web | title=Nahanni National Park Reserve | publisher=Great Canadian Parks | url=http://canadianparks.com/northwest/nahninp/page2.htm | access-date=2007-07-02 | archive-date=July 8, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708113337/http://canadianparks.com/northwest/nahninp/page2.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> [[Spanish Empire|Spanish explorers and settlers]] arrived in the 16th century from present-day Mexico.<ref name="Hendricks 2015 pp. 427–428">{{cite journal | last=Hendricks | first=Rick | title=Return to Aztlan: Indians, Spaniards, and the Invention of Nuevo México by Danna A. Levin Rojo | journal=Southwestern Historical Quarterly | publisher=Project Muse | volume=118 | issue=4 | year=2015 | issn=1558-9560 | doi=10.1353/swh.2015.0033 | pages=427–428| s2cid=143749388 }}</ref><ref name="516 ARTS">{{cite web | title=Art Meets History: Technologies of the Spirit | website=516 ARTS | date=June 11, 2022 | url=https://www.516arts.org/exhibitions/art-meets-history-technologies-of-the-spirit | access-date=November 13, 2022 | archive-date=November 13, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113233753/https://www.516arts.org/exhibitions/art-meets-history-technologies-of-the-spirit | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Levin Rojo 2002">{{Cite thesis |title=Way back to Aztlan: Sixteenth century Hispanic-Nahuatl transculturation and the construction of the new Mexico. |url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2272/ |publisher=London School of Economics and Political Science |date=2002 |degree=phd |language=en |first=Danna Alexandra |last=Levin-Rojo |access-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421224955/http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2272/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Isolated by its rugged terrain, New Mexico was a [[Periphery countries|peripheral]] part of the [[viceroy]]alty of [[New Spain]]. Upon [[Mexican War of Independence|Mexican independence]] in 1821, it became an [[Autonomous administrative division|autonomous]] but [[Revolt of 1837 (New Mexico)|restive]] region of Mexico, with increasing economic ties to the U.S. After the [[Mexican–American War]] in 1848, the U.S. [[Mexican Cession|annexed New Mexico]] as part of the larger [[New Mexico Territory]], which was central to [[American frontier|U.S. westward expansion]]; New Mexico was [[Admission to the Union|admitted to the Union]] as the 47th state on January 6, 1912.

New Mexico's history has contributed to its [[culture of New Mexico|unique culture]]. As one of nine [[Majority minority in the United States|majority-minority states]], it has the nation's highest proportion of [[Hispanic and Latino Americans]] and the second-highest proportion of Native Americans, after [[Alaska]].<ref name="demo">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-10.pdf|title=The American Indian and Alaska Native Population: 2010|last1=Norris|first1=Tina|last2=Vines|first2=Paula L.|date=February 2012|website=Census 2010 Brief|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 1, 2012|last3=Hoeffel|first3=Elizabeth M.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505221036/http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-10.pdf|archive-date=May 5, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> It is home to one-third of the [[Navajo Nation]], 19 [[List of federally recognized tribes in the United States|federally recognized]] [[Pueblo|Pueblo communities]], and three federally recognized [[Apache]] tribes. Its large Latino population includes [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispanos]]<ref>{{Cite web|first1=Angelico|last1=Chavez|first2=José|last2=Cisneros|url=https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2649166?availability=Brigham%20City%20Utah%20FamilySearch%20Center|title=Origins of New Mexico families in the Spanish colonial period : in two parts : the seventeenth (1598–1693) and the eighteenth (1693–1821) centuries|website=familysearch.org|access-date=October 15, 2022|archive-date=October 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015225452/https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2649166?availability=Brigham%20City%20Utah%20FamilySearch%20Center|url-status=live}}
{{User-generated source|date=October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://longoriaf.tripod.com/onate_genealogy.htm | title=Onate Genealogy | access-date=October 15, 2022 | archive-date=October 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015225451/https://longoriaf.tripod.com/onate_genealogy.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Mexican Americans]]. The [[flag of New Mexico|New Mexican flag]], which is among the most recognizable in the U.S.,<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kaye | first1 = Edward B. | year = 2001 | title = Good Flag, Bad Flag, and the Great NAVA Flag Survey of 2001 | url = | journal = Raven: A Journal of Vexillology | volume = 8 | issue = | pages = 11–38 | doi = 10.5840/raven200182 |issn=1071-0043}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-25 |title=This is Utah's new flag — and here's why more states are mulling redesigns |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/03/25/utah-new-flag-vexillology/ |access-date=2025-09-06 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> reflects [[Zia people (New Mexico)|indigenous]] and [[Flag of Spain|Spanish]] inspiration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/nm_flag.htm|title=New Mexico State Flag{{snd}}About the New Mexico Flag, its adoption and history from|publisher=Netstate.Com|access-date=June 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916112830/http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/nm_flag.htm|archive-date=September 16, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The convergence of indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, and [[American frontier|American]] influences is also evident in New Mexico's [[New Mexican cuisine|unique cuisine]], [[New Mexican Spanish|Spanish dialect]], [[New Mexico music|folk music]], and [[Pueblo Revival architecture|Pueblo Revival]] and [[Territorial Style|Territorial styles of architecture]].
{{TOC limit|limit=3}}

==Etymology==

New Mexico received its name long before the present-day country of Mexico won independence from Spain and adopted that name in 1821. The name "Mexico" derives from [[Nahuatl]] and originally referred to the heartland of the [[Mexica]], the rulers of the [[Aztec Empire]], in the [[Valley of Mexico]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin |first1=Don Domingo de San Antón Muñón |editor1-last=Namala |editor1-first=Doris |editor2-last=Lockhart |editor2-first=James |editor3-last=Schroeder |editor3-first=Susan |title=Annals of His Time: Don Domingo de San Antón Muñón Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin |date=2006 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=9780804754545 |page=144 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GRFcH0HWrJ4C&dq=yancuic%20mexico&pg=PA144 |quote=inchan yn ompa huehue mexico aztlan quinehuayan chicomoztoc yn axcan quitocayotia yancuic mexico |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612153725/https://books.google.com/books?id=GRFcH0HWrJ4C&dq=yancuic%20mexico&pg=PA144 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Yancuic Mexico |url=https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/yancuic-mexico |website=Online Nahuatl Dictionary |publisher=Wired Humanities Projects, University of Oregon |access-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-date=May 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514224110/https://nahuatl.wired-humanities.org/content/yancuic-mexico |url-status=live }}</ref> After [[Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire|conquering the Aztecs]] in the early 16th century, the Spanish began exploring what is now the Southwestern United States, calling it ''Nuevo México''. In 1581, the [[Chamuscado and Rodríguez Expedition]] named the region north of the Rio Grande ''San Felipe del Nuevo México''.<ref>{{cite book |first=David J. |last=Weber |title=The Spanish Frontier in North America |publisher=Yale University Press |location=[[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]] and London |year=1992 |page=79 }}</ref> The Spaniards had hoped to find wealthy indigenous cultures similar to the Mexica; the indigenous cultures of New Mexico proved to be unrelated to the Mexica and lacking in riches, but the name persisted.<ref>{{cite book |title=Names on the Land: A Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States |last=Stewart |first=George |author-link=George R. Stewart |orig-date=1945 |year=2008 |publisher=NYRB Classics |location=New York |pages= 23–24 |isbn=978-1590172735 |quote=There was Francisco de Ibarra, a great seeker after gold mines. In 1563, he went far to the north{{spaces}}... 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. }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Joseph P. |last=Sanchez |title=The Rio Abajo Frontier, 1540–1692: A History of Early Colonial New Mexico |location=Albuquerque |publisher=Museum of Albuquerque History Monograph Series |year=1987 |page=51 }}</ref>

Before statehood in 1912, the name "New Mexico" loosely applied to various configurations of territories in the same general area, which [[Territorial evolution of New Mexico|evolved throughout the Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. periods]], but typically encompassed most of present-day New Mexico along with sections of neighboring states.<ref>Rivera, José A., ''Acequia Culture: Water, Land, and Community in the Southwest'', University of New Mexico Press, 1998.</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of New Mexico}}

{{For timeline}}
{{See also|Territorial evolution of New Mexico}}
[[File:Map Anasazi, Hohokam and Mogollon cultures-en.svg|thumb|Ancestral Pueblo territory shown in pink over New Mexico]]

===Prehistory===

The first known inhabitants of New Mexico were members of the [[Clovis culture]] of [[Paleo-Indians]].<ref name="Murphy 2000">{{cite book|last=Murphy|first=Dan|others=photo research by John O. Baxter|title=New Mexico, the distant land: an illustrated history|year=2000|publisher=American Historical Press|location=Sun Valley, CA|isbn=978-1892724090}}</ref>{{Rp|19}} Footprints discovered in 2017 suggest that humans may have been present in the region as long ago as 21,000–23,000 BC.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2022 |title=Ancient footprints in New Mexico raise questions about when humans inhabited North America |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/ancient-footprints-in-new-mexico-raise-questions-about-when-humans-inhabited-north-america |access-date=2022-07-25 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us |archive-date=July 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725174206/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/ancient-footprints-in-new-mexico-raise-questions-about-when-humans-inhabited-north-america |url-status=live }}</ref> Later inhabitants include the [[Mogollon culture|Mogollon]] and [[Ancestral Puebloans|Ancestral Pueblo]] cultures, which are characterized by sophisticated pottery work and urban development;<ref name="Simmons 1988">{{cite book |last=Simmons |first=Marc |title=New Mexico: An Interpretive History |edition=New |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |location=Albuquerque |year=1988 |isbn=978-0826311108 |url=https://archive.org/details/newmexicointerpr00simm }}</ref>{{Rp|52}} [[pueblo]]s or their remnants, like those at [[Acoma Pueblo|Acoma]], [[Taos Pueblo|Taos]], and [[Chaco Culture National Historical Park]], indicate the scale of [[Ancestral Puebloan dwellings]] within the area. These cultures form part of the broader [[Oasisamerica]] region of pre-Columbian North America.

The vast trade networks of the Ancestral Puebloans led to legends throughout [[Mesoamerica]] and the [[Aztec Empire]] ([[Mexica|Mexico]]) of an unseen northern empire that rivaled their own, which they called ''Yancuic Mexico'', literally translated as "a new Mexico".{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}

===Nuevo México===
==== New Spain era ====

{{Main|Seven Golden Cities of Cibola|Santa Fe de Nuevo México}}

{{see also|Spanish peace treaties with the Comanche}}
Aztec legends of a prosperous empire to their north became the primary basis for the mythical [[Seven Cities of Gold]], which spurred exploration by Spanish [[conquistador]]s following their [[Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire|conquest of the Aztecs]] in the early 16th century; prominent explorers included [[Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca]], [[Andrés Dorantes de Carranza]], [[Alonso del Castillo Maldonado]], [[Estevanico]], and [[Marcos de Niza]].

The settlement of ''[[Santa Fe, New Mexico|La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís]]'' — modern day Santa Fe – was established by [[Pedro de Peralta]] as a more permanent capital at the foot of the [[Sangre de Cristo Mountains]] in 1610.<ref name="Simmons Last Conquistador">{{cite book |last=Simmons |first=Mark |title=The Last Conquistador: Juan De Oñate and the Settling of the Far Southwest |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |location=Norman |year=1991 |isbn=978-0806123684}}</ref>{{Rp|182}} Towards the end of the 17th century, the [[Pueblo Revolt]] drove out the Spanish and occupied these early cities for over a decade.<ref name="archaeology.org">{{Cite web |title=The First American Revolution - Archaeology Magazine |url=https://archaeology.org/issues/online/collection/new-mexico-pueblo-revolt/ |access-date=2023-01-19 |website=www.archaeology.org |archive-date=January 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119005838/https://www.archaeology.org/issues/249-1703/features/5301-new-mexico-pueblo-revolt |url-status=live }}</ref> After the death of Pueblo leader [[Popé]], [[Diego de Vargas]] restored the area to Spanish rule,<ref name="Simmons 1988" />{{Rp|68–75}} with Puebloans offered greater cultural and religious liberties.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060327110222/http://www.class.uh.edu/gl/mav1.htm 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.</ref><ref>''The Pueblo Revolt of 1680:Conquest and Resistance in Seventeenth-Century New Mexico'', By, Andrew L. Knaut, University of Oklahoma Press: Norman, 1995</ref><ref name="Murphy 2000" />{{rp|6, 48}} Returning settlers founded ''[[Albuquerque, New Mexico|La Villa de Alburquerque]]'' in 1706 at [[Old Town Albuquerque]] as a trading center for existing surrounding communities such as [[Barelas]], [[Pueblo of Isleta|Isleta]], [[Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico|Los Ranchos]], and [[Sandia Pueblo|Sandia]];<ref name="Simmons 1988" />{{Rp|84}} it was named for the viceroy of New Spain, [[Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 10th Duke of Alburquerque]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cabq.gov/museum/history/foundingabq.html |title=The Founding of Albuquerque{{snd}}The Albuquerque Museum |access-date=October 12, 2008 |publisher=City of Albuquerque |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529004544/http://www.cabq.gov/museum/history/foundingabq.html |archive-date=May 29, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Governor [[Francisco Cuervo y Valdés]] established the villa in [[Albuquerque metropolitan area|Tiguex]] to provide [[free trade]] access and facilitate cultural exchange in the region.

Beyond forging better relations with the Pueblos, governors were forbearing in their approach to the indigenous peoples, such as was with governor [[Tomás Vélez Cachupín]];<ref name="Simmons 2012">{{cite web | last=Simmons | first=Marc | title=Trail Dust: Governor showed foresight, fortitude against Comanches | website=Santa Fe New Mexican | date=May 18, 2012 | url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/trail-dust-governor-showed-foresight-fortitude-against-comanches/article_b22c435d-6f52-579a-a8dc-d4e587e1f699.html | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216192739/https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/trail-dust-governor-showed-foresight-fortitude-against-comanches/article_b22c435d-6f52-579a-a8dc-d4e587e1f699.html | url-status=live }}</ref> the comparatively large reservations in New Mexico and [[Arizona]] are partly a legacy of Spanish treaties recognizing indigenous land claims in Nuevo México.<ref name="NMHR Vol 80 Num 1 Art 4">{{cite web | title=The Climax of Conflicts with Native Americans in New Mexico: Spanish and Mexican Antecedents to U.S. Treaty Making during the U.S.-Mexico War, 1846–1848 | website=New Mexico Historical Review | date=January 1, 2001 | url=https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2307&context=nmhr | access-date=November 15, 2022 | quote=American policy swiftly sought to reenact Hispano and Nativo peace treaties "Domestic and imperial reforms finally provided peace treaties during the last quarter of the eighteenth century." "Apaches, Navajos, and Comanches to sue for peace in 1775 and 1786. In return for annual gifts, food rations, horses, and supplies, warriors promised to honor these long-sought peace treaties." "Pueblos, the Comanche, Ute, and Navajo nations enlisted in Spanish armies as auxiliaries against defiant Apaches." "Implicit in these treaties were Spanish assurances that the king would protect each tribe from the others" "The Spanish responded by counterattacking in great strength at Canyon de Chelly, a principal Navajo sanctuary, resulting in the chieftains' request for peace. Signed on 12 May 1805 at Jemez Pueblo, the peace treaty featured a Navajo promise that the nation would not claim.the. Cebolleta area" "Navajos seemed to comply with treaty terms, even turning over criminals to the governor." | archive-date=October 4, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004130709/https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2307&context=nmhr | url-status=live }}</ref> Nevertheless, relations between the various indigenous groups and Spanish settlers remained nebulous and complex, varying from trade and commerce to cultural assimilation and intermarriage to total warfare. During most of the 18th century, raids by [[Navajo]], [[Apache]], and especially [[Comanche]] inhibited the growth and prosperity of the New Mexico. The region's harsh environment and remoteness, surrounded by hostile Native Americans, fostered a greater degree of self-reliance, as well as pragmatic cooperation, between the [[Pueblo people]]s and colonists. Many indigenous communities enjoyed a large measure of autonomy well into the late 19th century due to the improved governance.

To encourage settlement in its vulnerable periphery, Spain awarded land grants to European settlers in Nuevo México; due to the scarcity of water throughout the region, the vast majority of colonists resided in the central valley of the Rio Grande and its tributaries. Most communities were walled enclaves consisting of adobe houses that opened onto a plaza, from which four streets ran outward to small, private agricultural plots and orchards; these were watered by ''[[acequia]]s,'' community owned and operated irrigation canals. Just beyond the wall was the ''[[ejido]]'', communal land for grazing, firewood, or recreation. By 1800, the population of New Mexico had reached 25,000 (not including indigenous inhabitants), far exceeding the territories of California and Texas.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/411812/New-Mexico New Mexico (state)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930014044/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/411812/New-Mexico |date=September 30, 2009 }}. ''Britannica Online Encyclopedia'''.</ref>

==== Mexico era ====
[[File: Santa Fe of New Mexico (location map scheme).svg|thumb|Territory of [[Santa Fe de Nuevo México]] when it belonged to Mexico in 1824]]

As part of New Spain, the province of New Mexico became part of the [[First Mexican Empire]] in 1821 following the [[Mexican War of Independence]].<ref name="Simmons 1988" />{{Rp|109}} Upon its secession from Mexico in 1836, the [[Republic of Texas]] claimed the portion east of the [[Rio Grande]], based on the erroneous assumption that the older Hispanic settlements of the upper Rio Grande were the same as the newly established Mexican settlements of Texas. The [[Texan Santa Fe Expedition]] was launched to seize the contested territory but failed with the capture and imprisonment of the entire army by the Hispanic New Mexico militia.

At the turn of the 19th century, France still claimed northeastern New Mexico—the area north of the Canadian River and east of the [[Sangre de Cristo Range|Sangre de Cristos]]—before selling it in the [[Louisiana Purchase|1803 Louisiana Purchase]]. In 1812, the U.S. reclassified the land as part of the [[Missouri Territory]]. This region of New Mexico (along with territory comprising present-day southeastern Colorado, the [[Texas Panhandle|Texas]] and [[Oklahoma Panhandle]]s, and southwestern [[Kansas]]) was ceded to Spain under the [[Adams-Onis Treaty]] in 1819.

When the [[First Mexican Republic]] began to transition into the [[Centralist Republic of Mexico]], they began to centralize power ignoring the sovereignty of Santa Fe and disregarding Pueblo land rights. This led to the [[Revolt of 1837 (New Mexico)|Chimayó Rebellion]] in 1837, led by ''[[genízaro]]'' José Gonzales.<ref name="Lecompte 1985 p.">{{cite book | last=Lecompte | first=Janet | title=Rebellion in Río Arriba, 1837 | publisher=University of New Mexico Press | publication-place=Albuquerque | date=1985 | isbn=0-8263-0800-7 | oclc=11549193 | language=de | page=}}</ref> The death of then governor [[Albino Pérez]] during the revolt, was met with further hostility. Though José Gonzales was executed due to his involvement in the governor's death, subsequent governors [[Manuel Armijo]] and [[Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid]] agreed with some of the underlying sentiment. This led to New Mexico becoming financially and politically tied to the U.S., and preferring trade along the [[Santa Fe Trail]].

===Territorial phase===

{{Main|Texas annexation|U.S. provisional government of New Mexico|Mexican–American War|Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo|Mexican Cession|Organic act#List of organic acts|New Mexico Territory|Gadsden Purchase|Ordinance of Secession|Confederate Arizona|Confederate States of America|New Mexico Territory in the American Civil War}}

Following the victory of the United States in the Mexican–American War (1846–48), Mexico [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo|ceded its northern territories]] to the U.S., including California, Texas, and New Mexico.<ref name="Simmons 1988" />{{Rp|132}} The Americans were initially heavy-handed in their treatment of former Mexican citizens, triggering the [[Taos Revolt]] in 1847 by Hispanos and their Pueblo allies; the insurrection led to the death of territorial governor [[Charles Bent]] and the collapse of the civilian government established by [[Stephen W. Kearny]]. In response, the U.S. government appointed local [[Donaciano Vigil]] as governor to better represent New Mexico,<ref name="Crutchfield 1995 p.">{{cite book | last=Crutchfield | first=James A. | title=Tragedy at Taos: the revolt of 1847 | publisher=Republic of Texas Press | publication-place=Plano, Tex. | date=1995 | isbn=1-55622-385-4 | oclc=31865232 | page=}}</ref> and also vowed to accept the land rights of [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Nuevomexicans]] and grant them citizenship. In 1864, President [[Abraham Lincoln]] symbolized the recognition of Native land rights with the Lincoln Canes, [[sceptre]]s [[staff of office|of office]] gifted to each of the Pueblos, a tradition dating back to Spanish and Mexican eras.<ref name="NCAI">{{cite web | title=Resolution | website=NCAI | url=https://www.ncai.org/resources/resolutions/support-for-the-pueblos-of-new-mexico-honoring-celebration-of-150-years-of-the-lincoln-canes | access-date=December 12, 2022 | archive-date=December 12, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212102932/https://www.ncai.org/resources/resolutions/support-for-the-pueblos-of-new-mexico-honoring-celebration-of-150-years-of-the-lincoln-canes | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Mexican 2022">{{cite web | last=Mexican | first=Uriel J. GarciaThe New | title=Award-winning film documents tribe's treasured Lincoln canes | website=Santa Fe New Mexican | date=November 15, 2022 | url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/award-winning-film-documents-tribe-s-treasured-lincoln-canes/article_32d38544-05e8-540c-916b-0575dc6ac00a.html | access-date=December 12, 2022 | archive-date=December 12, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212102932/https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/award-winning-film-documents-tribe-s-treasured-lincoln-canes/article_32d38544-05e8-540c-916b-0575dc6ac00a.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

After the [[Republic of Texas]] was admitted as a state in 1846, it attempted to claim the eastern portion of New Mexico east of the Rio Grande, while the [[California Republic]] and [[State of Deseret]] each claimed parts of western New Mexico. Under the [[Compromise of 1850]], these regions were forced by the U.S. government to drop their claims, Texas received $10{{spaces}}million in federal funds, California was granted statehood, and officially establishing the [[Utah Territory]]; therein recognizing most of New Mexico's historically established land claims.<ref name="Simmons 1988" />{{Rp|135}} Pursuant to the compromise, Congress established the [[New Mexico Territory]] in September of that year;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/maps/lapurchase/essay1e_lg.html |title=Boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase as Recognized Today |access-date=December 6, 2008 |date=December 2001 |website=Louisiana: European Explorations and the Louisiana Purchase |publisher=Library of Congress |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706105401/http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/maps/lapurchase/essay1e_lg.html |archive-date=July 6, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> it included most of present-day Arizona and New Mexico, along with the [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] [[Las Vegas Valley|Valley]] and what would later become [[Clark County, Nevada|Clark County]] in [[Nevada]].

In 1853 the U.S. acquired the mostly desert southwestern bootheel of the state, along with Arizona's land south of the Gila River, in the [[Gadsden Purchase]], which was needed for the right-of-way to encourage construction of a [[transcontinental railroad]].<ref name="Simmons 1988" />{{Rp|136}}

==== U.S. Civil War, American Indian Wars, and American frontier ====
{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| header = Civil war effects in New Mexico
| width = 225
| image1 = Wpdms Arizona Territory 1860 ZP.svg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = New Mexico territory including Arizona, 1860
| image2 = Wpdms new mexico territory 1867.png
| alt2 =
| caption2 = Territories divided, 1867
}}

When the [[American Civil War|U.S. Civil War]] broke out in 1861, both [[the Confederate States of America|Confederate]] and [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] governments claimed ownership and territorial rights over New Mexico Territory. The Confederacy claimed the southern tract as its own [[Arizona Territory (Confederate States of America)|Arizona Territory]] and, as part of the [[Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War|Trans-Mississippi Theater]] of the war, waged the ambitious [[New Mexico Campaign]] to control the [[American Southwest]] and open up access to Union California. Confederate power in the New Mexico Territory was effectively broken after the [[Battle of Glorieta Pass]] in 1862, though the Confederate territorial government continued to operate out of Texas. More than 8,000 soldiers from New Mexico Territory served in the [[Union Army]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.civilwardata.com/dbstatus.html |title=American Civil War Research Database statistics |publisher=Civilwardata.com |date=March 4, 2012 |access-date=June 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617052546/http://www.civilwardata.com/dbstatus.html |archive-date=June 17, 2012 }}</ref>

The end of the war saw [[American frontier|rapid economic development and settlement]] in New Mexico, which attracted homesteaders, ranchers, cowboys, businessmen, and outlaws;<ref name="online.nmartmuseum.org">{{Cite web |title=New Mexico Tells New Mexico History {{!}} History: Statehood |url=https://online.nmartmuseum.org/nmhistory/people-places-and-politics/statehood/history-statehood.html |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=online.nmartmuseum.org |archive-date=December 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207091652/https://online.nmartmuseum.org/nmhistory/people-places-and-politics/statehood/history-statehood.html |url-status=live }}</ref> many of the [[folklore]] characters of the [[Western (genre)|Western genre]] had their origins in New Mexico, most notably businesswoman [[Maria Gertrudis Barceló]], outlaw [[Billy the Kid]], and lawmen [[Pat Garrett]] and [[Elfego Baca]]. The influx of "Anglo Americans" from the eastern U.S. (which include African Americans and recent European immigrants) reshaped the state's economy, culture, and politics. Into the late 19th century, the majority of New Mexicans remained ethnic mestizos of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry (primarily Pueblo, Navajo, Apache, Genízaro, and Comanche), many of whom had roots going back to Spanish settlement in the 16th century; this distinctly New Mexican ethnic group became known as [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispanos]] and developed a more pronounced identity vis-a-vis the newer Anglo arrivals. Politically, they still controlled most town and county offices through local elections, and wealthy ranching families commanded considerable influence, preferring business, [[legislature|legislative]], and [[judiciary|judicial]] relations with fellow indigenous New Mexican groups. By contrast, Anglo Americans, who were "outnumbered, but well-organized and growing"<ref name="Montgomery">[https://www.jstor.org/stable/27502746?seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents Charles Montgomery, "Becoming 'Spanish-American': Race and Rhetoric in New Mexico Politics, 1880–1928"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107003618/http://www.jstor.org/stable/27502746?seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents|date=November 7, 2016}}, ''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),</ref> tended to have more ties to the territorial government, whose officials were appointed by the U.S. federal government; subsequently, newer residents of New Mexico generally favored maintaining territorial status, which they saw as a check on Native and Hispano influence.

[[File:Eingeborene des nördlichen Neu-Mexiko 1861.jpg|thumb|"The indigenous people of northern New Mexico" by [[Balduin Möllhausen]], 1861]]A consequence of the civil war was intensifying conflict with indigenous peoples, which was part of the broader American [[American Indian Wars|Indian Wars]] along the frontier. The withdrawal of troops and material for the war effort had prompted raids by hostile tribes, and the federal government moved to subdue the many native communities that had been effectively autonomous throughout the colonial period. Following the elimination of the Confederate threat, Brigadier General [[James Henry Carleton|James Carleton]], who had assumed command of the Military Department of New Mexico in 1862, led what he described as a "merciless war against all hostile tribes" that aimed to "force them to their knees, and then confine them to reservations where they could be Christianized and instructed in agriculture."<ref name="online.nmartmuseum.org"/> With famed frontiersman [[Kit Carson]] placed in charge of troops in the field, powerful indigenous groups such as the [[Navajo people|Navajo]], [[Mescalero]] Apache, [[Kiowa]], and [[Comanche]] were brutally [[Pacification (military action)|pacified]] through a scorched earth policy, and thereafter forced into barren and remote reservations. Sporadic conflicts continued into the late 1880s, most notably [[Victorio's War|the guerilla campaigns]] led by Apache [[Victorio|chiefs Victorio]] and his son-in-law [[Nana (chief)|Nana]].

The political and cultural clashes between these competing ethnic groups sometimes culminated in mob violence, including lynchings of Native, Hispanic, and Mexican peoples, as was attempted at the [[Frisco shootout]] in 1884. Nevertheless, prominent figures from across these communities, and from both the [[Democratic Party of New Mexico|Democratic]] and [[Republican Party of New Mexico|Republican parties]], attempted to fight this prejudice and forge a more cohesive, multiethnic New Mexican identity; they include lawmen [[Elfego Baca|Baca]] and [[Pat Garrett|Garrett]], and governors [[George Curry (politician)|Curry]], [[Herbert James Hagerman|Hagerman]], and [[Miguel Antonio Otero (born 1859)|Otero]].<ref name="Van Holtby 2012 p.">{{cite book | last=Van Holtby | first=D. | title=Forty-Seventh Star: New Mexico's Struggle for Statehood | publisher=University of Oklahoma Press | year=2012 | isbn=978-0806187860 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U4q7f6wSqlEC | access-date=April 23, 2021 | page=}}</ref><ref name="de Aragón 2020 p.">{{cite book | last=de Aragón | first=R.J. | title=New Mexico's Stolen Lands: A History of Racism, Fraud & Deceit | publisher=History Press | year=2020 | isbn=978-1467144032 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gsHDDwAAQBAJ | access-date=April 23, 2021 | page=}}</ref> Indeed, some territorial governors, like [[Lew Wallace]], had served in both the Mexican and American militaries.<ref name="Cain 2019">{{cite web | last=Cain | first=Stephanie | title=Lew Wallace in Mexico | website=General Lew Wallace Study & Museum | date=May 10, 2019 | url=https://www.ben-hur.com/lew-wallace-in-mexico/ | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 9, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209114856/https://www.ben-hur.com/lew-wallace-in-mexico/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Statehood===

{{Main|Admission to the Union|List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union}}

[[File:Spanish-American boy, Chamisal, New Mexico (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|A [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispano]] boy in [[Chamisal]], 1940]]The [[United States Congress]] admitted New Mexico as the [[List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union|47th state]] on January 6, 1912.<ref name="Simmons 1988" />{{Rp|166}} It had been eligible for statehood 60 years earlier, but was delayed due to the perception that its majority [[Mexican American|Hispanic]] population was "alien" to U.S. culture and political values.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Mexico Art Tells New Mexico History {{!}} History: Statehood|url=http://online.nmartmuseum.org/nmhistory/people-places-and-politics/statehood/history-statehood.html|access-date=July 30, 2020|website=online.nmartmuseum.org|archive-date=December 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212151035/http://online.nmartmuseum.org/nmhistory/people-places-and-politics/statehood/history-statehood.html|url-status=live}}</ref> When the U.S. entered the First World War roughly five years later, New Mexicans volunteered in significant numbers, in part to prove their loyalty as full-fledged citizens of the U.S. The state ranked fifth in the nation for military service, enlisting more than 17,000 recruits from all 33 counties; over 500 New Mexicans were killed in the war.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Details |url=https://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/exhibition/details/3928/the-first-world-war |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=www.nmhistorymuseum.org |language=en |archive-date=May 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523041506/https://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/exhibition/details/3928/the-first-world-war |url-status=live }}</ref>

Indigenous-Hispanic families had long been established since the Spanish and Mexican era,<ref name="Oropeza 2019 pp. 162–189">{{cite book | last=Oropeza | first=Lorena | title=The King of Adobe | chapter=The Indo-Hispano | publisher=University of North Carolina Press | date=September 9, 2019 | doi=10.5149/northcarolina/9781469653297.003.0008 | pages=162–189| isbn=9781469653297 | s2cid=243732529 }}</ref> but most American settlers in the state had an uneasy relationship with the large Native American tribes.<ref name="Noel 2011 pp. 430–467">{{cite journal | last=Noel | first=Linda C. | title="I am an American": Anglos, Mexicans, Nativos, and the National Debate over Arizona and New Mexico Statehood | journal=Pacific Historical Review | publisher=University of California Press | volume=80 | issue=3 | date=August 1, 2011 | issn=0030-8684 | doi=10.1525/phr.2011.80.3.430 | pages=430–467}}</ref> Most indigenous New Mexicans lived on [[Indian reservation|reservations]] and near old ''placitas'' and ''villas''. In 1924, Congress passed a law granting all Native Americans U.S. citizenship and the right to vote in federal and state elections. However, Anglo-American arrivals into New Mexico enacted [[Jim Crow laws]] against Hispanos, Hispanic Americans, and those who did not pay taxes, targeting indigenous affiliated individuals;<ref name="suffrage">[http://scholars.law.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1311&context=nlj Willard Hughes Rollings, "Citizenship and Suffrage: The Native American Struggle for Civil Rights in the American West, 1830–1965"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105010307/http://scholars.law.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1311&context=nlj |date=November 5, 2016 }}, ''Nevada Law Journal'' Vol. 5:126, Fall 2004; accessed July 18, 2016</ref> because Hispanics often had [[interpersonal relationship]]s with indigenous peoples, they were often subject to [[Racial segregation in the United States|segregation]], [[Racial inequality in the United States|social inequality]], and [[employment discrimination]].<ref name="Noel 2011 pp. 430–467"/>[[File:Homesteader and his children eating barbeque at the New Mexico Fair. Pie Town, New Mexico, October 1940.jpg|thumb|A [[Homesteading|homesteader]] and his children at the New Mexico Fair in [[Pie Town, New Mexico]], 1940]]

During the fight for [[women's suffrage in the United States]], New Mexico's Hispano and Mexican women at the forefront included Trinidad Cabeza de Baca, Dolores "Lola" Armijo, Mrs. James Chavez, Aurora Lucero, Anita "Mrs. Secundino" Romero, Arabella "Mrs. Cleofas" Romero and her daughter, Marie.<ref name="Cahill 2020">{{cite web | last=Cahill | first=Cathleen D. | title=Suffrage in Spanish: Hispanic Women and the Fight for the 19th Amendment in New Mexico (U.S. National Park Service) | website=NPS.gov Homepage (U.S. National Park Service) | date=June 24, 2020 | url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/suffrage-in-spanish-hispanic-women-and-the-fight-for-the-19th-amendment-in-new-mexico.htm | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042025/https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/suffrage-in-spanish-hispanic-women-and-the-fight-for-the-19th-amendment-in-new-mexico.htm | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Strykowski 2022">{{cite web | last=Strykowski | first=Jason | title='Sphere of Usefulness': New Mexico and women's suffrage | website=Santa Fe New Mexican | date=December 14, 2022 | url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/sphere-of-usefulness-new-mexico-and-womens-suffrage/article_d3a8babc-6f97-11ea-ab2a-23fc6a5b19dc.html | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042028/https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/sphere-of-usefulness-new-mexico-and-womens-suffrage/article_d3a8babc-6f97-11ea-ab2a-23fc6a5b19dc.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

A major oil discovery in 1928 near the town of [[Hobbs, New Mexico|Hobbs]] brought greater wealth to the state, especially in surrounding [[Lea County, New Mexico|Lea County]].<ref>{{cite web|title=New Mexico Oil Discovery|url=http://aoghs.org/states/hobbs-new-mexico-oil-discovery/|access-date=July 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715023843/http://aoghs.org/states/hobbs-new-mexico-oil-discovery/|archive-date=July 15, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources called it "the most important single discovery of oil in New Mexico's history".<ref name=AOGHS>{{cite web|last1=Wells|first1=Bruce|title=New Mexico Oil Discovery|url=https://aoghs.org/oil-and-gas-history/hobbs-new-mexico-oil-discovery/|website=American Oil & Gas Historical Society|access-date=June 8, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140608130815/https://aoghs.org/oil-and-gas-history/hobbs-new-mexico-oil-discovery/|archive-date=June 8, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, agriculture and cattle ranching remained the primary economic activities.

New Mexico was [[New Mexico during World War II|greatly transformed]] by the U.S. entry into the [[Second World War]] in December 1941. As in the First World War, [[Patriotism in the United States|patriotism]] ran high among New Mexicans, including among marginalized Hispanic and indigenous communities; on a per capita basis, New Mexico produced more volunteers, and suffered more casualties, than any other state. The war also spurred economic development, particularly in extractive industries, with the state becoming a leading supplier of several strategic resources. New Mexico's rough terrain and geographic isolation made it an attractive location for several sensitive military and scientific installations; the most famous was [[Los Alamos, New Mexico|Los Alamos]], one of the central facilities of the [[Manhattan Project]], where the first [[atomic bomb]]s were designed and manufactured. The first bomb was tested at [[Trinity site]] in the desert between [[Socorro, New Mexico|Socorro]] and [[Alamogordo, New Mexico|Alamogordo]], which is today part of the [[White Sands Missile Range]].<ref name="Simmons 1988" />{{Rp|179–180}}

As a legacy of the Second World War, New Mexico continues to receive large amounts of federal government spending on major military and research institutions. In addition to the White Sands Missile Range, the state hosts three U.S. Air Force bases that were established or expanded during the war. While the high military presence brought considerable investment, it has also been the center of controversy; on May 22, 1957, a B-36 [[Mark 17 nuclear bomb#1957 incident|accidentally dropped]] a nuclear bomb 4.5 miles from the control tower while landing at [[Kirtland Air Force Base]] in Albuquerque; only its conventional "trigger" detonated.<ref>Adler, Les. [http://www.hkhinc.com/newmexico/albuquerque/doomsday/ "Albuquerque's Near-Doomsday".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515060717/http://www.hkhinc.com/newmexico/albuquerque/doomsday/|date=May 15, 2019}} ''Albuquerque Tribune''. January 20, 1994.</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=August 27, 1986 |title=Accident Revealed After 29 Years: H-Bomb Fell Near Albuquerque in 1957 |work=Los Angeles Times |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-27-mn-14421-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=August 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195156/http://articles.latimes.com/1986-08-27/news/mn-14421_1_hydrogen-bomb |archive-date=September 10, 2014}}</ref> The [[Los Alamos National Laboratory]] and [[Sandia National Laboratories]], two of the nation's leading [[United States Department of Energy National Laboratories|federal scientific research facilities]], originated from the Manhattan Project. The focus on high technology is still a top priority of the state, to the extent that it became a center for [[unidentified flying object]]s, especially following the 1947 [[Roswell incident]].

New Mexico's population nearly doubled from roughly 532,000 in 1940 to over 954,000 by 1960.<ref name="1990 CPH2">{{cite book |title=Population and Housing Unit Counts |publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census |isbn=978-9994641253 |series=1990 Census of Population and Housing |volume=CPH-2-1 |pages=26–27 |chapter=Table 16. Population: 1790 to 1990 |access-date=July 3, 2008 |chapter-url=http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-dens-text.php |chapter-format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028061117/http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-dens-text.php |archive-date=October 28, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |entry=New Mexico – Spanish and Mexican rule |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2021-07-20 |language=en |entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico |archive-date=October 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012085307/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition to federal personnel and agencies, many residents and businesses moved to the state, particularly from the northeast, often drawn by its warm climate and low taxes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Cortney |date=January 5, 2022 |title=Americans largely moved to 'low-density' states in 2021: Study |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/10-states-high-move-in-rates-2021-united-van-lines-study |access-date=2022-01-07 |website=FOXBusiness |language=en-US |archive-date=January 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107053901/https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/10-states-high-move-in-rates-2021-united-van-lines-study |url-status=live }}</ref> The pattern continues into the 21st century, with New Mexico adding over 400,000 residents between 2000 and 2020.

Native Americans from New Mexico fought for the United States in both world wars. Returning veterans were disappointed to find their civil rights limited by state discrimination. In Arizona and New Mexico, veterans challenged state laws or practices prohibiting them from voting. In 1948, after veteran Miguel Trujillo Sr. of [[Isleta Pueblo]] was told by the county registrar that he could not register to vote, he filed suit against the county in federal district court. A three-judge panel overturned as unconstitutional New Mexico's provisions that Native Americans who did not pay taxes (and could not document if they had paid taxes) could not vote.<ref name="suffrage" /><ref group="Note">"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."</ref>

In the early to mid-20th century, the art presence in Santa Fe grew, and it became known as one of the world's great art centers.<ref name="ARTnews.com 2022">{{cite web | title=The City Different: A Deep-Rooted Art Scene Is the Key to Santa Fe's Magic | website=ARTnews.com | date=October 1, 2022 | url=https://www.artnews.com/art-news/sponsored-content/santa-fe-tourism-city-deep-rooted-art-scene-1234640456/ | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042025/https://www.artnews.com/art-news/sponsored-content/santa-fe-tourism-city-deep-rooted-art-scene-1234640456/ | url-status=live }}</ref>{{Promotional source|date=December 2025}} The presence of artists such as [[Georgia O'Keeffe]] attracted many others, including those along [[Canyon Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico|Canyon Road]].<ref name="Vin 2021">{{cite web | last=Vin | first=Priya | title=Gallery Stroll & Art on Canyon Road, Santa Fe | website=Outside Suburbia Family | date=March 18, 2021 | url=https://outsidesuburbia.com/north-america/united-states/gallery-art-canyon-road-santa-fe/ | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042027/https://outsidesuburbia.com/north-america/united-states/gallery-art-canyon-road-santa-fe/ | url-status=live }}</ref> In the late 20th century, Native Americans were authorized by federal law to establish gaming casinos on their reservations under certain conditions, in states which had authorized such gaming. Such facilities have helped tribes close to population centers generate revenues for reinvestment in the economic development and welfare of their peoples. The [[Albuquerque metropolitan area]] is home to several casinos as a result.<ref name="Albuquerque Journal 2021">{{cite news | title=Sandia Resort & Casino to reopen following major addition | newspaper=Albuquerque Journal | date=July 2, 2021 | url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2405636/sandia-resort-casino-to-reopen-following-major-addition.html | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042027/https://www.abqjournal.com/2405636/sandia-resort-casino-to-reopen-following-major-addition.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 21st century, employment growth areas in New Mexico include [[electronic circuit]]ry, [[scientific research]], information technology, [[List of casinos in New Mexico|casinos]], [[art of the American Southwest]], food, [[List of films shot in New Mexico|film]], and [[Media in Albuquerque, New Mexico|media, particularly in Albuquerque]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bber.unm.edu/pubs/WRSA.pdf |title=The Southwest Heartland: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly |access-date=October 12, 2008 |last=Reynis |first=Lee A. |author2=Marshall J. Vest |page=12 |publisher=University of New Mexico, Bureau of Business and Economic Research |year=2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225004318/http://bber.unm.edu/pubs/WRSA.pdf |archive-date=February 25, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The state was the founding location of [[Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems]], which led to the founding of [[Microsoft]] in Albuquerque.<ref name="Microsoft Learn 1975">{{cite web | title=1975 | website=Microsoft Learn | date=January 1, 1975 | url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/shows/history/history-of-microsoft-1975 | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042026/https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/shows/history/history-of-microsoft-1975 | url-status=live }}</ref> [[Intel]] maintains their F11X in [[Rio Rancho, New Mexico|Rio Rancho]], which also hosts an IT center for [[HP Inc.]]<ref name="Cutress 2021">{{cite web | last=Cutress | first=Ian | title=Intel's Process Roadmap to 2025: with 4nm, 3nm, 20A and 18A?! | website=AnandTech | date=July 26, 2021 | url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/16823/intel-accelerated-offensive-process-roadmap-updates-to-10nm-7nm-4nm-3nm-20a-18a-packaging-foundry-emib-foveros | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=November 3, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103110548/https://www.anandtech.com/show/16823/intel-accelerated-offensive-process-roadmap-updates-to-10nm-7nm-4nm-3nm-20a-18a-packaging-foundry-emib-foveros | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Lorenz 2022">{{cite news |last=Lorenz |first=Rachel |date=November 11, 2022 |title=Meet the leader of an ABQ IT services firm that's been adapting – since 1955 |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2548740/meet-the-leader-of-an-abq-it-services-firm-thats-been-adapting-since-1955.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042027/https://www.abqjournal.com/2548740/meet-the-leader-of-an-abq-it-services-firm-thats-been-adapting-since-1955.html |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |access-date=January 1, 2023 |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal}}</ref> [[New Mexican cuisine|New Mexico's culinary scene]] became recognized and is now a source of revenue for the state.<ref name="Washington 2018">{{cite web | last=Washington | first=Francesca | title=New Mexico Green chile's increasing popularity, putting strain on local supply | website=KRQE NEWS 13 – Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos | date=January 16, 2018 | url=https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico-green-chiles-increasing-popularity-putting-strain-on-local-supply/ | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215043341/https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico-green-chiles-increasing-popularity-putting-strain-on-local-supply/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Kennedy 2022">{{cite web | last=Kennedy | first=Adrienne Katz | title=21 Foods You Have To Try In New Mexico | website=Tasting Table | date=September 14, 2022 | url=https://www.tastingtable.com/1008329/foods-you-have-to-try-in-new-mexico/ | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215043329/https://www.tastingtable.com/1008329/foods-you-have-to-try-in-new-mexico/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Seymore 2019">{{cite web | last=Seymore | first=Jami | title=Albuquerque restaurant makes fifth appearance on Food Network | website=KRQE NEWS 13 – Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos | date=November 12, 2019 | url=https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/albuquerque-restaurant-makes-fifth-appearance-on-food-network/ | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215043327/https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/albuquerque-restaurant-makes-fifth-appearance-on-food-network/ | url-status=live }}</ref> [[Albuquerque Studios]] has become a filming hub for [[Netflix]], and it was brought international media production companies to the state like [[NBCUniversal]].<ref name="Jr Jr 2020">{{cite web | last1=Fleming | first1=Mike Jr. | title=Netflix Commits $1 Billion More In New Mexico Production Funding As It Expands ABQ Studios; 'Stranger Things' Joins List Of Albuquerque-Set Shows | website=Deadline | date=November 23, 2020 | url=https://deadline.com/2020/11/netflix-billion-dollar-production-commitment-new-mexico-abq-studios-stranger-things-1234620435/ | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=July 5, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705191312/https://deadline.com/2020/11/netflix-billion-dollar-production-commitment-new-mexico-abq-studios-stranger-things-1234620435/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Gomez 2022">{{cite news | last=Gomez | first=Adrian | title=Netflix forging ahead with expansion in NM | newspaper=Albuquerque Journal | date=May 25, 2022 | url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2502411/netflix-forging-ahead-with-expansion-in-nm.html | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=September 3, 2022 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20220903120530/https://www.abqjournal.com/2502411/netflix-forging-ahead-with-expansion-in-nm.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Padilla NBCUniversal 2021">{{cite news | last=Padilla | first=Anna | title=NBCUniversal New Mexico production studio to bring hundreds of jobs | work=KRQE NEWS 13 | date=June 24, 2021 | url=https://www.krqe.com/news/business/ribbon-cutting-to-take-place-for-nbcuniversal-new-mexico-production-studio/ | access-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-date=December 15, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215044039/https://www.krqe.com/news/business/ribbon-cutting-to-take-place-for-nbcuniversal-new-mexico-production-studio/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of New Mexico on March 11, 2020.  On December 23, 2020, the New Mexico Department of Health reported 1,174 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths, bringing the cumulative statewide totals to 133,242 cases and 2,243 deaths since the start of the pandemic.<ref name="dash">{{cite web |title=NMDOH COVID-19 Public Dashboard |url=https://cvprovider.nmhealth.org/public-dashboard.html |website=New Mexico Department of Health |access-date=May 11, 2023 |archive-date=May 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523201516/https://cvprovider.nmhealth.org/public-dashboard.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Geography==
{{Further|List of counties in New Mexico}}
{{See also|Geography of New Mexico|Delaware Basin}}
[[File:Wheeler Pk from Valle Vidal.jpg|thumb|[[Wheeler Peak (New Mexico)|Wheeler Peak]] in the [[Sangre de Cristo Mountains|Sangre de Cristo Range]]]]
[[File:Carlsbad Interior Formations.jpg|thumb|[[Carlsbad Caverns National Park]]]]
[[File:White sands national monument dune.jpg|thumb|[[White Sands National Park]]]]
[[File:Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.jpg|thumb|[[Rio Grande Gorge]] and [[Rio Grande Gorge Bridge|Bridge]]]]
[[File:Shiprock.snodgrass3.jpg|thumb|[[Shiprock]]]]

With a total area of {{convert|121590|sqmi|km2}},<ref name="uscensus2010_cph-2-1_area" /> New Mexico is the [[List of U.S. states and territories by area|fifth-largest state]], after Alaska, Texas, California, and Montana. Its eastern border lies along 103°W [[longitude]] with the state of [[Oklahoma]], and {{convert|2.2|mi|abbr=off}} west of 103°W longitude with [[Texas]] due to a 19th-century surveying error.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Archived copy|url=http://www.amerisurv.com/PDF/TheAmericanSurveyor_Roeder-TX-NMLine_December2006.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424053426/http://www.amerisurv.com/PDF/TheAmericanSurveyor_Roeder-TX-NMLine_December2006.pdf|archive-date=April 24, 2015|access-date=February 8, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nmpartnership.com/maps.aspx |title=MAPS |publisher=NM Partnership |access-date=September 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914031132/http://www.nmpartnership.com/Maps.aspx |archive-date=September 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On the southern border, Texas makes up the eastern two-thirds, while the Mexican states of [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]] and [[Sonora]] make up the western third, with Chihuahua making up about 90% of that. The western border with [[Arizona]] runs along the [[32nd meridian west from Washington|109° 03'W]] longitude.<ref name="NMSUclimate">{{cite web |url=http://weather.nmsu.edu/News/climate-in-NM.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040708010008/http://weather.nmsu.edu/News/climate-in-NM.htm |archive-date=July 8, 2004 |title=Climate of New Mexico |publisher=New Mexico State University |access-date=March 20, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The southwestern corner of the state is known as the [[New Mexico Bootheel|Bootheel]]. The [[37th parallel north|37°N]] parallel forms the northern boundary with Colorado. The states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah come together at the Four Corners in New Mexico's northwestern corner. Its surface water area is about {{convert|292|sqmi|km2}}.<ref name="uscensus2010_cph-2-1_area" />

Despite its popular depiction as mostly arid desert, New Mexico has one of the most diverse [[landscape]]s of any U.S. state, ranging from wide, auburn-colored deserts and [[Prairie|verdant grasslands]], to broken [[mesa]]s and high, snow-capped peaks.<ref name="britannica.com">{{Cite encyclopedia|entry=New Mexico|entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|access-date=2021-08-03|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012085307/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|url-status=live}}</ref> Close to a [[Forest cover by state and territory in the United States|third of the state is covered in timberland]], with heavily forested mountain wildernesses dominating the north. The [[Sangre de Cristo Mountains]], the southernmost part of the [[Rocky Mountains]], run roughly north–south along the east side of the [[Rio Grande]], in the rugged, pastoral north. The [[Great Plains]] extend into the eastern third of the state, most notably the [[Llano Estacado]] ("Staked Plain"), whose westernmost boundary is marked by the [[Mescalero Ridge]] [[Caprock Escarpment|escarpment]]. The northwestern quadrant of New Mexico is dominated by the [[Colorado Plateau]], characterized by unique volcanic formations, dry grasslands and shrublands, open [[pinyon-juniper woodland]], and mountain forests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Colorado Plateau shrublands {{!}} Ecoregions {{!}} WWF|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na1304|access-date=2021-08-03|website=World Wildlife Fund|language=en|archive-date=August 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803033930/https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na1304|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Chihuahuan Desert]], which is the largest in North America, extends through the south.

Over four–fifths of New Mexico is higher than {{convert|4000|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above sea level. The average elevation ranges from up to {{convert|8000|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above sea level in the northwest, to less than {{convert|4000|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=off}} in the southeast.<ref name="britannica.com" /> The highest point is [[Wheeler Peak (New Mexico)|Wheeler Peak]] at over {{convert|13160|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, while the lowest is the [[Red Bluff Reservoir]] at around {{convert|2840|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}, in the southeastern corner of the state.

In addition to the Rio Grande, which is tied for the [[List of rivers of the United States|fourth-longest river in the U.S.]], New Mexico has four other major river systems: the [[Pecos River|Pecos]], [[Canadian River|Canadian]], [[San Juan River (Colorado River)|San Juan]], and [[Gila River|Gila]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/riversofworld.html|title=Rivers of the World|publisher=USGS|access-date=May 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305045437/http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/riversofworld.html|archive-date=March 5, 2009}}</ref> Nearly bisecting New Mexico from north to south, the Rio Grande has played an influential role in the region's history; its fertile floodplain has supported human habitation since prehistoric times, and European settlers initially lived exclusively in its valleys and along its tributaries.<ref name="britannica.com" /> The Pecos, which flows roughly parallel to the Rio Grande to the east, was a popular route for explorers, as was the Canadian River, which rises in the mountainous north and flows east across the arid plains. The San Juan and Gila lie west of the [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]], in the northwest and southwest, respectively. Except for the Gila, all major rivers are dammed in New Mexico and provide a major water source for [[irrigation]] and flood control.

===Climate===
New Mexico has long been known for its dry, temperate climate.<ref name="britannica.com" /> Overall, the state is semi-arid to arid, with areas of continental and alpine climates at higher elevations. New Mexico's statewide average precipitation is {{convert|13.7|in|mm}} a year, with average monthly amounts peaking in the summer, particularly in the more rugged north-central area around Albuquerque and in the south. Generally, the eastern third of the state receives the most rainfall, while the western third receives the least. Higher altitudes receive around {{convert|40|in|mm}}, while the lowest elevations see as little as {{convert|8|to|10|in|mm|abbr=off}}.<ref name="britannica.com" />
{{Weather box
| location = New Mexico
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 89
| Feb record high F = 100
| Mar record high F = 103
| Apr record high F = 104
| May record high F = 114
| Jun record high F = 122
| Jul record high F = 116
| Aug record high F = 115
| Sep record high F = 113
| Oct record high F = 101
| Nov record high F = 97
| Dec record high F = 90
| year record high F =
| Jan high F = 49.7
| Feb high F = 54.0
| Mar high F = 61.8
| Apr high F = 69.2
| May high F = 78.1
| Jun high F = 87.8
| Jul high F = 88.8
| Aug high F = 86.3
| Sep high F = 80.4
| Oct high F = 70.6
| Nov high F = 58.6
| Dec high F = 49.4
| year high F =
| Jan record low F = -57
| Feb record low F = -50
| Mar record low F = -34
| Apr record low F = -45
| May record low F = -2
| Jun record low F = 10
| Jul record low F = 19
| Aug record low F = 23
| Sep record low F = 8
| Oct record low F = -15
| Nov record low F = -38
| Dec record low F = -47
| year record low F =
| Jan low F = 21.7
| Feb low F = 25.0
| Mar low F = 30.4
| Apr low F = 36.5
| May low F = 45.2
| Jun low F = 54.4
| Jul low F = 59.5
| Aug low F = 58.1
| Sep low F = 51.1
| Oct low F = 39.7
| Nov low F = 29.0
| Dec low F = 22.0
| year low F =
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 0.67
| Feb precipitation inch = 0.59
| Mar precipitation inch = 0.69
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.62
| May precipitation inch = 0.91
| Jun precipitation inch = 1.02
| Jul precipitation inch = 2.44
| Aug precipitation inch = 2.33
| Sep precipitation inch = 1.76
| Oct precipitation inch = 1.17
| Nov precipitation inch = 0.68
| Dec precipitation inch = 0.81
| year precipitation inch =
| source = Extreme Weather Watch<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/states/new-mexico | title=New Mexico Weather Records | access-date=March 7, 2022 | archive-date=March 7, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307005840/https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/states/new-mexico | url-status=live }}</ref>
| source 2 = NOAA<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/cag/statewide/time-series/29/pcp/1/12/2020-2022?base_prd=true&begbaseyear=1991&endbaseyear=2020 | title=Statewide Time Series &#124; Climate at a Glance &#124; National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) }}</ref>
}}
[[File:Köppen Climate Types New Mexico.png|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of New Mexico, using 1991–2020 [[Climatological normal|climate normals]]]]
Annual temperatures can range from {{convert|65|°F|°C}} in the southeast to below {{convert|40|°F|°C}} in the northern mountains,<ref name="NMSUclimate" /> with the average being the mid-50s °F (12&nbsp;°C). During the summer, daytime temperatures can often exceed {{convert|100|°F|°C}} at elevations below {{convert|5000|ft|m}}; the average high temperature in July ranges from {{convert|99|°F|°C}} at the lower elevations down to 78{{spaces}}°F (26{{spaces}}°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 {{convert|122|°F|°C}} at the [[Waste Isolation Pilot Plant|Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)]] near [[Loving, New Mexico|Loving]] on June 27, 1994; the lowest recorded temperature is {{convert|-57|°F|°C}} at [[Jamestown, New Mexico|Ciniza]] (near [[Jamestown, New Mexico|Jamestown]]) on January 13, 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/scec/getextreme.php?forwhat=st&elem=ALL&state=NM|title=All-Time Climate Extremes for NM |access-date=March 18, 2011 |publisher=National Climatic Data Center |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528175146/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/scec/getextreme.php?forwhat=st&elem=ALL&state=NM |archive-date=May 28, 2010}}</ref>

New Mexico's stable climate and sparse population provides for clearer skies and less [[light pollution]], making it a popular site for several major [[:Category:Astronomical observatories in New Mexico|astronomical observatories]], including the [[Apache Point Observatory]], the [[Very Large Array]], and the [[Magdalena Ridge Observatory]], among others.<ref>John W. Briggs.[https://stellafane.org/misc/activities/publications/Magdalena-Briggs.pdf "Making it in Magdalena"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155628/https://stellafane.org/misc/activities/publications/Magdalena-Briggs.pdf |date=February 11, 2017 }}."Reflector".2016.</ref><ref>Lauren Villagran.
[https://www.abqjournal.com/923136/new-mexicos-window-to-the-stars.html "New Mexico's window to the stars"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211075402/https://www.abqjournal.com/923136/new-mexicos-window-to-the-stars.html |date=February 11, 2017 }}.
''Albuquerque Journal''.
2017.</ref>

===Flora and fauna===
[[File:Geococcyx californianus.jpg|thumb|[[Greater roadrunner]] (the state bird of New Mexico)]]
Owing to its varied [[topography]], New Mexico has six distinct [[Vegetation zone (latitude)|vegetation zones]] that provide diverse sets of habitats for many plants and animals.<ref name="Beck-McNamee-2023a">{{Cite encyclopedia|entry=New Mexico – Climate|entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|access-date=2021-08-03|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012085307/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|url-status=live}}</ref> The Upper Sonoran Zone is by far the most prominent, constituting about three-fourths of the state; it includes most of the plains, foothills, and valleys above {{convert|4500|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=off}}, and is defined by prairie grasses, low piñon pines, and juniper shrubs. The [[Llano Estacado]] in the east features [[Shortgrass Prairie]] with [[Bouteloua gracilis|blue grama]], which sustain [[American bison|bison]]. The [[Chihuahuan Desert]] in the south is characterized by shrubby [[Larrea tridentata|creosote]]. The [[Colorado Plateau]] in the northwest corner of New Mexico is high desert with cold winters, featuring [[Artemisia tridentata|sagebrush]], [[Atriplex confertifolia|shadescale]], [[Sarcobatus|greasewood]], and other plants adapted to the [[Soil salinity|saline]] and [[Selenium|seleniferous]] soil.

The mountainous north hosts a wide array of vegetation types corresponding to elevation gradients, such as [[Pinyon-juniper woodland|piñon-juniper woodlands]] near the base, through [[evergreen]] [[Pinophyta|conifers]], [[spruce]]-[[fir]] and [[aspen]] forests in the transitionary zone, and [[Krummholz]], and [[alpine tundra]] at the very top.<ref name="Beck-McNamee-2023a" /> The [[Madrean Region|Apachian zone]] tucked into the southwestern bootheel of the state has high-calcium soil, [[Madrean pine-oak woodlands|oak woodlands]], [[Cupressus arizonica|Arizona cypress]], and other plants that are not found in other parts of the state.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lowrey|first1=Timothy K.|title=Flora of New Mexico: Biology 463|date=2017|publisher=University of New Mexico|pages=88–162}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ivey |first1=Robert DeWitt |title=Flowering plants of New Mexico |date=2008 |publisher=RD & V Ivey |location=Albuquerque|isbn=978-0961217044 |edition=5th}}</ref> The southern sections of the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys have {{convert|20000|mi2|km2|abbr=off}} of New Mexico's best grazing land and irrigated farmland.

New Mexico's varied climate and vegetation zones consequently support diverse wildlife. [[American black bear|Black bears]], [[bighorn sheep]], [[bobcat]]s, [[cougar]]s, [[deer]], and [[elk]] live in habitats above {{convert|7000|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=off}}, while [[coyote]]s, [[jackrabbit]]s, [[kangaroo rat]]s, [[Peccary|javelina]], [[porcupine]]s, [[pronghorn|pronghorn antelope]], [[Crotalus atrox|western diamondbacks]], and [[wild turkey]]s live in less mountainous and elevated regions.<ref>{{cite book|first=Florence|last=Merriam Bailey|year=1928|title=Birds of New Mexico|publisher=The University of Michigan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | first=C. Michael | last=Hogan | year=2008 | url=http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 | title=Wild turkey: Meleagris gallopavo | website=GlobalTwitcher.com | access-date=April 2, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725174654/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 | archive-date=July 25, 2017 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="MexicoCommission1966">{{cite book|author1=New Mexico|author2=New Mexico Compilation Commission|title=New Mexico statutes, 1953, annotated|volume=2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TdpGAQAAIAAJ|access-date=July 31, 2011|year=1966|publisher=A. Smith Co.|location=Indianapolis|oclc=28494004|page=68|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529051433/http://books.google.com/books?id=TdpGAQAAIAAJ|archive-date=May 29, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The iconic [[greater roadrunner|roadrunner]], which is the state bird, is abundant in the southeast. Endangered species include the [[Mexican wolf|Mexican gray wolf]], which is being gradually reintroduced in the world, and [[Rio Grande silvery minnow]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Threatened and Endangered Species of New Mexico: 2012 Biennial Review |url=http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/download/conservation/threatened-endangered-species/biennial-reviews/2012-Biennial-Review-Executive_Summary_and_Full_Text.pdf |website=New Mexico Department of Game and Fish |access-date=June 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113061108/http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/download/conservation/threatened-endangered-species/biennial-reviews/2012-Biennial-Review-Executive_Summary_and_Full_Text.pdf |archive-date=November 13, 2018 }}</ref> Over 500 species of birds live or migrate through New Mexico, third only to California and Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 7, 2021|title=Take Flight|url=https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/guide-to-bird-watching-in-new-mexico/|access-date=2022-01-06|website=www.newmexicomagazine.org|language=en-us|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106180135/https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/guide-to-bird-watching-in-new-mexico/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Public lands ===
New Mexico and 12 other western states together account for 93% of all federally owned land in the U.S. Roughly a third of the state, or 24.7 million of 77.8 million acres, is held by the U.S. government, the tenth-highest proportion in the country. More than half this land is under the [[Bureau of Land Management]] as either [[Public domain (land)|public domain land]] or [[National Conservation Lands]], while another third is managed by the [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]] as [[National forest (United States)|national forests]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Find a Forest by State|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml#NewMexico|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620110003/http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml#NewMexico|archive-date=June 20, 2013|access-date=March 20, 2010|publisher=USDA Forest Service}}</ref>

New Mexico was central to the early–20th-century [[conservation movement]], with the [[Gila Wilderness]] designated as the world's first [[wilderness area]] in 1924.<ref name="Mazurek-2021">{{Cite news|last=Mazurek|first=Anna|date=June 18, 2021|title=A monumental journey through New Mexico|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travel-new-mexico-national-monuments/2021/06/17/dea06c3a-c9fa-11eb-afd0-9726f7ec0ba6_story.html|access-date=August 2, 2021|archive-date=July 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730084714/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travel-new-mexico-national-monuments/2021/06/17/dea06c3a-c9fa-11eb-afd0-9726f7ec0ba6_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The state also hosts nine of the country's 84 [[National monument (United States)|national monuments]], the most of any state after Arizona; these include the second oldest monument, [[El Morro National Monument|El Morro]], created in 1906, and the [[Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument|Gila Cliff Dwellings]], proclaimed in 1907.<ref name="Mazurek-2021" />

====National forests in New Mexico====
{| class="wikitable"
|[[Carson National Forest]]
|[[File:Carson National Forest - 2021-01-20.jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Cibola National Forest]]
|[[File:Trailhead, Trail 77, Gooseberry Trail, Cibola, National Forest - panoramio (1).jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Lincoln National Forest]]
|[[File:Lincoln National Forest (15397461699).jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Santa Fe National Forest]]
|[[File:Looking South from Hermit's Peak, Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest.jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Gila National Forest]]
|[[File:A beaver dam spans a section of the Middle Fork of the Gila River.jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Gila Wilderness]]
|[[File:GilaWilderness.jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Coronado National Forest]] (in [[Hidalgo County, New Mexico|Hidalgo County]])
|[[File:Peloncillo Mountains - Flickr - aspidoscelis.jpg|center|frameless]]
|}

====National parks in New Mexico====
New Mexico's [[U.S. national parks|national parks]], together with [[National monument (United States)|national monuments]] and [[National Trail System|trails]] managed by the [[National Park Service]], are listed as follows:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/state/nm/index.htm|title=National Park Service Units in New Mexico|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=September 28, 2023|archive-date=August 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821181025/http://www.nps.gov/state/nm/index.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Aztec Ruins National Monument]] at [[Aztec, New Mexico|Aztec]]
* [[Bandelier National Monument]] at [[White Rock, New Mexico|White Rock]]
* [[Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail]]
* [[Capulin Volcano National Monument]] near [[Capulin, New Mexico|Capulin]]
* [[Carlsbad Caverns National Park]] near [[Carlsbad, New Mexico|Carlsbad]]
* [[Chaco Culture National Historical Park]] at [[Nageezi, New Mexico|Nageezi]]
* [[El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail]]
* [[El Malpais National Monument]] near [[Grants, New Mexico|Grants]]
* [[El Morro National Monument]] in [[Ramah, New Mexico|Ramah]]
* [[Fort Union National Monument]] at [[Watrous, New Mexico|Watrous]]
* [[Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument]] near [[Silver City, New Mexico|Silver City]]
* [[Manhattan Project National Historical Park]] in [[Los Alamos, New Mexico|Los Alamos]]
* [[Old Spanish National Historic Trail]]
* [[Pecos National Historical Park]] in [[Pecos, New Mexico|Pecos]]
* [[Petroglyph National Monument]] near [[Albuquerque]]
* [[Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument]] at [[Mountainair, New Mexico|Mountainair]]
* [[Santa Fe National Historic Trail]]
* [[Valles Caldera National Preserve]] in the [[Jemez Mountains]]
* [[White Sands National Park]] near [[Alamogordo, New Mexico|Alamogordo]]
}}

====National conservation lands in New Mexico====
New Mexico's national monuments, conservation areas, and other units of the [[National Landscape Conservation System]] are managed by the [[Bureau of Land Management]]. Units include but are not limited to:<ref>{{cite web|access-date=September 28, 2023|publisher=Bureau of Land Management|title=New Mexico National Conservation Lands|url=https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/new-mexico|archive-date=September 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928111545/https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/new-mexico|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness]] near [[Farmington, New Mexico|Farmington]]
* [[El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail]]
* [[El Malpais National Conservation Area]] near [[Grants, New Mexico|Grants]]
* [[Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument]] in [[Cochiti Pueblo]]
* [[Prehistoric Trackways National Monument]] near [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]]
* [[Old Spanish National Historic Trail]]
* [[Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument]] near [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]]
* [[Rio Grande del Norte National Monument]] near [[Taos, New Mexico|Taos]]
* [[Rio Chama|Rio Chama Wild and Scenic River]] near [[Abiquiu]]
* [[Wild Rivers Recreation Area|Rio Grande and Red River Wild and Scenic Rivers]] near [[Questa, New Mexico|Questa]]

====National wildlife refuges in New Mexico====
New Mexico's [[National Wildlife Refuge]]s are managed by the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]].  Units include:
* [[Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Grulla National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[San Andres National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge]]

====State parks in New Mexico====
Areas managed by the New Mexico State Parks Division:<ref>{{Cite web|title=EMNRD State Parks Division|url=http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/FindaPark.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511181221/http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/FindaPark.html|archive-date=May 11, 2019|access-date=October 2, 2019|website=www.emnrd.state.nm.us}}</ref><ref group="Note">[[Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park|Vietnam Veterans Memorial]] was a state park until 2017, when it was transferred to the Department of Veteran Services in 2017. [https://www.newmexico.org/listing/vietnam-veterans-memorial-state-park/2042/ Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park {{!}} Angel Fire, NM 87045]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106180135/https://www.newmexico.org/listing/vietnam-veterans-memorial-state-park/2042/ |date=January 6, 2022 }} (newmexico.org).</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[Bluewater Lake State Park]]
* [[Bottomless Lakes State Park]]
* [[Brantley Lake State Park]]
* [[Cerrillos Hills State Park]]
* [[Caballo Lake State Park]]
* [[Cimarron Canyon State Park]]
* [[City of Rocks State Park]]
* [[Clayton Lake State Park]]
* [[Conchas Lake]] State Park
* [[Coyote Creek State Park]]
* [[Eagle Nest Lake State Park]]
* [[Elephant Butte Lake State Park]]
* [[El Vado Lake]] State Park
* [[Heron Lake (New Mexico)|Heron Lake]] State Park
* [[Hyde Memorial State Park]]
* Leasburg Dam State Park
* [[Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park]]
* [[Manzano Mountains State Park]]
* [[Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park]]
* [[Morphy Lake State Park]]
* [[Navajo Lake]] ''([[Rio Arriba County, New Mexico|Rio Arriba]], NM and [[San Juan County, New Mexico|San Juan, NM]])''
* [[Oasis State Park]]
* [[Oliver Lee Memorial State Park]]
* [[Pancho Villa State Park]]
* [[Percha Dam State Park]]
* [[Rio Grande Nature Center State Park]]
* [[Rio Grande Valley State Park]]
* [[Rockhound State Park]]
* [[Santa Rosa Lake State Park]]
* [[Storrie Lake State Park]]
* [[Sugarite Canyon State Park]]
* [[Sumner Lake State Park]]
* [[Fenton Lake State Park]]
* [[Ute Lake State Park]]
* [[Villanueva State Park]]
}}

====Other nature reserves in New Mexico====
Examples of locally administered nature reserves include:
* Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Valencia County<ref name="Valencia Conservation District 2022">{{cite web | title=Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area | website=Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District | date=February 21, 2022 | url=https://valenciaswcd.org/whitfield-wildlife-conservation-area/ | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161646/https://valenciaswcd.org/whitfield-wildlife-conservation-area/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Rio Communities New Mexico 2022">{{cite web | title=Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area | website=Rio Communities New Mexico | date=December 26, 2022 | url=https://www.riocommunities.net/community/page/whitfield-wildlife-conservation-area | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161655/https://www.riocommunities.net/community/page/whitfield-wildlife-conservation-area | url-status=live }}</ref>
* Albuquerque Open Space, see Open Space Visitor Center<ref name="City of Albuquerque 2022">{{cite web | title=Open Space Visitor Center | website=City of Albuquerque | date=December 16, 2022 | url=https://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/open-space/open-space-visitor-center | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161643/https://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/open-space/open-space-visitor-center | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Environmental issues===

In January 2016, New Mexico sued the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] over negligence after the [[2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill]]. The spill had caused heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, and toxins such as arsenic, to flow into the [[Animas River]], polluting several states' water basins.<ref>Levin, Sam. [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/14/epa-new-mexico-colorado-toxic-river-waste-environment "New Mexico to sue EPA after massive mining spill filled rivers with toxic waste"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220002930/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/14/epa-new-mexico-colorado-toxic-river-waste-environment |date=February 20, 2019 }}, ''[[The Guardian]]'', London, January 14, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2019.</ref> The state has since implemented or considered stricter regulations and harsher penalties for spills associated with resource extraction.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hedden|first=Adrian|title=New Mexico eyeing stricter regulations, more fines on oil and gas spills|url=https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/10/27/new-mexico-eyeing-stricter-regulations-more-fines-oil-and-gas-spills/5996065002/|access-date=2021-08-11|website=Carlsbad Current-Argus|language=en-US|archive-date=August 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811180842/https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/10/27/new-mexico-eyeing-stricter-regulations-more-fines-oil-and-gas-spills/5996065002/|url-status=live}}</ref>

New Mexico is a major producer of [[greenhouse gas]]es.<ref name="Msn-2021">{{Cite web|title=Report: Oil and gas leads New Mexico in greenhouse gas emissions, renewable sector growing|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/report-oil-and-gas-leads-new-mexico-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions-renewable-sector-growing/ar-BB1aEQE6|access-date=2021-08-11|website=www.msn.com|archive-date=August 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811180841/https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/report-oil-and-gas-leads-new-mexico-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions-renewable-sector-growing/ar-BB1aEQE6|url-status=live}}</ref> A Colorado State University study found that the state's oil and gas industry generated 60 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2018, over four times more than previously estimated.<ref name="Msn-2021" /> The fossil fuels sector accounted for over half the state's overall emissions, which totaled 113.6 million metric tons, about 1.8% of the country's total and more than twice the national average per capita.<ref name="Msn-2021" /><ref name="Hedden-2020b">{{Cite web|last=Hedden|first=Adrian|title=Oil and gas industry, New Mexico works to curb greenhouse gas emissions, fight climate change|url=https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/09/29/oil-and-gas-industry-new-mexico-works-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions/3523972001/|access-date=2021-08-11|website=Carlsbad Current-Argus|language=en-US|archive-date=August 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811180844/https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/09/29/oil-and-gas-industry-new-mexico-works-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions/3523972001/|url-status=live}}</ref> The New Mexico government has responded with efforts to regulate industrial emissions, promote renewable energy, and incentivize the use of electric vehicles.<ref name="Hedden-2020b" /><ref name="abqjournal.com">{{Cite news |title=New Mexico targets vehicle emissions |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2415469/new-mexico-targets-vehicle-emissions.html?amp=1 |access-date=2021-08-11 |date=August 2021 |archive-date=August 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811180842/https://www.abqjournal.com/2415469/new-mexico-targets-vehicle-emissions.html?amp=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Settlements ===
{{See also|List of municipalities in New Mexico|List of census-designated places in New Mexico|List of counties in New Mexico}}
[[File:New Mexico population density 2020.png|thumb|left|New Mexico population density map]]With just {{convert|17|/sqmi|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|abbr=out}}, New Mexico is one of the [[List of states and territories of the United States by population density|least densely populated states]], ranking 45th out of 50; the population density of the U.S. overall is {{convert|90|/sqmi|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|abbr=out}}. The state has 33 counties and 106 municipalities, which include cities, towns, villages, and a [[City-County|consolidated city-county]], [[Los Alamos County, New Mexico|Los Alamos]]. Only three cities have at least 100,000 residents: Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Las Cruces, whose respective metropolitan areas together account for the majority of New Mexico's population.

Residents are concentrated in the north-central region, anchored by the state's largest city, Albuquerque. Centered in [[Bernalillo County, New Mexico|Bernalillo County]], the [[Albuquerque metropolitan area]] includes New Mexico's third-largest city, [[Rio Rancho, New Mexico|Rio Rancho]], and has a population of over 918,000, accounting for one-third of all New Mexicans. It is adjacent to [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], the capital and fourth-largest city. Altogether, the [[Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area]] includes more than 1.17 million people, nearly 60% of the state population.

New Mexico's other major center of population is in the south-central area around [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]], its second-largest city and the largest city in the state's southern region. The Las Cruces metropolitan area has roughly 214,000 residents, and with neighboring [[El Paso, Texas]], forms a [[El Paso–Las Cruces, Texas–New Mexico, combined statistical area|combined statistical area]] numbering over 1 million.<ref>"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2018 – United States – Combined Statistical Area; and for Puerto Rico". [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division. March 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.</ref>

New Mexico hosts 23 federally recognized tribal reservations, including part of the Navajo Nation, the largest and most populous tribe; of these, 11 hold [[off-reservation trust land]]s elsewhere in the state. The vast majority of federally recognized tribes are concentrated in the northwest, followed by the north-central region.

Like several other southwestern states, New Mexico has numerous [[Colonia (United States)|''colonias'']]—[[Unincorporated area|unincorporated]], low-income [[slum]]s characterized by abject poverty, absence of basic services (such as water and sewage), and scarce housing and infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NM Colonias|url=https://bber.unm.edu/colonias|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204195209/https://bber.unm.edu/colonias|archive-date=February 4, 2022|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM|publisher=[[University of New Mexico]]}}</ref> The University of New Mexico estimates there are 118 colonias in the state, though the [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development]] identifies roughly 150.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 2, 2015|title=Colonias History|url=http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/communitydevelopment/programs/colonias/history|access-date=2021-08-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602094150/http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=%2Fprogram_offices%2Fcomm_planning%2Fcommunitydevelopment%2Fprograms%2Fcolonias%2Fhistory|archive-date=June 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Most are along the [[Mexico–United States border]].

{{Largest cities
| country = New Mexico
| stat_ref = Source: 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimate<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>
| list_by_pop =
| div_name =
| div_link = Counties of New Mexico{{!}}County
| city_1 = Albuquerque, New Mexico{{!}}Albuquerque
| div_1 = Bernalillo County, New Mexico{{!}}Bernalillo
| pop_1 = 560,274

| city_2 = Las Cruces, New Mexico{{!}}Las Cruces
| div_2 = Doña Ana County, New Mexico{{!}}Doña Ana
| pop_2 = 114,892

| city_3 = Rio Rancho, New Mexico{{!}}Rio Rancho
| div_3 = Sandoval County, New Mexico{{!}}Sandoval / Bernalillo
| pop_3 = 110,660

| city_4 = Santa Fe, New Mexico{{!}}Santa Fe
| div_4 = Santa Fe County, New Mexico{{!}}Santa Fe
| pop_4 = 89,167

| city_5 = Roswell, New Mexico{{!}}Roswell
| div_5 = Chaves County, New Mexico{{!}}Chaves
| pop_5 = 47,109

| city_6 = Farmington, New Mexico{{!}}Farmington
| div_6 = San Juan County, New Mexico{{!}}San Juan
| pop_6 = 46,237

| city_7 = Hobbs, New Mexico{{!}}Hobbs
| div_7 = Lea County, New Mexico{{!}}Lea
| pop_7 = 39,386

| city_8 = Clovis, New Mexico{{!}}Clovis
| div_8 = Curry County, New Mexico{{!}}Curry
| pop_8 = 37,612

| city_9 = Carlsbad, New Mexico{{!}}Carlsbad
| div_9 = Eddy County, New Mexico{{!}}Eddy
| pop_9 = 31,499

| city_10 = Alamogordo, New Mexico{{!}}Alamogordo
| div_10 = Otero County, New Mexico{{!}}Otero
| pop_10 = 31,284

}}

==Demographics==
{{See also|New Mexico locations by per capita income|List of New Mexico counties by socioeconomic factors}}

===Population===
{{US Census population
|1850= 61547
|1860= 93516
|1870= 91874
|1880= 119565
|1890= 160282
|1900= 195310
|1910= 327301
|1920= 360350
|1930= 423317
|1940= 531818
|1950= 681187
|1960= 951023
|1970= 1016000
|1980= 1302894
|1990= 1515069
|2000= 1819046
|2010= 2059179
|2020= 2117522
| estyear = 2025
| estimate = 2125498
| estref = <ref>{{Cite web |title=QuickFacts: Indiana |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/IN | website=Census.gov | publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=December 20, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=Source: 1910–2020<ref>{{cite web |title=Historical Population Change Data (1910–2020) |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/popchange-data-text.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 1, 2021 |archive-date=April 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429012609/https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/popchange-data-text.html }}</ref>
}}
[[File:New Mexico population pyramid.webp|thumb|New Mexico [[population pyramid]]]]
The [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] recorded a population of 2,117,522, an increase of 2.8% from 2,059,179 in the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]].<ref name="PopEstUS">{{cite web|date=April 2, 2020|title=QuickFacts New Mexico; United States|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/NM|access-date=July 9, 2021|website=2019 Population Estimates|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division|archive-date=June 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621070153/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/NM|url-status=live}}</ref> This was the lowest rate of growth in the western U.S. after Wyoming, and among the slowest nationwide.<ref name="Bryan-2021">{{Cite web|date=April 26, 2021|title=Census: New Mexico Among Slowest Growing Western States|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-mexico/articles/2021-04-26/census-new-mexico-among-slowest-growing-western-states|website=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=July 26, 2021|archive-date=July 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726175331/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-mexico/articles/2021-04-26/census-new-mexico-among-slowest-growing-western-states|url-status=live}}</ref> By comparison, between [[2000 United States census|2000]] and 2010, New Mexico's population had increased by 11.7% from 1,819,046—a faster rate than the national average.<ref name="bber.unm.edu">{{cite web|url=http://bber.unm.edu/new-mexico|title=New Mexico |website=Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM |access-date=February 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303072359/http://bber.unm.edu/new-mexico|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> A report commissioned in 2021 by the New Mexico Legislature attributed the state's slow growth to a [[Net migration rate|negative net migration rate]], particularly among those 18 or younger, and to a 19% decline in the birth rate.<ref name="Bryan-2021" /> However, growth among Hispanics and Native Americans remained healthy.<ref name="Bryan-2021" /><ref group="Note">"Even though New Mexico's under-18 population shrank by 8.3%, the analysts found that the Hispanic population increased slightly and the Native American population grew by 10%, signaling long-term growth in diversity."</ref>

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated a slight decrease in population, with 3,333 fewer people from July 2021 to July 2022.<ref name="Narvaiz-2022">{{Cite news |title=New Mexico population declines in latest federal estimate |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2560046/nm-population-declines-in-latest-federal-estimate.html |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-date=December 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228205517/https://www.abqjournal.com/2560046/nm-population-declines-in-latest-federal-estimate.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This was attributed to deaths exceeding births by roughly 5,000, with [[Net migration rate|net migration]] mitigating the loss by 1,389.<ref name="Narvaiz-2022" />

More than half of New Mexicans (51.4%) were born in the state; 37.9% were born in another state; 1.1% were born in either Puerto Rico, an [[Territories of the United States|island territory]], or abroad to at least one American parent; and 9.4% were foreign born (compared to a national average of roughly 12%).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/ |title=U.S. Census website |access-date=January 26, 2017 |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709054630/https://www.census.gov/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Almost a quarter of the population (22.7%) was under the age of 18, and the state's median age of 38.4 is [[List of U.S. states and territories by median age|slightly above the national average]] of 38.2. New Mexico's somewhat older population is partly reflective of its popularity among retirees: It ranked as the most popular retirement destination in 2018,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hill|first=Catey|title=This is the No. 1 state for retirees – and it's not Florida|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-is-the-no-1-state-for-retirees-and-its-not-florida-2019-04-18|access-date=2021-08-18|website=MarketWatch|language=EN-US}}</ref> with an estimated 42% of new residents being retired.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schoen|first=Darla Mercado|date=April 17, 2019|title=Retirees are flocking to these 3 states – and fleeing these 3 states in droves|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/17/retirees-are-flocking-to-these-3-states-and-fleeing-these-3-states.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=CNBC|language=en|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818225140/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/17/retirees-are-flocking-to-these-3-states-and-fleeing-these-3-states.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hispanics and Latinos constitute nearly half of all residents (49.3%), giving New Mexico the highest proportion of Hispanic ancestry among the fifty states. This broad classification includes [[Spanish American|descendants]] of Spanish [[colonist]]s who settled between the 16th and 18th centuries, as well as recent immigrants from Latin America (particularly Mexico and Central America).

From 2000 to 2010, the number of persons in poverty increased to 400,779, or approximately one-fifth of the population.<ref name="bber.unm.edu" /> The 2020 census recorded a slightly reduced poverty rate of 18.2%, albeit the [[List of U.S. states and territories by poverty rate|third highest]] among U.S. states, compared to a national average of 10.5%. Poverty disproportionately affects minorities, with about one-third of African Americans and Native Americans living in poverty, compared with less than a fifth of whites and roughly a tenth of Asians; likewise, New Mexico ranks 49th among states for education equality by race and 32nd for its racial gap in income.<ref name="usnews.com">{{Cite web|last=Galvin|first=Gaby|title=New Mexico's Exodus Problem|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2017-08-07/why-new-mexicans-are-fleeing-the-state|publication-date=August 7, 2017|access-date=August 7, 2017|website=US News|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807182854/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2017-08-07/why-new-mexicans-are-fleeing-the-state|archive-date=August 7, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

New Mexico's population is among the most difficult to count, according to the Center for Urban Research at the [[City University of New York]], due to the state's size, sparse population, and numerous isolated communities.<ref name="Bryan-2021" /> Likewise, the Census Bureau estimated that roughly 43% of the state's population (about 900,000 people) live in such "hard-to-count" areas.<ref name="Bryan-2021" /> In response, the New Mexico government invested heavily in public outreach to increase census participation, resulting in a final tally that exceeded earlier estimates and outperformed several neighboring states.<ref>{{Cite news|last=McKay|first=Dan|title=NM 2020 census count higher than expected|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2386611/census-count-finds-more-nm-residents-than-expected.html|access-date=2021-07-26|newspaper=Albuquerque Journal|date=May 3, 2021|language=en-US|archive-date=July 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726175331/https://www.abqjournal.com/2386611/census-count-finds-more-nm-residents-than-expected.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|HUD]]'s 2022 [[Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress|Annual Homeless Assessment Report]], there were an estimated 2,560 [[Homelessness|homeless]] people in New Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007–2022 PIT Counts by State |url=https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huduser.gov%2Fportal%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fxls%2F2007-2022-PIT-Counts-by-State.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK |access-date=March 13, 2023 |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314020239/https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huduser.gov%2Fportal%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fxls%2F2007-2022-PIT-Counts-by-State.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress |url=https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2022-AHAR-Part-1.pdf |access-date=March 13, 2023 |archive-date=March 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311234217/https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2022-AHAR-Part-1.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Race and ethnicity===
[[File:Ethnic Origins in New Mexico.png|thumb|270x270px|[[File:Ethnic_origins_in_New_Mexico_(2020_census).jpg|thumb|Largest alone or in any combination ethnic origin by county in New Mexico, per the 2020 census]]]]
[[File:Tribes New Mexico 2020.png|thumb|Largest Non-Hispanic Native American ancestry by county and numbers of people reporting "Native American Alone"]]
New Mexico is one of seven [[Majority minority in the United States|"majority-minority"]] states where [[non-Hispanic whites]] constitute less than half the population.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Devore |first1=Chuck |title=Of The Four Majority-Minority States In America, Minorities Do Best In Texas |website=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckdevore/2015/06/21/america-majority-minority-by-2044-with-four-states-already-there-minorities-do-best-in-texas/#2d44d4dc287c |access-date=January 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115071726/https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckdevore/2015/06/21/america-majority-minority-by-2044-with-four-states-already-there-minorities-do-best-in-texas/#2d44d4dc287c |archive-date=January 15, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> As early as 1940, roughly half the population was estimated to be nonwhite.<ref>[https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/tab46.pdf Table 46. New Mexico – Race and Hispanic Origin: 1850 to 1990] [https://web.archive.org/web/20130120030531/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/tab46.pdf U.S. Census Bureau].</ref> Before becoming a state in 1912, New Mexico was among the few U.S. territories that were predominantly nonwhite, which contributed to its delayed admission into the Union.<ref>{{Cite news |title=New Mexico's path to statehood often faltered |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/286241/new-mexicos-path-to-statehood-often-faltered.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |archive-date=December 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223210719/https://www.abqjournal.com/286241/new-mexicos-path-to-statehood-often-faltered.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The largest ethnic group is [[Hispanic and Latino Americans]]; according to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] they account for nearly half the state's population, at 47.7%; they include [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispanos]] descended from pre-United States settlers and more recent successions of [[Mexican Americans]].<ref name="NBC News 2021">{{cite web | title=The most Latino state in the nation? It's still New Mexico. | website=NBC News | date=August 13, 2021 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latino-state-nation-still-new-mexico-rcna1673 | access-date=March 20, 2023 | archive-date=March 20, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320053905/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latino-state-nation-still-new-mexico-rcna1673 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Some 200,000 residents, about one-tenth of the population, are of [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous]] descent,<ref name="Observer-2022">{{Cite web |last2= |first2= |date=November 25, 2022 |title=New Mexico is fourth among states with largest Native American population |url=https://rrobserver.com/new-mexico-is-fourth-among-states-with-largest-native-american-population/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126234230/https://rrobserver.com/new-mexico-is-fourth-among-states-with-largest-native-american-population/ |archive-date=November 26, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=Rio Rancho Observer |language=en-US}}</ref> ranking third in size,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rezal |first=Adriana |date=November 26, 2021 |title=Where Most Native Americans Live |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/the-states-where-the-most-native-americans-live |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228205519/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/the-states-where-the-most-native-americans-live |archive-date=December 28, 2022 |access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> and second proportionally,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census.gov |url=https://www.census.gov/en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/ |archive-date=December 27, 1996 |access-date=2021-07-25 |website=Census.gov |language=EN-US}}</ref> nationwide. There are 23 federally recognized tribal nations, each with its distinct culture, history, and identity. Both the [[Navajo Nation|Navajo]] and [[Apache Tribe|Apache]] share [[Athabaskan]] origin, with the latter living on three federal [[Native American reservation|reservations]] in the state.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clausing |first=Jeri |title=Fort Sill Apache win land in New Mexico |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/23/fort-sill-apache-win-land-in-new-mexico/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119005837/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/23/fort-sill-apache-win-land-in-new-mexico/ |archive-date=January 19, 2023 |access-date=2023-01-19 |website=The Washington Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Navajo Nation]], which spans over 16 million acres (6.5 million{{spaces}}[[hectare|ha]]), mostly in neighboring [[Arizona]], is the largest reservation in the U.S., with one-third of its members living in New Mexico.<ref name="Observer-2022" /> [[Pueblo Indians]], who share a similar lifestyle but are culturally and linguistically distinct, live in 19 [[Puebloans|pueblos]] scattered throughout the state, which collectively span over 2 million acres (800,000 ha).<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=New Mexico – Climate &#124; Britannica |entry=New Mexico – Climate |encyclopedia=Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico/Climate |access-date=2022-05-19 |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519170108/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico/Climate |archive-date=May 19, 2022}}</ref> Many indigenous New Mexicans have moved to urban areas throughout the state, and some cities such as Gallup are major hubs of Native American culture.<ref name="Beck-McNamee-2023b" /> New Mexico is also a hub for indigenous communities beyond its borders: the annual [[Gathering of Nations]], which began in 1983, has been described as the largest ''[[pow wow]]'' in the U.S., drawing hundreds of native tribes from across North America.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Largest powwow draws Indigenous dancers to New Mexico |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2023/04/28/gathering-of-nations-powwow-new-mexico/495c3684-e584-11ed-9696-8e874fd710b8_story.html |website=www.washingtonpost.com}}</ref>

Almost half of New Mexicans claim Hispanic origin; many are descendants of colonial settlers called [[Hispanos of New Mexico|''Hispanos'' or ''Nuevomexicanos'']], who settled mostly in the north of the state between the 16th and 18th centuries; by contrast, the majority of Mexican immigrants reside in the south. Some Hispanos claim [[Who is a Jew?#New Mexico's Crypto-Jews|Jewish ancestry]] through descendance from ''[[converso]]s'' or [[Crypto-Judaism|Crypto-Jews]] among early Spanish colonists.<ref>Romero, Simon (October 29, 2005). [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/29/national/29religion.html "Hispanics Uncovering Roots as Inquisition's 'Hidden' Jews"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514153443/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/29/national/29religion.html|date=May 14, 2015}}. ''The New York Times''.</ref> Many New Mexicans speak a unique dialect known as [[New Mexican Spanish]], which was shaped by the region's historical isolation and various cultural influences; New Mexican Spanish lacks certain vocabulary from other Spanish dialects and uses numerous Native American words for local features, as well as anglicized words that express American concepts and modern inventions.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Simon |last2=Rios |first2=Desiree |date=April 9, 2023 |title=New Mexico Is Losing a Form of Spanish Spoken Nowhere Else on Earth |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/09/us/new-mexico-spanish.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410013432/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/09/us/new-mexico-spanish.html |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |access-date=2023-04-10 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

New Mexico has the fourth largest Native American community in the U.S., at over 200,000; comprising roughly one-tenth of all residents, this is the second largest population by percentage after Alaska.<ref name="QuickFacts">{{cite web|title=New Mexico QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35000.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211133530/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/35000.html|archive-date=February 11, 2010|access-date=March 28, 2010|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Alaska QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau |publisher=US Census Bureau |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/02000.html |access-date=April 10, 2010 |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527092920/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/02000.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> New Mexico is also the only state besides Alaska where indigenous people have maintained a stable proportion of the population for over a century: In 1890, Native Americans made up 9.4% of New Mexico's population, almost the same percentage as in 2020.<ref name="Gibson-Jung-2005">[https://web.archive.org/web/20120812191959/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html "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 August 12, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2013.</ref> By contrast, during that same period, neighboring Arizona went from one-third indigenous to less than 5%.<ref name="Gibson-Jung-2005" />

New Mexico's population consists of many [[mestizo]] Indo-Hispano groups, including Hispanos of [[Oasisamerica]]n descent and [[Indigenous Mexican Americans|Indigenous Mexican American]] with [[Mesoamerica]]n ancestry.<ref name="Wheelwright 2012">{{cite web | last=Wheelwright | first=Jeff | title=Sex, God, and DNA: The Creation of New Mexicans | website=The Atlantic | date=February 24, 2012 | url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/02/sex-god-and-dna-the-creation-of-new-mexicans/253406/ | access-date=March 20, 2023 | archive-date=March 20, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320053903/https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/02/sex-god-and-dna-the-creation-of-new-mexicans/253406/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Sanchez 2023">{{cite web | last=Sanchez | first=Casey | title=Book Review: "Mexicans in the Making of America" by Neil Foley | website=Santa Fe New Mexican | date=January 10, 2023 | url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/books/book_reviews/book-review-mexicans-in-the-making-of-america-by-neil-foley/article_044ced3a-6905-551c-b31f-35d4c7586794.html | access-date=March 20, 2023 | archive-date=March 20, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320053904/https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/books/book_reviews/book-review-mexicans-in-the-making-of-america-by-neil-foley/article_044ced3a-6905-551c-b31f-35d4c7586794.html | url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:New mexico counties by race.svg|thumb|230px|Counties in New Mexico by racial plurality, per the 2020 U.S. census{{Collapsible list
| title = Legend|{{col-begin}}{{col-3}}

'''Non-Hispanic White'''

{{legend|#dd7e6b|40–50%}}

{{legend|#cc4125|50–60%}}

{{legend|#a61c00|60–70%}}

{{legend|#85200c|70–80%}}

'''Native American'''

{{legend|#b6d7a8|40–50%}}

{{legend|#274e13|80–90%}}

{{col-3}}

'''Hispanic or Latino'''

{{legend|#a2c4c9|40–50%}}

{{legend|#76a5af|50–60%}}

{{legend|#45818e|60–70%}}

{{legend|#134f5c|70–80%}}

{{col-end}}
}}]]In the [[2020 United States Census|2020 Census]], 45,904 New Mexico residents were identified as African American (2.2% of the total).<ref>This figure refers to those who report African American and no other race.</ref> . African Americans in the five counties of [[Bernalillo County, New Mexico|Bernalillo]] (21,344), [[Doña Ana County, New Mexico|Doña Ana]] (4,072), [[Sandoval County, New Mexico|Sandoval]] (3,327), [[Curry County, New Mexico|Curry]] (2,900), and [[Lea County, New Mexico|Lea]] (2,801) make up more than 75% of all African Americans in the state.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RACE |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?g=040XX00US35$0500000&y=2020&d=DEC+Redistricting+Data+(PL+94-171)&tp=true |access-date=2026-01-03 |work=Decennial Census, DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171), Table P1 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible"
|+ '''New Mexico Racial Breakdown of Population'''
|-
! Racial composition !! 1970<ref name="census"/> !! 1990<ref name="census">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html |title=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 |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224151538/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html |archive-date=December 24, 2014 }}</ref>!! 2000<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20230323081501/https://censusviewer.com/city/NM Population of New Mexico: Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Map, Demographics, Statistics, Quick Facts]}} </ref>!! 2010<ref>{{cite web |author=2010 Census Data |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html |title=2010 Census Data |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-date=May 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522200920/https://census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
!2020<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/race-and-ethnicity-in-the-united-state-2010-and-2020-census.html |title=Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=August 12, 2021 |website=census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=September 26, 2021 |archive-date=August 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815165418/https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/race-and-ethnicity-in-the-united-state-2010-and-2020-census.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|37.4% ||38.2% ||42.1% ||46.3% ||47.7%
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic whites|White (non-Hispanic)]]
|53.8% ||50.4% ||44.7% ||40.5% ||36.5%
|-
| [[Native Americans in the United States|Native]]|| 7.2% || 8.9% || 9.5% || 9.4%
|10.0%
|-
| [[African American|Black]]|| 1.9% || 2.0% || 1.9% || 2.1%
|2.1%
|-
| [[Asian American|Asian]]|| 0.2% || 0.9% || 1.1% || 1.4%
|1.8%
|-
| [[Native Hawaiian]] and<br />[[Pacific Islander|other Pacific Islander]]|| – || – || 0.1% || 0.1%
|0.1%
|-
| [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Other]]|| 0.6% || 12.6% || 17.0% || 15.0%
|15.0%
|-
| [[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]] || – || – || 3.6% || 3.7% || 19.9%
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''New Mexico   – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the U.S. Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – New Mexico  |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALSF12000.P004?q=P004:+HISPANIC+OR+LATINO,+AND+NOT+HISPANIC+OR+LATINO+BY+RACE+[73]&g=040XX00US35|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=March 10, 2026|df=mdy }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - New Mexico  |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2010.P2?q=p2&g=040XX00US35|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=March 10, 2026|df=mdy }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - New Mexico  |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P2?q=p2&g=040XX00US35|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=March 10, 2026|df=mdy }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|813,495
|833,810
|style='background: #ffffe6; |772,952
|44.72%
|40.49%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |36.50%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|30,654
|35,462
|style='background: #ffffe6; |38,330
|1.69%
|1.72%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.81%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|161,460
|175,368
|style='background: #ffffe6; |188,610
|8.88%
|8.52%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8.91%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|18,257
|26,305
|style='background: #ffffe6; |35,261
|1.00%
|1.28%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.67%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|992
|1,246
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,451
|0.05%
|0.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.07%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|3,009
|3,750
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,340
|0.17%
|0.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.49%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|25,793
|29,835
|style='background: #ffffe6; |59,767
|1.42%
|1.45%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.82%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|765,386
|953,403
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,010,811
|42.08%
|46.30%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |47.74%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''1,819,046'''
|'''2,059,179'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''2,117,522'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

According to the 2022 [[American Community Survey]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B03001 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B03001&geo_ids=04000US35&primary_geo_id=04000US35 |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B04006 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B04006&geo_ids=04000US35&primary_geo_id=04000US35 |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B02017 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B02017&geo_ids=04000US35&primary_geo_id=04000US35 |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref> the most commonly claimed ancestry groups in New Mexico were:
* [[Mexican American|Mexican]] (32.8%)
* Other Hispanic ([[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispano]]/[[Spanish Americans|Spanish]]) (15.3%)
* [[English Americans|English]] (8.0%)
* [[German Americans|German]] (7.9%)
* [[Irish people|Irish]] (6.4%)
* [[Navajo]] (6.3%)
* [[Puebloans|Pueblo]] (2.4%)
According to 2020 census data, 19.9% of the population identifies as multiracial/mixed-race, a population larger than the Native American, Black, Asian and NHPI population groups.<ref name="auto"/> Almost 90% of the multiracial population in New Mexico identifies as Hispanic or Latino.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B03002 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B03002&geo_ids=04000US35&primary_geo_id=04000US35#valueType%7Cestimate |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=censusreporter.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709211951/https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B03002&geo_ids=04000US35&primary_geo_id=04000US35#valueType%7Cestimate|archive-date=9 July 2024}}</ref>

;Birth data
The majority of live births in New Mexico are to Hispanic whites, with Hispanics of any race consistently accounting for over half of all live births since 2013.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:left;"
|+ Live births by single race/ethnicity of mother
|-
! [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|Race]]
! 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr64_01.pdf |title=data |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=September 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925215939/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr64_01.pdf |archive-date=September 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2014<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr64_12.pdf |title=data |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=September 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926014027/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr64_12.pdf |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2015<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr66_01.pdf |title=data |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=September 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926014144/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr66_01.pdf |archive-date=September 26, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2016<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf |title=data |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=May 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180603002249/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_01.pdf |archive-date=June 3, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2017<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_08-508.pdf |title=Births: Final Data for 2017 |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201210916/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr67/nvsr67_08-508.pdf |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2018<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_13-508.pdf |title=Data |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=December 21, 2019 |archive-date=November 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128161211/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_13-508.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2019<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-02-508.pdf |title=Data |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=April 1, 2021 |archive-date=June 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623200707/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-02-508.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2020<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/nvsr70-17.pdf |title=Data |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=2022-02-20 |archive-date=February 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210175206/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr70/NVSR70-17.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2021<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr72/nvsr72-01.pdf |title=Data |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |access-date=2022-02-03 |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201003942/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr72/nvsr72-01.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2022<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-02.pdf |title=Data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=2024-04-05 |archive-date=April 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404230758/https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-02.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
! 2023<ref>
{{cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr74/nvsr74-1.pdf |title=Data |website=www.cdc.gov |access-date=2025-04-12}}</ref>
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic whites|White]]
| 7,428 (28.2%)
| 7,222 (27.7%)
| 7,157 (27.7%)
| 7,004 (28.4%)
| 6,522 (27.4%)
| 6,450 (28.0%)
| 6,218 (27.1%)
| 5,872 (26.8%)
| 5,754 (26.9%)
| 5,531 (25.6%)
| 5,232 (25.0%)
|-
| [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]]
| 3,763 (14.3%)
| 3,581 (13.7%)
| 3,452 (13.4%)
| 2,827 (11.4%)
| 2,694 (11.3%)
| 2,603 (11.3%)
| 2,643 (11.5%)
| 2,434 (11.1%)
| 2,152 (10.1%)
| 2,221 (10.3%)
| 2,063 (9.8%)
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
| 597 (2.3%)
| 578 (2.2%)
| 517 (2.0%)
| 425 (1.7%)
| 420 (1.8%)
| 409 (1.8%)
| 392 (1.7%)
| 410 (1.8%)
| 351 (1.6%)
| 412 (1.9%)
| 393 (1.9%)
|-
| [[African Americans|Black]]
| 669 (2.5%)
| 732 (2.8%)
| 664 (2.6%)
| 354 (1.4%)
| 387 (1.6%)
| 387 (1.7%)
| 355 (1.5%)
| 403 (1.8%)
| 372 (1.7%)
| 403 (1.9%)
| 381 (1.8%)
|-
| ''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]]'' (any race)
| ''14,402'' (54.6%)
| ''14,449'' (55.5%)
| ''14,431'' (55.9%)
| ''13,639'' (55.2%)
| ''13,362'' (56.2%)
| ''12,783'' (55.4%)
| ''12,924'' (56.3%)
| ''12,406'' (56.6%)
| ''12,354'' (57.7%)
| ''12,617'' (58.4%)
| ''12,461'' (59.5%)
|-
| '''Total'''
| '''26,354''' (100%)
| '''26,052''' (100%)
| '''25,816''' (100%)
| '''24,692''' (100%)
| '''23,767''' (100%)
| '''23,039''' (100%)
| '''22,960''' (100%)
| '''21,903''' (100%)
| '''21,391''' (100%)
| '''21,614''' (100%)
| '''20,951''' (100%)
|}

===Immigration===
A little over 9% of New Mexican residents are foreign-born, and an additional 6.0% of U.S.-born residents live with at least one immigrant parent.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Take a look: How immigrants drive the economy in New Mexico |url=https://map.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/locations/new-mexico/ |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=American Immigration Council |language=en-US |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426160524/https://map.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/locations/new-mexico/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The proportion of foreign-born residents is below the national average of 13.7%, and New Mexico was the only state to see a decline in its immigrant population between 2012 and 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Orton |first=Daniel |date=April 12, 2024 |title=Map shows only state where immigrant population is falling |url=https://www.newsweek.com/immigration-falling-new-mexico-economy-jobs-growth-investment-1889681 |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Newsweek |language=en |archive-date=April 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426160524/https://www.newsweek.com/immigration-falling-new-mexico-economy-jobs-growth-investment-1889681 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018, the top countries of origin for New Mexico's immigrants were Mexico, the [[Philippines]], India, Germany and [[Cuba]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Immigrants in New Mexico |url=https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/immigrants_in_new_mexico.pdf |access-date=August 18, 2023 |archive-date=August 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230808233216/https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/immigrants_in_new_mexico.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> As of 2021, the vast majority of immigrants in the state came from Mexico (67.6%), followed by the Philippines (3.1%) and Germany (2.4%).<ref name=":1" />

Notwithstanding their relatively small population, immigrants play a disproportionately large role in New Mexico's economy, accounting for almost one-eighth (12.5%) of the labor force,15% of entrepreneurs, and 19.1% of personal care aides, as well as 9.1% of workers in STEM fields.<ref name=":1" />

===Languages===

{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+ Languages spoken in New Mexico
|-
! scope="row" | English only
| 64%
|-
! scope="row" | Spanish
| 28%
|-
! scope="row" | [[Navajo language|Navajo]]
| 4%
|-
! scope="row" | Others
| 4%
|-
|}

New Mexico ranks third after California and Texas in the number of multilingual residents.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sonnad|first=Nikhil|title=Against the odds, English is on the rise in four US states|url=https://qz.com/1220401/languages-in-the-us-monolingual-english-speakers-are-increasing-in-four-us-states/|access-date=2021-07-23|website=Quartz|date=March 2, 2018|language=en|archive-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723232146/https://qz.com/1220401/languages-in-the-us-monolingual-english-speakers-are-increasing-in-four-us-states/|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the [[2010 U.S. census]], 28.5% of the population age{{spaces}}5 and older speak Spanish at home, while 3.5% speak [[Navajo language|Navajo]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=35&mode=state_tops |title=MLA Language Map Data Center: Most spoken languages in New Mexico |publisher=Mla.org |date=July 17, 2007 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809135355/http://www.mla.org/map_data_results%26state_id%3D35%26mode%3Dstate_tops |archive-date=August 9, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some speakers of [[New Mexican Spanish]] are descendants of pre-18th century Spanish [[settler]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/spanishlanguagei00espirich/spanishlanguagei00espirich_djvu.txt |title=The Spanish language in New Mexico and southern Colorado |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511123624/http://www.archive.org/stream/spanishlanguagei00espirich/spanishlanguagei00espirich_djvu.txt |archive-date=May 11, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Contrary to popular belief, New Mexican Spanish is not an archaic form of 17th-century [[Castilian Spanish]]; though some archaic elements exist, linguistic research has determined that the dialect "is neither more Iberian nor more archaic" than other varieties spoken in the Americas.<ref>Bills, Garland D. and Neddy A. Vigil (2008). ''The Spanish Language of New Mexico and Southern Colorado: A Linguistic Atlas''. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. p. 14. {{ISBN|978-0826345493}}</ref><ref>Rubén Cobos. A Dictionary of New Mexico & Southern Colorado Spanish. Santa Fe: Museum of New Mexico Press, 2003</ref> Nevertheless, centuries of isolation during the colonial period insulated the New Mexican dialect from "standard" Spanish, leading to the preservation of older vocabulary as well as its own innovations.<ref name="Atlas retentions">{{Harvnb|Bills|Vigil|2008|pp=51–74|loc=Ch.5 "Retentions"}}</ref><ref name="Atlas innovations">{{Harvnb|Bills|Vigil|2008|pp=123–151|loc=Ch.8 "El Nuevo México"}}</ref>

Besides Navajo, which is also spoken in Arizona, several other [[Indigenous languages of the Americas|Native American languages]] are spoken by smaller groups in New Mexico, most of which are endemic to the state. Native New Mexican languages include [[Mescalero-Chiricahua language|Mescalero Apache]], [[Jicarilla language|Jicarilla Apache]], [[Tewa language|Tewa]], [[Southern Tiwa language|Southern Tiwa]], [[Northern Tiwa]], [[Jemez language|Towa]], [[Keres language|Keres]] (Eastern and Western), and [[Zuni language|Zuni]]. Mescalero and Jicarilla Apache are closely related [[Southern Athabaskan languages]], and both are also related to Navajo. Tewa, the Tiwa languages, and Towa belong to the [[Tanoan languages|Kiowa-Tanoan]] language family, and thus all descend from a [[Language family|common ancestor]]. Keres and Zuni are [[language isolate]]s with no relatives outside of New Mexico.

====Official language====
New Mexico's original state constitution of 1911 required all laws be published in both English and Spanish for twenty years after ratification;<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crawford |first1=John |title=Language loyalties: a source book on the official English controversy |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |year=1992 |page=62}}</ref> this requirement was renewed in 1931 and 1943,<ref name="Cobarrubia">{{cite book |last1=Cobarrubias |first1=Juan |last2=Fishman |first2=Joshua A |title=Progress in Language Planning: International Perspectives |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |year=1983 |page=195}}</ref> with some sources stating the state was officially bilingual until 1953.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Perea|first1=Juan F.|title=Los Olvidados: On the Making of Invisible People|publisher=New York University Law Review, 70(4), 965–990}}</ref> Nonetheless, the current constitution does not declare any language "official".<ref name="const">[http://www.sos.state.nm.us/uploads/FileLinks/493231b9f2fc45808a19dbb2c0cf6bec/NMConst2010Eng.pdf ''Constitution of the State of New Mexico''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102182933/http://www.sos.state.nm.us/uploads/FileLinks/493231b9f2fc45808a19dbb2c0cf6bec/NMConst2010Eng.pdf |date=January 2, 2014 }} Adopted January 21, 1911.</ref> While Spanish was permitted in the legislature until 1935, all state officials are required to have good knowledge of English; consequently, some analysts argue that New Mexico cannot be considered a bilingual state, since not all laws are published in both languages.<ref name="Cobarrubia"/>

The state legislature remains constitutionally empowered to publish laws in English and Spanish and to appropriate funds for translation. Whenever a [[referendum]] to approve an amendment to the New Mexican constitution is held, ballots must be printed in both English and Spanish.<ref>New Mexico Code 1-16-7 (1981).</ref> Certain legal notices must be published in both English and Spanish, and the state maintains a list of newspapers for Spanish publication.<ref>New Mexico Code 14-11-13 (2011).</ref>

In the judiciary, witnesses and defendants have the right to testify in either language, and monolingual speakers of Spanish have the same right to serve on juries as English speakers.<ref name="const"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Roberts |first1=Calvin A. |title=Our New Mexico: A Twentieth Century History |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |location=Albuquerque |year=2006 |page=23}}</ref> In public education, the state is constitutionally obligated to provide bilingual education and Spanish-speaking instructors in school districts where the majority of students are [[Hispanophone]].<ref name="const"/> The constitution also provides that citizens who speak neither English nor Spanish have a right to vote, hold public office, and serve on juries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Constitution of New Mexico|url=https://nmonesource.com/nmos/c/en/item/5916/index.do#!fragment/zoupio-_Toc77676517/BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoAvbRABwEtsBaAfX2zgHYOA2HgVgCMHAJQAaZNlKEIARUSFcAT2gByFaIiEwuBHIXKANpgDmiMMcIatOkAGU8pAELKASgFEAMm4BqAQQByAMJuoqRgAEbQmtoIwsJAA|access-date=2021-07-23|website=nmonesource.com|archive-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723232137/https://nmonesource.com/nmos/c/en/item/5916/index.do#!fragment/zoupio-_Toc77676517/BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoAvbRABwEtsBaAfX2zgHYOA2HgVgCMHAJQAaZNlKEIARUSFcAT2gByFaIiEwuBHIXKANpgDmiMMcIatOkAGU8pAELKASgFEAMm4BqAQQByAMJuoqRgAEbQmtoIwsJAA|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1989, New Mexico became the first of only four states to officially adopt the [[English Plus]] resolution, which supports acceptance of non-English languages.<ref name="JosephJE">{{cite book|title=Language and Politics|last1=Joseph|first1=John Earl|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|year=2006|page=63}}</ref> In 1995, the state adopted an official bilingual song, "[[New Mexico – Mi Lindo Nuevo México]]".<ref name="Blue Book State Symbols">{{cite book|url=http://www.sos.state.nm.us/sos-bluebook.html|title=New Mexico Blue Book 2007–2008|publisher=New Mexico Secretary of State|chapter=State Symbols|access-date=January 3, 2009|chapter-url=http://www.sos.state.nm.us/BlueBook2008/StateSymbols.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081129051906/http://www.sos.state.nm.us//sos-bluebook.html|archive-date=November 29, 2008}}</ref>{{Rp|75,81}} In 2008, New Mexico was the first state to officially adopt a [[Navajo language|Navajo]] textbook for use in public schools.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Mexico first state to adopt Navajo textbook|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25943277|newspaper=NBC news|date=July 31, 2008|access-date=June 25, 2022|archive-date=February 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226135831/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25943277|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Religion===
{{see also|The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New Mexico}}
{{Pie chart
| thumb = right
| caption = Religious self-identification, per [[Public Religion Research Institute]]'s 2025 ''American Values Survey''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=American Values Atlas 2025 |url=https://ava.prri.org/religion/2024/reltrad_m/1%2C2%2C3%2C4%2C5%2C6%2C7%2C8/state |access-date=2026-02-25 |website=[[Public Religion Research Institute]]}}</ref>
| label1 = [[Protestantism in the United States|Protestantism]]
| value1 = 34
| color1 = Blue
| label2 = [[Catholic Church in the United States|Catholicism]]
| value2 = 25
| color2 = Purple
| label3 = [[Mormonism]]
| value3 = 1
| color3 = Teal
| label4 = [[Irreligion in the United States|Unaffiliated]]
| value4 = 33
| color4 = White
| label5 = [[Judaism]]
| value5 = 1
| color5 = Red
| label6 = Other
| value6 = 6
| color6 = Black
}}Like most U.S. states, New Mexico is predominantly [[Christians|Christian]]. According to [[Association of Religion Data Archives]] (ARDA), the largest denominations in 2010 were the [[Catholic Church]] (684,941 members); the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] (113,452); [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (67,637), and the [[United Methodist Church]] (36,424).<ref name="www.thearda.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/35/rcms2010_35_state_adh_2010.asp |title=The Association of Religion Data Archives &#124; State Membership Report |publisher=www.thearda.com |access-date=November 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001423/http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/35/rcms2010_35_state_adh_2010.asp |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Approximately one-fifth of residents are [[Irreligion|unaffiliated with any religion]], which includes atheists, agnostics, and deists. A 2020 study by the [[Public Religion Research Institute]] (PRRI) determined 67% of the population were Christian, with Roman Catholics constituting the largest denominational group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 PRRI Religious Map |url=https://ava.prri.org/#religious/2020/States/religion/m/US-NM |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=ava.prri.org |archive-date=April 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404161714/https://ava.prri.org/#religious/2020/States/religion/m/US-NM |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2025, the PRRI estimated 62% of the population were Christian, with Protestants now having become the largest denominational group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Values Atlas 2025 |url=https://ava.prri.org/religion/2024/reltrad_m/1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8/state |access-date=2026-02-25 |website=ava.prri.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260404141552/https://ava.prri.org/religion/2024/reltrad_m/1%2C2%2C3%2C4%2C5%2C6%2C7%2C8/state|archive-date=4 April 2026}}</ref>[[File:Santa Fe San miguel chapel.jpg|thumb|[[San Miguel Chapel]], built in 1610 in [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], is the oldest church structure in the continental U.S.]]Roman Catholicism is deeply rooted in New Mexico's history and culture, going back to its settlement by the Spanish in the early 17th century. The oldest Christian church in the continental U.S., and the third oldest in any U.S. state or territory, is the [[San Miguel Mission]] in Santa Fe, which was built in 1610. Within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, New Mexico belongs to the [[ecclesiastical province]] of Santa Fe. The state has three [[diocese|ecclesiastical district]]s:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archdiosf.org/|title=ARCHDIOSF.ORG|access-date=April 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116124222/http://www.archdiosf.org/|archive-date=January 16, 2010|url-status=live}} There is one [[Eastern Catholic]] parish in the state, which is under the [[Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix]].</ref> the [[Archdiocese of Santa Fe]], the [[Diocese of Gallup]], and the [[Diocese of Las Cruces]].<ref name="Frommer's-2023" /> [[Evangelicalism]] and [[nondenominational Christianity]] have seen growth in the state since the late 20th century: The [[Billy Graham Evangelistic Association]] has hosted numerous events in New Mexico,<ref name="Billy Graham Evangelistic Association 2021">{{cite web | title=New Mexico Believers Pray for Family and Friends to Be Saved | website=Billy Graham Evangelistic Association | date=August 22, 2021 | url=https://billygraham.org/gallery/new-mexico-believers-pray-for-family-and-friends-to-be-saved/ | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161645/https://billygraham.org/gallery/new-mexico-believers-pray-for-family-and-friends-to-be-saved/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Poling 2007 p. 146">{{cite book | last=Poling | first=D. | title=Why Billy Graham? | publisher=Sunstone Press | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-86534-615-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A-_RZxOuJlYC&pg=PA146 | access-date=December 26, 2022 | page=146 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161642/https://books.google.com/books?id=A-_RZxOuJlYC&pg=PA146 | url-status=live }}</ref> and Albuquerque has several [[megachurch]]es, which have numerous satellite locations in the state, including Calvary of Albuquerque, Legacy Church, and Sagebrush Church.<ref name="Chief 2021">{{cite news | last=Chief | first=Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau | title=New Mexico removes mandatory capacity limits on churches | newspaper=Albuquerque Journal | date=April 23, 2021 | url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2383338/new-mexico-removes-capacity-limits-on-churches.html | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161646/https://www.abqjournal.com/2383338/new-mexico-removes-capacity-limits-on-churches.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

New Mexico has been a leading center of the [[New Age|New Age movement]] since at least the 1960s, attracting adherents from across the country.<ref name="Frommer's-2023">{{Cite web|title=Religion in New Mexico|website=Frommer's|url=https://www.frommers.com/destinations/new-mexico/in-depth/religion|access-date=2021-07-24|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725022448/https://www.frommers.com/destinations/new-mexico/in-depth/religion|url-status=live}}</ref> The state's "thriving New Age network" encompasses various schools of [[alternative medicine]], [[Holistic Health]], [[Energy medicine|psychic healing]], and [[New religious movement|new religions]], as well as festivals, pilgrimage sites, spiritual retreats, and communes.<ref name="Shukman-2006">{{Cite web |last=Shukman |first=Henry |date=March 19, 2006 |title=New age New Mexico |url=http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2006/mar/19/unitedstates.culturaltrips.restandrelaxation |access-date=2022-12-07 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hainsfurther |first=Stephanie |date=October 20, 2002 |title=New Mexico is the end of the trail for spiritual sojourners |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2002/10/21/focus1.html |access-date=2022-12-07 |website=Albuquerque Business First |archive-date=December 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211218132645/https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2002/10/21/focus1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> New Mexico's [[Japanese American]] community has influenced the state's religious heritage, with [[Shinto]] and [[Zen]] represented by [[Kagyu Shenpen Kunchab]], [[Kōbun Chino Otogawa]], [[Upaya Institute and Zen Center]].<ref name="Nealson 2001 p. 89">{{cite book | last=Nealson | first=C. | title=New Mexico's Sanctuaries, Retreats, and Sacred Places | publisher=Westcliffe Publishers | year=2001 | isbn=978-1-56579-423-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gDXlkbRCjmYC&pg=PA89 | access-date=December 26, 2022 | page=89 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161643/https://books.google.com/books?id=gDXlkbRCjmYC&pg=PA89 | url-status=live }}</ref> Likewise, [[Holism]] is represented in New Mexico, as are associated faiths such as [[Buddhism]] and [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventism]];<ref name="Feith 2014 pp. 159–170">{{cite journal |last=Feith |first=Michel |year=2014 |title=Intertextuality and Interspirituality: Buddhist and Shinto Ideographs in Gerald Vizenor's |journal=Revue française d'études américaines |issue=141 |pages=159–170 |issn=0397-7870 |jstor=43831082}}</ref><ref name="Vasquez 1996 p.">{{cite book |last=Vasquez |first=Manuel |title=New age holistic health: implications for Seventh-day Adventist faith and practice |year=1996 |page= |oclc=35791610}}</ref> a [[Tibetan Buddhism|Tibetan Buddhist]] temple is located at [[Zuni Mountain Stupa]] in [[Grants, New Mexico|Grants]].

Religious education, art, [[religious broadcasting|broadcasting]], [[Faith-based organization|media]] exist across religions and faiths in New Mexico, including [[KHAC]], [[KXXQ]], [[Dar al-Islam (organization)|Dar al-Islam]], and ''[[Intermountain Jewish News]]''. Christian schools in New Mexico are encouraged to receive [[educational accreditation]], and among them are the [[University of the Southwest]], [[St. Pius X High School (Albuquerque)|St. Pius High School]], [[Hope Christian School|Hope Christian]], [[Sandia View Academy]], [[St. Michael's High School]], [[Las Cruces Catholic School]], [[St. Bonaventure Indian School]], and [[Rehoboth Christian School]]. [[Media in Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque's growing media sector]] has made it a popular hub for several national [[Christian media]] institutions, such as [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]]'s [[KNAT-TV]]. [[Christian art]]istic expression includes the [[gospel music|gospel]] tradition within [[New Mexico music]],<ref name="NPR Spiritual Exitos">{{Cite AV media notes |title=15 Exitos Canciones Espirituales |date=December 1, 2016 |type=Exitos Series album |publisher=NPR}}</ref> and [[contemporary Christian music]] such as [[KLYT]] radio station.<ref name="Maliskas 2020">{{cite web | last=Maliskas | first=E.J. | title=Static in Motion | website=alibi | date=September 3, 2020 | url=https://alibi.com/blog/s/news/w2316/story.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161647/https://alibi.com/blog/s/news/w2316/story.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | access-date=December 26, 2022 }}</ref> Several indigenous and Christian religious sites are registered and protected as part of regional and global cultural heritage.<ref name="New Mexico Tourism Department">{{cite web | title=Historic New Mexican Cathedrals | website=New Mexico Tourism | date=January 1, 2022 | url=https://www.newmexico.org/things-to-do/arts-culture/historic-cathedrals/ | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161643/https://www.newmexico.org/things-to-do/arts-culture/historic-cathedrals/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="New Mexico Native American Communities">{{cite web | title=New Mexico's Unique Native American Communities | website=New Mexico Tourism | date=January 1, 2022 | url=https://www.newmexico.org/native-culture/native-communities/ | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161644/https://www.newmexico.org/native-culture/native-communities/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

Reflecting centuries of successive migrations and settlements, New Mexico has developed a distinct [[syncretism|syncretic]] [[folk religion]] that is centered on [[Puebloans|Puebloan]] traditions and [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispano]] [[folk Catholicism]], with some elements of [[Diné Bahaneʼ]], [[Apache]], [[Protestant]], and [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] faiths.<ref name="University of Arizona Press 2018">{{cite web | title=University of Arizona Press | website=University of Arizona Press | date=November 29, 2018 | url=https://open.uapress.arizona.edu/read/beb594e2-3dce-4317-a889-8103bc102734/section/b4e54f1a-171a-4478-85ba-ba6d525ee477 | access-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222092614/https://open.uapress.arizona.edu/read/beb594e2-3dce-4317-a889-8103bc102734/section/b4e54f1a-171a-4478-85ba-ba6d525ee477 | url-status=live }}</ref> This unique religious tradition is sometimes referred to as "Pueblo Christianity" or "Placita Christianity", referring to both the [[Pueblo]]s and Hispanic [[town square]]s.<ref name="Hendrickson 2017 p. 20">{{cite book | last=Hendrickson | first=B. | title=The Healing Power of the Santuario de Chimayó: America's Miraculous Church | publisher=NYU Press | series=Religion, Race, and Ethnicity | year=2017 | isbn=978-1-4798-1550-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mPEmDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA20 | access-date=December 20, 2022 | page=20}}</ref> Customs and practices include the maintenance of [[acequia]]s,<ref name="Czar 2013">{{cite web | last=Czar | first=Web | title=Acequia – ¡COLORES! | website=[[¡Colores!]] | date=October 28, 2013 | url=https://www.newmexicopbs.org/productions/colores/acequia/ | access-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222092614/https://www.newmexicopbs.org/productions/colores/acequia/ | url-status=live }}</ref> [[Pueblo architecture|Pueblo]] and [[Territorial Style]] churches,<ref name="Czar 2013"/> ceremonial dances such as the ''[[matachines]],''<ref name="Interns 2019">{{cite web | last=Interns | first=Our | title=A Dance of Devotion: The Matachines of Bernalillo, New Mexico | website=Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage | date=August 7, 2019 | url=https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/matachines-dance-bernalillo-new-mexico | access-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222092609/https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/matachines-dance-bernalillo-new-mexico | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="The Wisdom Archive 2022">{{cite web | title=The Wisdom Archive | website=The Wisdom Archive | date=November 3, 2022 | url=https://www.thewisdomarchive.com/films/los-matachines | access-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222092614/https://www.thewisdomarchive.com/films/los-matachines | url-status=live }}</ref> [[religious art]]istic expression of [[kachina]]s and [[Santo (art)|santo]]s,<ref name="Mills Taylor Museum p.">{{cite book | last=Mills | first=George | author2=Taylor Museum | title=Kachinas and saints: a contrast in style and culture | publisher=[Taylor Museum] | publication-place=Colorado Spring | oclc=8757349 | page=}}</ref> religious holidays celebrating [[saint]]s such as Pueblo Feast Days,<ref name="Visit Albuquerque 2017">{{cite web | title=Learn about Feast Days and which ones are coming up next! | website=Visit Albuquerque | date=July 6, 2017 | url=https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/about-abq/culture-heritage/native-american/feast-days/ | access-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222092610/https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/about-abq/culture-heritage/native-american/feast-days/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Christmas traditions of [[bizcochito]]s and [[luminaria|farolitos or luminarias]],<ref name="Gomez 2020">{{cite web | last=Gomez | first=Inez Russell | title=Tamales, Empanaditas, and Farolitos: Christmas Traditions in New Mexico | website=New Mexico Magazine | date=December 23, 2020 | url=https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/christmas-memories-and-traditions-in-new-mexico/ | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226164829/https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/christmas-memories-and-traditions-in-new-mexico/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NPS.gov Homepage (U.S. National Park Service) 2021">{{cite web | title=Luminaria Traditions (U.S. National Park Service) | website=NPS.gov Homepage (U.S. National Park Service) | date=January 19, 2021 | url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/luminaria-traditions.htm | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 24, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224200633/https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/luminaria-traditions.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> and pilgrimages like that of [[El Santuario de Chimayo]].<ref name="Trust for Public Land 2022">{{cite web | title=Earthly miracles: preserving a pilgrimage in New Mexico | website=Trust for Public Land | date=November 29, 2022 | url=https://www.tpl.org/blog/earthly-miracles-preserving-pilgrimage-new-mexico | access-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222092613/https://www.tpl.org/blog/earthly-miracles-preserving-pilgrimage-new-mexico | url-status=live }}</ref> The luminaria tradition is a cultural hallmark of the [[Puebloans|Pueblos]] and [[Hispanos of New Mexico]] and a part of the state's distinct heritage. The luminaria custom has spread [[Luminaria#Elsewhere|nationwide]], both as a Christmas tradition as well as for other events. New Mexico's distinctive faith tradition is believed to reflect the [[religious naturalism]] of the state's indigenous and Hispano peoples, who constitute a pseudo [[ethnoreligious group]].<ref name="Lamadrid 1993">{{cite book | last=Lamadrid | first=Enrique R. | title=Reconstructing a Chicano/a Literary Heritage: Hispanic Colonial Literature of the Southwest | chapter=Entre Cíbolos Criado: Images of Native Americans in the Popular Culture of Colonial New Mexico | publisher=University of Arizona Press | year=1993 | pages=158–200 | doi=10.2307/j.ctvss4030.15 | isbn=978-0-8165-1350-5 | jstor=j.ctvss4030.15 | s2cid=216898998}}</ref>

New Mexico's leadership within otherwise disparate traditions such as Christianity, the [[Native American Church]], and New Age movements has been linked to its remote and ancient indigenous spirituality, which emphasized sacred connections to nature, and its over 300 years of syncretized Pueblo and Hispano religious and folk customs.<ref name="Frommer's-2023" /><ref name="Shukman-2006" /> The state's remoteness has likewise been cited as attracting and fostering communities seeking the freedom to practice or cultivate new beliefs.<ref name="Shukman-2006" /> Global spiritual leaders including [[Billy Graham]] and [[Dalai Lama]], along with community leaders of [[Hispanic and Latino Americans]] and [[indigenous peoples of the North American Southwest]], have remarked on New Mexico being a [[sacred space]].<ref name="Batchelder 2021">{{cite web | last=Batchelder | first=Christine | title=The Legacy of the Gospel – Route 66 Albuquerque New Mexico | website=The Billy Graham Library | date=September 27, 2021 | url=https://billygrahamlibrary.org/the-legacy-of-the-gospel-route-66-albuquerque-new-mexico/ | access-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222092611/https://billygrahamlibrary.org/the-legacy-of-the-gospel-route-66-albuquerque-new-mexico/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Preston 2014">{{cite web | last=Preston | first=Douglas | title=I Took the Dalai Lama to a Ski Resort and He Told Me the Meaning of Life | website=Slate Magazine | date=February 26, 2014 | url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/02/dalai-lama-at-a-santa-fe-ski-resort-tells-waitress-the-meaning-of-life.html | access-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-date=December 22, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222092614/https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/02/dalai-lama-at-a-santa-fe-ski-resort-tells-waitress-the-meaning-of-life.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Rockman Steele 2003 p.">{{cite book | last1=Rockman | first1=Marcy | last2=Steele | first2=James | title=Colonization of unfamiliar landscapes: the archaeology of adaptation | publisher=Routledge | publication-place=London | date=2003 | isbn=978-0-203-42290-8 | oclc=299569848 | page=}}</ref>

According to a 2017 survey by the [[Pew Research Center]], New Mexico ranks 18th among the 50 U.S. states in [[religiosity]], 63% of respondents stating they believe in God with certainty, with an additional 20% being fairly certain of the existence of God, while 59% considering religion to be important in their lives and another 20% believe it to be somewhat important.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Most and least religious U.S. states|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/02/29/how-religious-is-your-state/|access-date=2021-07-24|website=Pew Research Center|date=February 29, 2016|language=en-US|archive-date=July 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727000747/https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/02/29/how-religious-is-your-state/|url-status=live}}</ref> Among its population in 2022, 31% were unaffiliated.<ref name=":0" />

==Economy==
{{Main|Economy of New Mexico}}

[[File:2008 NM Proof.png|thumb|upright=.7|New Mexico [[50 state quarters|state quarter]], circulated in April 2008]]

Oil and gas production, the entertainment industry, [[high technology|high tech]] scientific research, tourism, and government spending are important drivers of the state economy.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Mexico |url=https://www.forbes.com/places/nm/#58792c428336 |website=Forbes |access-date=September 20, 2020 |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823165555/https://www.forbes.com/places/nm/#58792c428336 |url-status=live }}</ref> The state government has an elaborate system of tax credits and technical assistance to promote job growth and business investment, especially in new technologies.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{Cite news |title=New jobs, bigger facilities, local support: New Mexico's bioscience industry is alive and kicking |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2564756/nms-bioscience-industry-is-alive-and-kicking.html |access-date=2023-01-16 |archive-date=January 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116195210/https://www.abqjournal.com/2564756/nms-bioscience-industry-is-alive-and-kicking.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2025, 99.0% of businesses in the state were [[Small business|small businesses]] and employed 53.3% of its work force.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2025 Small Business Profile - New Mexico |url=https://advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/New_Mexico_2025-State-Profile.pdf |access-date=February 9, 2026 |website=U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy}}</ref>

In 2025, New Mexico's gross domestic product was $152.778 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=SASUMMARY State annual summary statistics: personal income, GDP, consumer spending, price indexes, and employment |url=https://apps.bea.gov/itable/?ReqID=70&step=1&_gl=1*g82tfy*_ga*MTMwNTU5NTYxMC4xNzc2ODY1NjY1*_ga_J4698JNNFT*czE3NzcwNTgyNjIkbzckZzEkdDE3NzcwNTgyNzEkajUxJGwwJGgw#eyJhcHBpZCI6NzAsInN0ZXBzIjpbMSwyOSwyNSwzMSwyNiwyNywzMF0sImRhdGEiOltbIlRhYmxlSWQiLCI2MDAiXSxbIk1ham9yX0FyZWEiLCIwIl0sWyJTdGF0ZSIsWyIwIl1dLFsiQXJlYSIsWyIzNTAwMCJdXSxbIlN0YXRpc3RpYyIsWyItMSJdXSxbIlVuaXRfb2ZfbWVhc3VyZSIsIkxldmVscyJdLFsiWWVhciIsWyIyMDI1Il1dLFsiWWVhckJlZ2luIiwiLTEiXSxbIlllYXJfRW5kIiwiLTEiXV19 |access-date=April 24, 2026 |website=U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}}</ref> compared to roughly $80 billion in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=GDP by State |url=http://greyhill.com/gdp-by-state |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216110805/http://greyhill.com/gross-state-product/ |archive-date=February 16, 2012 |access-date=September 9, 2011 |publisher=Greyhill Advisors}}</ref> State GDP peaked in 2019 at nearly $99 billion but declined in the face of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. New Mexico's [[per capita income|per capita personal income]] was $61,645 in 2025<ref>{{Cite web |title=SASUMMARY State annual summary statistics: personal income, GDP, consumer spending, price indexes, and employment |url=https://apps.bea.gov/itable/?ReqID=70&step=1&_gl=1*g82tfy*_ga*MTMwNTU5NTYxMC4xNzc2ODY1NjY1*_ga_J4698JNNFT*czE3NzcwNTgyNjIkbzckZzEkdDE3NzcwNTgyNzEkajUxJGwwJGgw#eyJhcHBpZCI6NzAsInN0ZXBzIjpbMSwyOSwyNSwzMSwyNiwyNywzMF0sImRhdGEiOltbIlRhYmxlSWQiLCI2MDAiXSxbIk1ham9yX0FyZWEiLCIwIl0sWyJTdGF0ZSIsWyIwIl1dLFsiQXJlYSIsWyIzNTAwMCJdXSxbIlN0YXRpc3RpYyIsWyItMSJdXSxbIlVuaXRfb2ZfbWVhc3VyZSIsIkxldmVscyJdLFsiWWVhciIsWyIyMDI1Il1dLFsiWWVhckJlZ2luIiwiLTEiXSxbIlllYXJfRW5kIiwiLTEiXV19 |access-date=April 24, 2026 |website=U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}}</ref> compared to $31,474 in 2007;<ref>{{cite web |date=April 4, 2008 |title=Per Capita Personal Income by State |url=http://bber.unm.edu/econ/us-pci.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302154227/http://bber.unm.edu/econ/us-pci.htm |archive-date=March 2, 2009 |access-date=October 13, 2008 |publisher=University of New Mexico, Bureau of Business and Economic Research |url-status=dead }}</ref> it was the third lowest in the country after West Virginia and Mississippi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. per capita personal income, by state 2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/303555/us-per-capita-personal-income/ |access-date=2021-08-08 |website=Statista |language=en |archive-date=August 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808033942/https://www.statista.com/statistics/303555/us-per-capita-personal-income/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The percentage of persons below the [[poverty level]] has largely plateaued in the 21st century, from 18.4% in 2005 to 18.2% in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |date=January 18, 2008 |title=Persons Below Poverty by New Mexico County |url=http://bber.unm.edu/demo/SAIPEallagepov05.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624190945/http://bber.unm.edu/demo/SAIPEallagepov05.htm |archive-date=June 24, 2010 |access-date=October 13, 2008 |publisher=University of New Mexico, Bureau of Business and Economic Research |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="PopEstUS" /> {{As of|2025|May}}, the state's unemployment rate was 4.2%.<ref>{{Cite web |last=staff |first=CNBC com |date=2025-07-10 |title=44. New Mexico |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/10/new-mexico-top-states-for-business-ranking.html |access-date=2026-01-21 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>

Traditionally dependent on resource extraction, ranching, and railroad transportation, New Mexico has increasingly shifted towards services, high-end manufacturing, and tourism.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newmexico.org/department/research/docs/Economic_Impact_FY2006.pdf |title=Travel Economic Impact Model |access-date=October 2, 2008 |publisher=New Mexico Tourism Department |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028193342/http://www.newmexico.org/department/research/docs/Economic_Impact_FY2006.pdf |archive-date=October 28, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://nmlegis.gov/handouts/ERDT%20101315%20Item%207%20Economic%20Impact%20of%20Tourism%20in%20NM.pdf| title = The Economic Impact of Tourism in New Mexico|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913011217/https://nmlegis.gov/handouts/ERDT%20101315%20Item%207%20Economic%20Impact%20of%20Tourism%20in%20NM.pdf|archive-date=13 September 2024}}</ref> Since 2017, the state has seen a steady rise in the number of annual visitors, peaking in 2021 at 39.2 million tourists, who had an economic impact of $10 billion.<ref name="AP-2022">{{Cite web |title=Record high visitors nationwide came to New Mexico in 2021 |url=https://news.yahoo.com/record-high-visitors-nationwide-came-163611527.html |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=news.yahoo.com |date=October 31, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=November 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101001709/https://news.yahoo.com/record-high-visitors-nationwide-came-163611527.html |url-status=live }}</ref> New Mexico has also seen greater investment in media and scientific research.

==Transportation==
[[File:USA Mexico border New Mexico.JPG|thumb|In this photo, the [[Mexico–United States border]] divides [[Sunland Park, New Mexico|Sunland Park]] and the Mexican state of [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]].]]

New Mexico has long been an important corridor for trade and [[human migration|migration]]. The builders of the ruins at [[Chaco Canyon]] also created a radiating network of roads from the mysterious settlement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/northamerica/chaco.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604094657/http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/northamerica/chaco.html|title=Chaco Canyon<!-- Bot generated title -->|archive-date=June 4, 2010|access-date=August 23, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Chaco Canyon's trade function shifted to [[Casas Grandes]] in the present-day Mexican [[state of Chihuahua]]; however, north–south trade continued. The pre-[[Christopher Columbus|Columbian]] trade with [[Mesoamerican cultures]] included northbound exotic birds, seashells, and copper. Turquoise, pottery, and salt were some of the goods transported south along the [[Rio Grande]]. Present-day New Mexico's pre-Columbian trade is especially remarkable for being undertaken on foot. The north–south trade route later became a path for horse-drawn colonists arriving from [[New Spain]] as well as trade and communication; later called ''[[El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro]],'' it was among the four "royal roads" that were crucial lifelines to Spanish colonial possessions in North America.<ref name="Suina">{{cite web |url=http://www.newmexicohistory.org/story2.php?catid=727 |title=Indigenous trade |last=Suina |first=Kim |website=Digital History Project{{snd}}Book of Migrations |publisher=New Mexico Office of the State Historian |access-date=March 31, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903153033/http://www.newmexicohistory.org/story2.php?catid=727 |archive-date=September 3, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Santa Fe Trail sign IMG 0516.JPG|thumb|Santa Fe trail sign]]

The [[Santa Fe Trail]] was the 19th-century territory's vital commercial and military highway link to the Eastern United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.santafetrail.org/index.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305202118/http://www.santafetrail.org/index.php|title=Santa Fe Trail Association|archive-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref> Several trails that terminated in northern New Mexico, including the Camino Real, the Santa Fe Trail and the [[Old Spanish Trail (trade route)|Old Spanish Trail]] are recognized as [[National Historic Trail]]s. New Mexico's latitude and low passes made it an attractive east–west transportation corridor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nps.gov/safe/index.htm |title=Santa Fe National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service) |publisher=Nps.gov |access-date=June 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101022212520/http://www.nps.gov/safe/ |archive-date=October 22, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> As a territory, the [[Gadsden Purchase]] increased New Mexico's land area for the purpose of constructing a southern [[transcontinental railroad]], that of the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]]. Another transcontinental railroad was completed by the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]]. The railroads essentially replaced the earlier trails but prompted a population boom. Early transcontinental [[auto trail]]s 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 Highway]]s approximate the earlier land routes of the Camino Real, the Santa Fe Trail, and the transcontinental railroads.

===Road===

{{See also|Speed limits in the United States by jurisdiction#New Mexico|List of New Mexico highways}}
[[File:National-atlas-new-mexico.png|thumb|left]]

Personal automobiles remain the primary means of transportation for most New Mexicans, especially in rural areas.<ref name="abqjournal.com" /> The state had 59,927 route miles of highway {{as of|lc=y|2000}}, of which 7,037 receive federal aid.<ref>U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-2: New Mexico Public Road Length, Miles by Ownership 2000 [http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_01_02.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017024457/http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_01_02.html|date=October 17, 2008}}</ref> That year there were {{convert|1003|mi|km}} of freeways, of which 1,000 were the route miles of Interstate Highways [[Interstate 10 in New Mexico|10]], [[Interstate 25 in New Mexico|25]] and [[Interstate 40 in New Mexico|40]].<ref>U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-1: New Mexico Public Road Length, by Functional System [http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_01_01.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017023538/http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_01_01.html|date=October 17, 2008}}</ref> The former number has increased with the upgrading of roads near [[Pojoaque, New Mexico|Pojoaque]], [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], and [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]] to freeways. Notable bridges include the [[Rio Grande Gorge Bridge]] near [[Taos, New Mexico|Taos]]. Larger cities in New Mexico typically have some form of public transportation by road; [[ABQ RIDE]] is the state's largest such system.<ref>{{cite web|title=ABQ RIDE{{snd}}City of Albuquerque|url=http://www.cabq.gov/transit/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317142408/http://www.cabq.gov/transit/index.html|archive-date=March 17, 2010|access-date=April 12, 2010|publisher=City of Albuquerque|url-status=dead}}</ref> Rural and intercity public transportation by road is provided by [[Americanos USA, LLC]], [[Greyhound Lines]], and several government operators.

New Mexico is plagued by poor road conditions, with roughly a third of its roadways suffering from "inadequate state and local funding".<ref name="By">{{Cite web|last=By|first=Robert Nott|title=Report: New Mexico motorists paying price for poor roads|url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/report-new-mexico-motorists-paying-price-for-poor-roads/article_615359ca-7d5c-11ec-bb2f-07ef0d6b82d9.html|access-date=2022-01-26|website=Santa Fe New Mexican|date=January 25, 2022|language=en|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126152418/https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/report-new-mexico-motorists-paying-price-for-poor-roads/article_615359ca-7d5c-11ec-bb2f-07ef0d6b82d9.html|url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2001}}, 703 highway bridges, or one percent, were declared "structurally deficient" or "structurally obsolete".<ref>[http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_02_01.html U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-5: Highway Bridge Condition: 2001]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623111327/http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_02_01.html|date=June 23, 2012}}.</ref> Data from 2019 found 207 bridges and more than 3,822 miles of highway in less than subpar condition, resulting in greater commute times and higher costs in vehicles maintenance.<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 4, 2021|title=White House Releases Updated State Fact Sheets Highlighting the Impact of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Nationwide|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/04/white-house-releases-state-fact-sheets-highlighting-the-impact-of-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-nationwide/|access-date=2022-01-26|website=The White House|language=en-US|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126152418/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/04/white-house-releases-state-fact-sheets-highlighting-the-impact-of-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-nationwide/|url-status=live}}</ref>

New Mexico has historically had a problem with drunk driving, though this has lessened: According to the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', the state once had the nation's highest alcohol-related crash rates but ranked 25th in this regard by 2009.<ref>{{cite web |work=Los Angeles Times |title=New Mexico turns a corner on drunk driving |date=July 7, 2009 |first=Kate |last=Linthicum |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jul-07-na-new-mexico-dwi7-story.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref> The highway traffic fatality rate was 1.9 per million miles traveled in 2000, the 13th-highest among U.S. states.<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 2-1: Highway Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rates: 2000|url=http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_02_01.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623111327/http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_02_01.html|archive-date=June 23, 2012|access-date=June 10, 2012|publisher=Bts.gov|url-status=dead}}</ref> A 2022 report cited poor road as a major factor in New Mexico's continually high traffic fatalities; between 2015 and 2019, close 1,900 people were killed in automotive crashes in the state.<ref name="By"/>

===Highways===
{{See also|List of U.S. Routes in New Mexico}}
New Mexico has only three [[List of Interstate Highways in New Mexico|Interstate Highways]]: [[Interstate 10 in New Mexico|Interstate 10]] travels southwest from [[Arizona|the Arizona]] state line near [[Lordsburg, New Mexico|Lordsburg]] to the area between [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]] and [[Anthony, New Mexico|Anthony]], near [[El Paso, Texas]]; [[Interstate 25 in New Mexico|Interstate 25]] is a major north–south interstate highway starting from Las Cruces to the [[Colorado]] state line near [[Raton, New Mexico|Raton]]; and [[Interstate 40 in New Mexico|Interstate 40]] is a major east–west interstate highway starting from the Arizona state line west of [[Gallup, New Mexico|Gallup]] to the Texas state line east from [[Tucumcari, New Mexico|Tucumcari]]. In [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], I-25 and I-40 meet at a stack interchange called [[Big I|The Big{{spaces}}I]]. The state is tied with Delaware, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Island in having the fewest primary interstate routes, which is partly a reflection of its rugged geography and sparse population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Table 3: Interstate Routes - FHWA Route Log and Finder List - Interstate Highway System - National Highway System - Planning - FHWA |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/table03.cfm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240503024920/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/table03.cfm |archive-date=3 May 2024 |access-date=2026-04-04 |website=www.fhwa.dot.gov}}</ref>

New Mexico currently has [[List of U.S. Routes in New Mexico|15 United States Highways]], which account for over {{convert|2980|mi|km}} of its highway system. All but seven of its 33 counties are served by U.S. routes, with most of the remainder connected by Interstate Highways. Most routes were built in 1926 by the state government and are still managed and maintained by state or local authorities. The longest is [[U.S. Route 70 in New Mexico|U.S. 70]], which spans over {{convert|448|mi|km}} across southern New Mexico, making up roughly 15% of the state's total U.S. Highway length; the shortest is [[U.S. Route 160 in New Mexico|U.S. 160]], which runs just {{convert|0.86|mi|km}} across the [[Four Corners|northwestern]] corner of the state, between the [[Arizona]] and [[Colorado]] borders.

The most famous route in New Mexico, if not the United States, was [[U.S. Route 66|U.S. 66]], colloquially known as the nation's "Mother Road" for its scenic beauty and importance to migrants fleeing West from the [[Dust Bowl]] of the 1930s.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 31, 2014|title=On What's Left of America's 'Mother Road,' Remnants of Road Trips and Migrations|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/141230-dust-bowl-grapes-of-wrath-drought-migrants-family-trip-route-66-part-2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605051239/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/141230-dust-bowl-grapes-of-wrath-drought-migrants-family-trip-route-66-part-2|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 5, 2021|access-date=2021-08-01|website=Science|language=en}}</ref> The road crossed through [[northern New Mexico]], connecting the cities of [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]] and [[Gallup, New Mexico|Gallup]], before being replaced by I-40 in 1985. Much of U.S. 66 remains in use for tourism and has been preserved for historical significance.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Route 66 National Scenic Byway – New Mexico Tourism – Travel & Vacation Guide|url=https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-visit/scenic-byways/route-66-national/|access-date=2021-08-01|website=www.newmexico.org|language=en-us|archive-date=August 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801222347/https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-visit/scenic-byways/route-66-national/|url-status=live}}</ref> Another famous route was [[US 666|U.S. 666]], which ran south to north along the western portion of the state, serving the Four Corners area. It was known as the "Devil's Highway" due to the number [[666 (number)|666]] denoting the "[[Number of the beast]]" in Christianity; this numerical designation, as well as its high fatality rate, was subject to controversy, superstition, and numerous cultural references. U.S. 666 was subsequently renamed U.S. Route 491 in 2003. Many existing and former highways in New Mexico are recognized for their aesthetic, cultural, or historical significance, particularly for tourism purposes.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Mexico Scenic Road Trips {{!}} 25 State and National Byways|url=https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-visit/scenic-byways/|access-date=2021-08-01|website=www.newmexico.org|language=en-us|archive-date=August 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801222346/https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-visit/scenic-byways/|url-status=live}}</ref> The state hosts ten out of 184 "America's Byways", which are federally designated for preservation due to their scenic beauty or national importance.<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Scenic Byways Program – Planning, Environment, & Real Estate – FHWA|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/scenic_byways/|access-date=2021-08-01|website=[[Federal Highway Administration|Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)]]|archive-date=August 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814052800/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/scenic_byways/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Rail ===
{{See also|List of New Mexico railroads}}
[[File:Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad excursion train headed by locomotive 484 in 2015.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad]]]]

There were 2,354 route miles of railroads in 2000; this number increased by a few miles with the opening of the [[New Mexico Rail Runner Express|Rail Runner]]'s extension to Santa Fe in 2006.<ref name="bts.gov2">U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-9: Freight Railroads in New Mexico and the United States: 2000 [http://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_01_09.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320230412/https://www.bts.gov/publications/state_transportation_statistics/new_mexico/html/table_01_09.html|date=March 20, 2018}}</ref> In addition to local railroads and other tourist lines, the state jointly owns and operates a heritage [[narrow gauge|narrow-gauge]] steam railroad, the [[Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railway]], with the state of [[Colorado]] since 1970. Narrow-gauge railroads once connected many communities in the northern part of the state, from [[Farmington, New Mexico|Farmington]] to Santa Fe.<ref name="Myrick" />{{Rp|110}} No fewer than 100 railroads of various names and lineage have operated in the state at some point.<ref name="Myrick" />{{Rp|8}} New Mexico's rail transportation system peaked in length after it became a U.S. state; in 1914, eleven railroads operated 3,124 route miles.<ref name="Myrick" />{{Rp|10}}

Railroad surveyors arrived in New Mexico in the 1850s shortly after it became a U.S. territory.<ref name="mapping">{{cite web |url=http://www.newmexicohistory.org/story2.php?catid=731 |title=New Mexico and its Railroads |date=August 1984 |website=La Crónica de Nuevo México/New Mexico Office of the State Historian: Digital History Project{{snd}}The Book of Mapping |publisher=Historical Society of New Mexico |access-date=March 31, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903152916/http://www.newmexicohistory.org/story2.php?catid=731 |archive-date=September 3, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first railroads incorporated in 1869,<ref name="Myrick" />{{Rp|9}} and the first railway became operational in 1878: the [[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway]] (ATSF), which entered via the lucrative and contested [[Raton Pass]]. The ATSF reached [[El Paso, Texas]] in 1881, and with the entry of the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] from the [[Territory of Arizona|Arizona Territory]] in 1880, created the nation's [[Transcontinental railroad#United States|second transcontinental railroad]], with a junction at [[Deming, New Mexico|Deming]].<ref name="Myrick">{{cite book|last=Myrick|first=David F.|title=New Mexico's Railroads{{snd}}An Historical Survey|publisher=[[Colorado Railroad Museum]]|location=Golden|year=1970|lccn= 70-116915|isbn=978-0826311856}}</ref>{{Rp|9, 18, 58–59}}<ref name="mapping" /> The [[Denver & Rio Grande Railway]], which generally used [[narrow gauge]] equipment in New Mexico, entered the territory from [[Colorado]], beginning service to [[Española, New Mexico|Española]] in December 1880.<ref name="Myrick" />{{Rp|95–96}}<ref name="mapping" /> These first railroads were built as long-distance corridors; later railroad construction also targeted resource extraction.<ref name="Myrick" />{{Rp|8–11}}  [[File:Tucumcari NM Train Station.jpg|thumb|The railway station in [[Tucumcari, New Mexico|Tucumcari]]]]

The rise of [[rail transportation]] was a major source of demographic and economic growth, with many settlements expanding or established shortly thereafter. As early as 1878, the ATSF promoted [[#Tourism|tourism in the region]] with an emphasis on Native American imagery.<ref name="Richards2">{{cite book|last=Richards|first=C Fenton Jr|title=Santa Fe{{snd}}The Chief Way|publisher=[[New Mexico Magazine]]|others=Robert Strein & John Vaughn|year=2001|isbn=978-0937206713|series=Second Printing, 2005}}</ref>{{Rp|64}} [[Named train]]s often reflected the territory they traveled: ''[[Super Chief]]'', the streamlined successor to the ''Chief'';<ref name="Richards2"/> ''[[Navajo (passenger train)|Navajo]]'', an early transcontinental tourist train; and ''[[Cavern (passenger train)|Cavern]]'', a through car operation connecting [[Clovis, New Mexico|Clovis]] and [[Carlsbad, New Mexico|Carlsbad]] (by the early 1950s as train 23–24), were some of the named [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway#Passenger service|passenger trains of the ATSF]] that connoted New Mexico,<ref name="Myrick" />{{Rp|49–50}}<ref name="Dorin">{{cite book|last=Dorin|first=Patrick C.|title=Santa Fe Passenger Trains in the Streamlined Era|publisher=TLC Publishing, Inc.|others=design and layout by Megan Johnson|year=2004|isbn=978-1883089993|location=US}}</ref>{{Rp|51}} The ''Super Chief'' became a favorite of early Hollywood stars and among the most famous named trains in the U.S.; it was known for its luxury and exoticness, with cars bearing the name of regional Native American tribes and outfitted with the artwork of many local artists, but also for its speed, taking as little as 39 hours 45 minutes to reach Los Angeles from Chicago.<ref name="Richards2"/>[[File:RailRunner.jpg|thumb|The [[New Mexico Rail Runner Express]] is a commuter operation that runs along the Central Rio Grande Valley.]]At its height, passenger train service connected nine of New Mexico's present [[#Settlements|ten most populous cities]] (the sole exception is [[Rio Rancho, New Mexico|Rio Rancho]]); only [[Albuquerque]] and [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] are still connected by rail.<ref name="nmrailrunner.com" /> With the decline of most [[intercity rail]] service in the U.S. in the late 1960s, New Mexico was left with minimal services; no less than six daily long-distance roundtrip trains, supplemented by many branch-line and local trains, served New Mexico in the early 1960s. Declines in passenger revenue, but not necessarily ridership, prompted many railroads to turn over their passenger services in truncated form to [[Amtrak]], a state-owned enterprise. Amtrak, also known as the National Passenger Railroad Corporation, began operating the two extant long-distance routes on May 1, 1971.<ref name="Myrick" /><ref name="Richards2"/><ref name="Dorin" /> Resurrection of passenger rail service from [[Denver]] to [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]], a route once plied in part by the ATSF's ''El Pasoan'',<ref name="Dorin" />{{Rp|37}} has been proposed; in the 1980s, Governor [[Toney Anaya]] suggested building a [[high-speed rail]] line connecting the two cities with New Mexico's major cities.<ref>{{cite news|last=Herron|first=Gary|date=December 22, 2008|title=Media and politicians enjoy inaugural ride, public opening met with delays|work=The Observer|location=UK|url=http://www.observer-online.com/articles/2008/12/21/news/doc494d4df4b3d01455138411.txt|url-status=dead|access-date=February 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106185231/http://www.observer-online.com/articles/2008/12/21/news/doc494d4df4b3d01455138411.txt|archive-date=November 6, 2018}}</ref> In 2004, the Colorado-based nonprofit [[Front Range Commuter Rail]] was established, with the goal of connecting [[Wyoming]] and New Mexico with high-speed rail;<ref>{{cite news|last=Proctor|first=Cathy|date=May 15, 2005|title=Idea floated for Front Range rail line|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2005/05/16/story2.html|url-status=live|access-date=August 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510015023/http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2005/05/16/story2.html|archive-date=May 10, 2011}}</ref> it became inactive in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Front Range Commuter Rail – History and Documents|url=https://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/BusinessEntityHistory.do?quitButtonDestination=BusinessEntityDetail&pi1=1&nameTyp=ENT&masterFileId=20041413000&entityId2=20041413000&srchTyp=ENTITY|access-date=2021-08-01|website=Colorado Secretary of State|archive-date=August 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801222346/https://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/BusinessEntityHistory.do?quitButtonDestination=BusinessEntityDetail&pi1=1&nameTyp=ENT&masterFileId=20041413000&entityId2=20041413000&srchTyp=ENTITY|url-status=live}}</ref>[[File:Santa fe depot railrunner.jpg|thumb|Downtown Santa Fe train station]]Since 2006, a state-owned, privately run [[commuter rail]]way, the [[New Mexico Rail Runner Express]], has served the [[Albuquerque metropolitan area]], connecting the city proper with Santa Fe and other communities.<ref name="nmrailrunner.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.nmrailrunner.com/stations.asp |title=Stations{{snd}}New Mexico Rail Runner Express |publisher=Nmrailrunner.com |access-date=June 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106174708/http://www.nmrailrunner.com/stations.asp |archive-date=January 6, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Holmes">{{cite news|url=https://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/01/14/mass_firm_sues_state_over_railrunner_name/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121215020745/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/01/14/mass_firm_sues_state_over_railrunner_name/ |archive-date=December 15, 2012 |title=Mass. firm sues state over Railrunner name |last=Holmes |first=Sue Major |date=January 14, 2009 |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |access-date=February 2, 2009 }}</ref> The system expanded in 2008 with the addition of the [[BNSF Railway]]'s line from [[Belen, New Mexico|Belen]] to a few miles south of Lamy.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Delays-mark-first-morning-of-commuter-train-service |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908203848/http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Delays-mark-first-morning-of-commuter-train-service |archive-date=September 8, 2012 |title=Delays, struck cow mark Rail Runner's first day, but riders optimistic |last=Grimm |first=Julie Ann |date=December 17, 2008 |newspaper=[[The Santa Fe New Mexican]] |access-date=February 2, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Phase II of Rail Runner extended the line northward to [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] from the [[Sandoval County/US 550 (Rail Runner station)|Sandoval County]] station, the northernmost station under Phase I service; the service now connects [[Santa Fe County|Santa Fe]], [[Sandoval County|Sandoval]], [[Bernalillo County|Bernalillo]], and [[Valencia County|Valencia]] counties. Rail Runner operates scheduled service seven days per week,<ref>{{cite web|date=April 12, 2010|title=Rail Runner schedule page|url=http://www.nmrailrunner.com/schedule.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723135959/http://www.nmrailrunner.com/schedule.asp|archive-date=July 23, 2010|access-date=July 31, 2010|website=NM Railrunner|url-status=dead}}</ref> connecting Albuquerque's population base and central business district to downtown Santa Fe with up to eight roundtrips in a day; the section of the line running south to [[Belen, New Mexico|Belen]] is served less frequently.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nmrailrunner.com/PDF/Weekday%20Schedule%20SF%2012-08.pdf |title=New Mexico Rail Runner Express weekday schedule |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325113040/http://www.nmrailrunner.com/PDF/Weekday%20Schedule%20SF%2012-08.pdf |archive-date=March 25, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Amtrak's ''[[Southwest Chief]]'' passes through daily at stations in [[Gallup, New Mexico|Gallup]], Albuquerque, [[Lamy, New Mexico|Lamy]], [[Las Vegas, New Mexico|Las Vegas]], and [[Raton, New Mexico|Raton]], offering connections to Los Angeles, Chicago and intermediate points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/oct08/P03.pdf|title=Southwest Chief passenger timetable|date=October 2008|publisher=[[Amtrak]]|access-date=February 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304021219/http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/oct08/P03.pdf|archive-date=March 4, 2009}}</ref> A successor to the ''Super Chief'' and ''[[El Capitan (passenger train)|El Capitan]],''<ref name="Dorin" />{{Rp|115}} the ''Southwest Chief'' is permitted a maximum speed of {{convert|90|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} in various places on the tracks of the [[BNSF Railway]];<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blaszak|first=Michael W.|year=2009|title=Speed, Signals, and Safety|journal=Fast Trains|series=Classic Trains Special Edition No. 7|page=47|isbn=978-0890247631}}</ref> it also operates on [[New Mexico Rail Runner Express]] trackage. The ''[[Sunset Limited]]'' makes stops three times a week in both directions at [[Lordsburg, New Mexico|Lordsburg]], and [[Deming, New Mexico|Deming]], serving Los Angeles, New Orleans and intermediate points.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/jan09/P01.pdf|title=Sunset Limited passenger timetable|date=January 2009|publisher=[[Amtrak]]|access-date=February 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205011407/http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/jan09/P01.pdf|archive-date=February 5, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''Sunset Limited'' is the successor to the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]]'s train of the same name and operates exclusively on [[Union Pacific]] trackage in New Mexico.

New Mexico is served by two of the nation's ten [[class I railroad]]s, which denote the highest revenue railways for freight: the [[BNSF Railway]] and the [[Union Pacific Railroad]]. Together, they operate 2,200 route miles of railway in the state.<ref name="bts.gov2"/>

===Aerospace===
{{See also|List of airports in New Mexico}}

New Mexico has four [[List of airports in New Mexico|primary commercial airports]] that are served by most major domestic and international airliners. [[Albuquerque International Sunport]] is the state's main [[Port of entry|aerial port of entry]] and by far the largest airport: It is the only one designated a medium-sized hub by the [[Federal Aviation Administration]], serving millions of passengers annually.
[[File:Spaceport America terminal - The Gateway (15094090585).jpg|thumb|223x223px|Spaceport America terminal, ''The Gateway'']]
The only other comparatively large airports are [[Lea County Regional Airport]], [[Roswell International Air Center]], and [[Santa Fe Regional Airport]], which have varying degrees of service by major airlines. Most airports in New Mexico are small, [[general aviation]] hubs operated by municipal and county governments, and usually served solely by local and regional [[Regional airliner|commuter airlines]].

Due to its sparse population and many isolated, rural communities, New Mexico ranks among the states most reliant on [[Essential Air Service]], a federal program that maintains a minimal level of scheduled air service to communities that are otherwise unprofitable for commercial airlines.

==== Spaceport America ====
New Mexico hosts the world's first operational and purpose-built commercial [[spaceport]], [[Spaceport America]], located in [[Upham, New Mexico|Upham]], near [[Truth or Consequences, New Mexico|Truth or Consequences]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Ohtake |first=Miyoko |date=August 25, 2007 |title=Virgin Galactic Preps for Liftoff at World's First Commercial Spaceport |journal=Wired Magazine |volume=15 |issue=10 |url=https://www.wired.com/science/space/magazine/15-10/st_spaceport |access-date=January 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515205505/http://www.wired.com/science/space/magazine/15-10/st_spaceport |archive-date=May 15, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="BizWeek">{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2008/12/29/daily19.html|title=NM Spaceport, Virgin Galactic sign 20-year lease|last=Robinson-Avila|date=December 31, 2008|publisher=New Mexico Business Weekly|access-date=January 24, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090102002859/http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2008/12/29/daily19.html|archive-date=January 2, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Discovery">{{cite news|url=http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/12/19/spaceport-commercial.html|title=First Commercial Spaceport Gets Green Light|author=AFP|date=December 19, 2008|publisher=Discovery Channel|access-date=January 24, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208090325/http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/12/19/spaceport-commercial.html|archive-date=February 8, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> It is operated by the state-backed [[New Mexico Spaceport Authority|New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA)]]. [[Rocket launch]]es began in April 2007,<ref name="Discovery" /> with the spaceport officially opening in 2011.<ref>[http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/10/06/story13.html?b=1223265600^1710262 UP Aerospace does launches 'quickly and cheaply'], DenverBiz Journal, October 2008. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226042148/http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/10/06/story13.html?b=1223265600%5E1710262|date=December 26, 2008}}.</ref> Tenants include [[HAPSMobile]], [[UP Aerospace]], [[SpinLaunch]], and [[Virgin Galactic]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tenants, Customers and Partners|url=https://www.spaceportamerica.com/business/customers/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=Spaceport America|language=en-US|archive-date=August 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814081243/https://www.spaceportamerica.com/business/customers/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Over 300 [[suborbital]] flights have been successfully launched from Spaceport America since 2006, with the most notable being Virgin Galactic's [[VSS Unity|VSS ''Unity'']] on May 22, 2021, which made New Mexico the third U.S. state to launch humans into space, after California and Florida.<ref name="Robinson-Avila 2021">{{cite news|last=Robinson-Avila|first=Kevin|date=May 22, 2021|title=NM 'has finally reached the stars'|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2393160/lift-off-virgin-galactic-spaceship-is-in-the-air.html|access-date=2021-05-30|newspaper=Albuquerque Journal|archive-date=August 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814152937/https://www.abqjournal.com/2393160/lift-off-virgin-galactic-spaceship-is-in-the-air.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|title=New Mexico paid $1.5 million to show state logo during Virgin Galactic space flight|url=https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/2021/07/14/new-mexico-logo-virgin-galatic-flight-1-5-million-dollars/7965802002/|access-date=2021-08-02|website=Las Cruces Sun-News|language=en-US|archive-date=August 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802003641/https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/2021/07/14/new-mexico-logo-virgin-galatic-flight-1-5-million-dollars/7965802002/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 22, 2021, Spaceport America was the site of the first successfully tested vacuum-sealed "suborbital accelerator", which aims to offer a significantly more economical alternative to launching satellites via rockets.<ref name="Houser-2021">{{Cite web|title=SpinLaunch: Company hurls satellites into space using giant, spinning machine|url=https://bigthink.com/the-future/spinlaunch-company-hurls-satellites-into-space-using-giant-spinning-machine/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Big Think|date=December 4, 2021|language=en-US|archive-date=December 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206202330/https://bigthink.com/the-future/spinlaunch-company-hurls-satellites-into-space-using-giant-spinning-machine/|url-status=live}}</ref> Conducted by Spaceport tenant SpinLaunch, the test is the first of roughly 30 demonstrations being planned.<ref name="Houser-2021" />

==Government and politics==
{{Main|Government of New Mexico}}

[[File:Michelle Lujan Grisham 2021.jpg|thumb|Governor [[Michelle Lujan Grisham]] (D)]]

The [[Constitution of New Mexico]] was adopted by [[referendum|popular referendum]] in 1911. It establishes a [[republican form of government]] based on [[popular sovereignty]] and a [[separation of powers]]. New Mexico has a [[bill of rights]] modeled on its [[United States Bill of Rights|federal counterpart]], but with more expansive rights and freedoms; for example, victims of certain serious crimes, such as aggravated battery and sexual assault, have explicit rights to privacy, dignity, and the timely adjudication of their case.<ref>[[Constitution of New Mexico]], Sec. 24.</ref> Major state issues may be decided by popular vote, and the constitution may be amended by a majority vote of both lawmakers and the electorate.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite encyclopedia|entry=New Mexico – Government and society|entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|access-date=2021-08-03|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012085307/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Governmental structure ===
[[Article Four of the United States Constitution|Mirroring the federal system]], the New Mexico government consists of executive, legislative, and judicial departments. The executive is led by the [[Governor of New Mexico|governor]] and other popularly elected officials, including the [[Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico|lieutenant governor]] (elected on the same ticket as the governor), [[Attorney General of New Mexico|attorney general]], [[Secretary of State of New Mexico|secretary of state]], [[New Mexico State Auditor|state auditor]], [[New Mexico State Treasurer|state treasurer]], and [[New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands|commissioner of public lands]]. New Mexico's governor is granted more authority than those of other states, with the power to appoint most high-ranking officials in the cabinet and other state agencies.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

The legislative branch consists of the bicameral [[New Mexico Legislature]], comprising the 70-member [[New Mexico House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the 42-member [[New Mexico Senate|Senate]]. Members of the House are elected to two-year terms, while those of the Senate are elected every four years. New Mexican legislators are unique in the U.S. for being volunteers, receiving only a daily stipend while in session; this "citizen legislature" dates back to New Mexico's admission as a state, and is considered a source of civic pride.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Mexico has the nation's only unsalaried legislature. Lawmakers are hoping to change that.|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/new-mexico-has-the-nation-s-only-unsalaried-legislature-lawmakers-are-hoping-to-change-that/ar-AAT7LLf?ocid=BingNewsSearch|access-date=2022-01-26|publisher=MSN|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126152417/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/new-mexico-has-the-nation-s-only-unsalaried-legislature-lawmakers-are-hoping-to-change-that/ar-AAT7LLf?ocid=BingNewsSearch|url-status=live}}</ref>

The judiciary is headed by the [[New Mexico Supreme Court]], the state's highest court, which primarily [[appellate court|adjudicates appeals]] from lower courts or government agencies. It is made up of five judges popularly elected every eight years with overlapping terms. Below the state supreme court is the [[New Mexico Court of Appeals]], which has intermediate appellate jurisdiction statewide. New Mexico has 13 judicial districts with circuit courts of [[general jurisdiction]], as well as various municipal, [[State court magistrate judge|magistrate]], and probate courts of [[limited jurisdiction]].

New Mexico is organized into numerous local governments consisting of counties, municipalities, and special districts.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Mexico Government |url=http://www.newmexico.gov/government/ |website=www.newmexico.gov |access-date=January 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102050440/http://www.newmexico.gov/government/ |archive-date=January 2, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Politics===
{{See also|Elections in New Mexico|Political party strength in New Mexico|New Mexico Legislature}}

Since 2018, New Mexico has been led by Governor [[Michelle Lujan Grisham]] and Lieutenant Governor [[Howie Morales]], both of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. All constitutional officers are currently Democrats, including Secretary of State [[Maggie Toulouse Oliver]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sos.state.nm.us |title=NM Secretary of State's Office official web site |website=Sos.state.nm.us |access-date=January 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120011947/http://www.sos.state.nm.us/ |archive-date=January 20, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Attorney General [[Raúl Torrez]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet the Attorney General |url=https://nmdoj.gov/about-the-office/meet-the-attorney-general/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=New Mexico Department of Justice |language=en-US |archive-date=May 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240507063455/https://nmdoj.gov/about-the-office/meet-the-attorney-general/ |url-status=live }}</ref> State Auditor [[Joseph Maestas]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=State Auditor |url=https://www.nm.gov/elected-officials/state-auditor/ |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=Welcome to NewMexico.gov |language=en-US}}</ref> State Land Commissioner [[Stephanie Garcia Richard]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nmstatelands.org |title=NM State Lands official web site |publisher=Nmstatelands.org |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100728101332/http://www.nmstatelands.org/ |archive-date=July 28, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> and State Treasurer [[Laura Montoya (politician)|Laura Montaya]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stonm.org |title=NM State Treasurer's Office official web site |publisher=Stonm.org |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100809014817/http://www.stonm.org/ |archive-date=August 9, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{table alignment}}
{| class="wikitable floatright col2left defaultright"
|+ Party registration as of June 30, 2025<ref>{{cite web |title=Voter Registration Statistics |url=https://sos.state.nm.us/voting-and-elections/data-and-maps/voter-registration-statistics/ |access-date=June 30, 2025 |publisher=[[New Mexico Secretary of State]]}}</ref>
|-
!colspan="2" | Party
! Number<br/> of voters
! Fraction
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party of New Mexico|Democratic]]
| 570,211
| 42.40%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party of New Mexico|Republican]]
| 454,199
| 32.18%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent politician}}
| [[Independent voter|Independent]] / [[List of political parties in the United States|other]]
| 331,872
| 23.51%
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| [[Libertarian Party of New Mexico|Libertarian]]
| 15,520
| 1.10%
|-
|style="border-right:none"| ||style="border-left:none"| Total
| 1,411,370
| 100.0%
|}

Both chambers of the [[New Mexico Legislature]] have Democratic majorities: 27 Democrats and 15 Republicans in the Senate, and 45 Democrats and 25 Republicans in the House of Representatives. Likewise, the state is represented in the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] by Democrats [[Martin Heinrich]] and [[Ben Ray Luján]]. The state's three delegates to the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] are Democrats [[Melanie Stansbury]], [[Gabe Vasquez]], and [[Teresa Leger Fernandez]], representing the first, second, and third districts, respectively.

[[File:New Mexico Presidential Election Results 2024.svg|thumb|[[2024 United States presidential election in New Mexico|2024 U.S. presidential election results]] by county in New Mexico {{leftlegend|#4389E3|Democratic}}{{leftlegend|#AA0000|Republican}}]]

Since achieving statehood in [[1912 United States presidential election|1912]], New Mexico has been carried by the national popular vote winner in every presidential election except in [[1976 United States presidential election|1976]] and [[2024 United States presidential election|2024]].<ref>{{cite web |title=New Mexico Presidential Election Voting History |url=http://www.270towin.com/states/new+mexico |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304183212/http://www.270towin.com/states/new+mexico |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |access-date=April 21, 2014 |publisher=270towin.com |url-status=dead }}</ref> Until 2008, New Mexico was a [[swing state]] in presidential elections. The [[1992 United States presidential election|1992 election]] of Bill Clinton marked the first time the state was won by a Democrat since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. [[Al Gore]] narrowly carried the state in [[2000 United States presidential election|2000]], and [[George W. Bush]] won in [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]] by less than 6,000 votes. The election of [[Barack Obama]] in [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]] marked the state's transition into [[Red states and blue states|a Democratic stronghold]]; Obama was also the first Democrat to win a majority of New Mexico votes since Johnson.<ref name="Weigel">{{Cite web |last=Weigel |first=David |date=October 8, 2012 |title=How Obama Won New Mexico Long Before Election Day |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2012/10/new-mexico-has-become-a-safe-democratic-state-because-of-a-growing-hispanic-population-native-americans-and-bad-republican-talking-points.html |access-date=2021-08-05 |website=Slate Magazine |language=en |archive-date=August 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805222728/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2012/10/new-mexico-has-become-a-safe-democratic-state-because-of-a-growing-hispanic-population-native-americans-and-bad-republican-talking-points.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Obama won New Mexico again in 2012, followed by Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020, and Kamala Harris in 2024.

[[File:Party registration by New Mexico county.svg|thumb|Party registration by New Mexico county (February 2023):
{{legend|#d3e7ff|2=Democratic ≥ 30%}}
{{legend|#b9d7ff|2=Democratic ≥ 40%}}
{{legend|#86b6f2|2=Democratic ≥ 50%}}
{{legend|#4389e3|2=Democratic ≥ 60%}}
{{legend|#1666cb|2=Democratic ≥ 70%}}
{{legend|#f2b3be|2=Republican ≥ 40%}}
{{legend|#e27f90|2=Republican ≥ 50%}}
{{legend|#cc2f4a|2=Republican ≥ 60%}}]]

Although state politics are decidedly Democratic-leaning, New Mexico's political culture is relatively moderate and bipartisan by national standards. While registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 200,000, New Mexico voters have historically favored moderate to conservative candidates of both parties at the state and federal levels: according to [[Pew Research Center|Pew Research]], the largest political ideology among New Mexicans is [[political moderate]] at 36%, while 34% are [[conservatism in the United States|conservatives]], 23% are [[Liberalism in the United States|liberal]], and 7% stated they did not know.<ref name="Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project 2022">{{cite web |date=June 13, 2022 |title=Public Life Landscape Study |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/ |access-date=December 26, 2022 |website=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project |archive-date=May 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525045337/https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Likewise, New Mexico's demographics are atypical of most traditional liberal states with "political ideology less important" than candidates' profiles or outreach efforts.<ref name="Caldwell-2022">{{Cite news |title=New Mexico Democrats push their state as a model for winning in Southwest |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/23/new-mexico-democrats-latino/ |access-date=2022-12-23 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=December 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223192451/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/23/new-mexico-democrats-latino/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Due to their historically positive connections to the state's heritage, the [[Republican Party of New Mexico|Republican]] and [[Democratic Party of New Mexico|Democratic parties of New Mexico]] are each relatively robust, and New Mexico is considered a [[Bellwether (politics)|bellwether state]].<ref name="The Advocate 20202">{{cite web |date=October 20, 2020 |title=New Mexico: Blue or Purple? |url=https://theacademyadvocate.com/5187/news/new-mexico-blue-or-purple/ |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=The Advocate |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216195124/https://theacademyadvocate.com/5187/news/new-mexico-blue-or-purple/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Reichbach 20152">{{cite web |last=Reichbach |first=Matthew |date=June 11, 2015 |title=New Mexico a top historical 'bellwether' state for president |url=https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2015/06/11/new-mexico-a-top-historical-bellwether-state-for-president/ |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=The NM Political Report |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216195124/https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2015/06/11/new-mexico-a-top-historical-bellwether-state-for-president/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Alberta 20202">{{cite web |last=Alberta |first=Tim |date=November 2, 2020 |title=This Place Has Picked Every President Since 1952. Is Its Streak About to End? |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/11/02/valencia-new-mexico-election-bellwether-433756 |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=POLITICO |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216195124/https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/11/02/valencia-new-mexico-election-bellwether-433756 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Ostermeier 20112">{{cite web |last=Ostermeier |first=Eric |date=February 17, 2011 |title=Meet the New Bellwether States: Ohio and Nevada |url=https://smartpolitics.lib.umn.edu/2011/02/17/meet-the-new-bellwether-states/ |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=Smart Politics |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216195126/https://smartpolitics.lib.umn.edu/2011/02/17/meet-the-new-bellwether-states/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Broh 1980 pp. 564–5702">{{cite journal |last=Broh |first=C. Anthony |year=1980 |title=Whether Bellwethers or Weather-Jars Indicate Election Outcomes |journal=The Western Political Quarterly |volume=33 |issue=4 |pages=564–570 |doi=10.2307/448072 |issn=0043-4078 |jstor=448072}}</ref> The state's [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] was the first to incorporate Hispanics and Natives into leadership roles, such as territorial governor [[Miguel Antonio Otero (born 1859)|Miguel Antonio Otero]] and state governor [[Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo]], later the first Mexican American and first Hispanic member of the U.S. Senate.<ref name="McClain 2018 p. 1882">{{cite book |last=McClain |first=P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jaHsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188 |title=Can We All Get Along?: Racial and Ethnic Minorities in American Politics |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2018 |isbn=978-0-429-97516-5 |page=188 |access-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042026/https://books.google.com/books?id=jaHsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Hornung 2013 p. 832">{{cite book |last=Hornung |first=C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m7mRB5UXx-YC&pg=PA83 |title=Cipriano Baca, Frontier Lawman of New Mexico |publisher=McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-7864-7332-8 |page=83 |access-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215042028/https://books.google.com/books?id=m7mRB5UXx-YC&pg=PA83 |url-status=live }}</ref> Republican president [[Theodore Roosevelt]] greatly respected the Hispanos, Mexican Americans, and indigenous communities of New Mexico, many of whom had been part of his [[Rough Riders]].<ref name="Robertson 20112">{{cite web |last=Robertson |first=Gary |date=June 1, 2011 |title=Historic Old West buildings are Las Vegas, N.M.'s jewels |url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-xpm-2011-jun-01-la-tr-lvnm-20110601-story.html |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=Los Angeles Times |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216195123/https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-xpm-2011-jun-01-la-tr-lvnm-20110601-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Weideman 20222">{{cite web |last=Weideman |first=Paul |date=December 14, 2022 |title=Revival Las Vegas: The restoration of La Castañeda |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/columns/art_of_space/revival-las-vegas-the-restoration-of-la-casta-eda/article_b7bdd69c-4321-5052-a4c2-690a2bf7bd71.html |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=Santa Fe New Mexican |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216195123/https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/columns/art_of_space/revival-las-vegas-the-restoration-of-la-casta-eda/article_b7bdd69c-4321-5052-a4c2-690a2bf7bd71.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Lujan Grisham succeeded two-term Republican governor [[Susana Martinez]] on January 1, 2019. [[Gary Johnson]] was governor from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican, but in [[2012 United States presidential election|2012]] and [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]] ran for president as the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] nominee. New Mexico's Second Congressional District is among the most competitive in the country: Republican Herrell narrowly lost to [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Xochitl Torres Small]] in 2018, retook her seat in 2020, and lost to Democrat [[Gabe Vasquez]] in 2022.<ref name="Caldwell-2022" /> Election cycles within the past decade have seen moderate incumbents replaced by progressive Democrats in cities like Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces, with conservative Republicans elected in rural areas. Democrats are usually strongest in the [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] area, parts of the [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|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 [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] reservations, especially the [[Navajo Nation]].<ref name="Weigel" /> Republicans have traditionally had strongholds in the state's east and south, the [[Farmington, New Mexico|Farmington]] area, [[Rio Rancho, New Mexico|Rio Rancho]], and the newly developed areas in the northwest mesa. Albuquerque's Northeast Heights have historically leaned Republican but have recently become a key swing area for Democrats.

A 2020 study ranked New Mexico as the 20th-hardest state for citizens to vote in, primarily due to the inaccessibility of polling stations for many isolated communities.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=J. Pomante II |first1=Michael |last2=Li |first2=Quan |date=December 15, 2020 |title=Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020 |journal=Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=503–509 |doi=10.1089/elj.2020.0666 |s2cid=225139517|doi-access=free }}</ref>

==== Female minority representation ====
New Mexico has elected more [[women of color]] to public office than any other U.S. state.<ref name="Thomson-DeVeaux-2020">{{Cite web |last=Thomson-DeVeaux |first=Amelia |date=January 31, 2020 |title=Why New Mexico Elects More Women Of Color Than The Rest Of The Country |url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-new-mexico-elects-more-women-of-color-than-the-rest-of-the-country/ |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=FiveThirtyEight |language=en-US |archive-date=July 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729034814/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-new-mexico-elects-more-women-of-color-than-the-rest-of-the-country/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> While the trend is partly reflective of the state's disproportionately high Hispanic and indigenous populations, it also reflects longstanding cultural and political trends: In 1922, [[Soledad C. Chacón|Soledad Chávez Chacón]] was the first woman elected secretary of state of New Mexico, and the first Hispanic woman elected to statewide office in the United States. [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] governor [[Susana Martinez]] was the first Hispanic female governor in the United States, and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] congresswoman [[Deb Haaland]] was among the first Native American women elected to the U.S. Congress.<ref name="Time 2017">{{cite magazine |date=August 8, 2017 |title=Susana Martinez: First Hispanic Republican Female Governor |url=https://time.com/collection/american-voices-2017/4402950/susana-martinez/ |magazine=Time |access-date=December 22, 2022 |archive-date=December 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222093017/https://time.com/collection/american-voices-2017/4402950/susana-martinez/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Becker 2019">{{cite web |last=Becker |first=Amanda |date=January 7, 2019 |title=Deb Haaland becomes one of first two Native American congresswomen |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-haaland-idUSKCN1P11D1 |access-date=December 22, 2022 |website=U.S. |archive-date=December 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222093011/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-haaland-idUSKCN1P11D1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Research by the [[Center for American Women and Politics]] at [[Rutgers University]] found that two-thirds of all nonwhite women who have ever been elected governor in the U.S. are from New Mexico, including the current governor, Lujan Grisham. The state also accounts for nearly one-third of the women of color who have served in any statewide executive office, such as lieutenant governor and secretary of state, a distinction shared by only ten other states.<ref name="Thomson-DeVeaux-2020" /> New Mexico also has a relatively high percentage of state legislators who are women of color, which at 16% is the sixth highest in the nation.

New Mexico is described as a "national leader in electing female legislators".<ref name="McKay-2022">{{Cite news |title=House of Representatives: New Mexico is emerging as a national leader in electing female legislators |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2560223/womens-impact.html |access-date=2023-01-03 |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |archive-date=January 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103150647/https://www.abqjournal.com/2560223/womens-impact.html |url-status=live }}</ref> As of January 2023, it ranked sixth in the number of female state legislators (43.8%),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women in State Legislatures 2023 |url=https://cawp.rutgers.edu/facts/levels-office/state-legislature/women-state-legislatures-2023 |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=cawp.rutgers.edu |language=en |archive-date=January 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103150652/https://cawp.rutgers.edu/facts/levels-office/state-legislature/women-state-legislatures-2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> with women comprising a majority of the New Mexico House of Representatives (53%) and over a quarter of the Senate (29%).<ref name="McKay-2022"/> Women also hold a majority of seats on the state Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.<ref name="McKay-2022" /> At the federal level, two out of three congressional districts are represented by women.

=== Local government ===
{{Main|Local government in New Mexico}}

{{See also|Government of Albuquerque, New Mexico|label 1=Government of Albuquerque}}Local government in New Mexico consists primarily of [[List of counties in New Mexico|counties]] and [[List of settlements in New Mexico|municipalities]]. There are 33 counties, of which the most populous is [[Bernalillo County, New Mexico|Bernalillo]], which contains the state's largest city, [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]]. Counties are usually governed by an elected five-member county commission, sheriff, assessor, clerk, and treasurer. A municipality may call itself a village, town, or city,<ref>New Mexico Statutes § 3-1-3</ref> with no distinction in law and no correlation to any particular form of government. Municipal elections are non-partisan.<ref>New Mexico Statutes § 3-8-29C</ref> In addition, limited local authority can be vested in special districts and landowners' associations.

=== Law ===
New Mexico is one of 23 states without the death penalty,<ref>{{Cite web|title=State by State|url=https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state|access-date=2021-08-10|website=Death Penalty Information Center|language=en-US|archive-date=January 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128140346/https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/states-and-without-death-penalty|url-status=live}}</ref> becoming the 15th state to abolish capital punishment in 2009.<ref>Le Nouveau-Mexique abolit la peine de mort [archive] in Le Monde of March 19, 2009</ref>

{{PresHead|place=New Mexico|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/compare.php?year=2008&fips=35&f=1&off=0&elect=0&type=state|title=Presidential General Election Results Comparison – New Mexico|publisher=US Election Atlas|access-date=January 2, 2023|author=Leip, David|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103012750/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/compare.php?year=2008&fips=35&f=1&off=0&elect=0&type=state|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|17,733|20,437|11,206|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|31,152|33,527|2,108|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|57,634|46,668|1,104|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|54,745|48,542|9,543|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|69,645|48,211|158|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|54,217|95,089|2,300|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|61,727|106,037|1,372|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|79,315|103,699|244|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|70,688|81,389|148|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|80,303|105,464|1,296|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|132,170|105,661|777|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|146,788|106,098|1,040|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|153,733|156,027|1,347|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|131,838|194,017|1,760|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|169,692|130,081|27,508|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|235,606|141,084|9,241|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|211,419|201,148|4,023|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|250,779|167,826|37,632|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|307,101|201,769|5,500|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|270,341|244,497|6,449|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|212,824|261,617|95,545|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|232,751|273,495|49,828|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|286,417|286,783|25,405|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|376,930|370,942|8,432|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|346,832|472,422|10,904|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|335,788|415,335|32,634|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|319,667|385,234|93,418|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|401,894|501,614|20,457|New Mexico}}
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|423,391|478,802|21,210|New Mexico}}
{{PresFoot}}

The state has among the most permissive firearms laws in the country.<ref name="NRA-ILA-2020">{{Cite web|last1=NRA-ILA|last2=Association|first2=National Rifle|title=NRA-ILA {{!}} New Mexico Gun Laws|url=https://www.nraila.org/gun-laws/state-gun-laws/new-mexico/|access-date=2022-02-05|website=NRA-ILA|language=en|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205191209/https://www.nraila.org/gun-laws/state-gun-laws/new-mexico/|url-status=live}}</ref> Its constitution explicitly enshrines the right to bear arms and prevents local governments from regulating gun ownership.<ref>State Constitutional Provision – Article II, Section 6."No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons. No municipality or county shall regulate, in any way, an incident of the right to keep and bear arms."</ref> Residents may purchase any firearm deemed legal under federal law without a permit.<ref name="NRA-ILA-2020" /> State law mandates a seven-day waiting period for picking up a firearm after it has been purchased (holders of concealed handgun licenses are exempt from the waiting period) and no restrictions on magazine capacity. New Mexico is a "shall-issue" state for [[concealed carry]] permits, giving applicants the presumptive right to a license without giving a compelling reason.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/concarry.pdf|title=The Effects of "Shall-Issue" Concealed-Carry Licensing Laws: A Literature Review|access-date=February 5, 2022|archive-date=January 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128110914/https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/concarry.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

Before December 2013, New Mexico law was silent on [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|same-sex marriage]]. The issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples was determined at the county level, with some county clerks issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and others not. In December 2013, the [[New Mexico Supreme Court]] unanimously directed county clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, thereby making New Mexico the 17th state to recognize same-sex marriage statewide.

Based on 2008 data, New Mexico had 146 law enforcement agencies across the state, county, and municipal levels.<ref name="Reaves-2011">Brian A Reaves, "2008 Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies", US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, July 2011</ref> State [[law enforcement]] is statutorily administered by the Department of Public Safety (DPS).<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Mexico Statutes Chapter 29. Law Enforcement § 29-2-1|url=https://codes.findlaw.com/nm/chapter-29-law-enforcement/nm-st-sect-29-2-1.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Findlaw|language=en-US|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818225143/https://codes.findlaw.com/nm/chapter-29-law-enforcement/nm-st-sect-29-2-1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[New Mexico State Police]] is a division of the DPS with jurisdiction over all crimes in the state.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Mexico State Police|website=New Mexico|url=https://www.newmexico.gov/other-affected-services/new-mexico-state-police/|access-date=2021-08-18|language=en-US|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818225142/https://www.newmexico.gov/other-affected-services/new-mexico-state-police/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=New Mexico Statutes Chapter 29. Law Enforcement § 29-1-1|url=https://codes.findlaw.com/nm/chapter-29-law-enforcement/nm-st-sect-29-1-1.html|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Findlaw|language=en-US|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818225142/https://codes.findlaw.com/nm/chapter-29-law-enforcement/nm-st-sect-29-1-1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2008, New Mexico had over 5,000 sworn police officers, a ratio of 252 per 100,000 residents, which is roughly the same as the nation.<ref name="Reaves-2011" /> The state struggles with one of the nation's highest rates of officer-involved killings, which has prompted political and legal reforms at local and state levels.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why New Mexico has one of the highest rates for killings by police |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/04/14/1169480686/police-killings-new-mexico-gun-ownership |last=Diaz |first=Jaclyn |date=April 14, 2023 |website=NPR |access-date=April 17, 2023 |archive-date=April 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417023151/https://www.npr.org/2023/04/14/1169480686/police-killings-new-mexico-gun-ownership |url-status=live }}</ref>

In April 2021, New Mexico became the 18th state to [[Legalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States|legalize cannabis for recreational use]]; possession, personal cultivation, and retail sales are permitted under certain conditions, while relevant marijuana-related arrests and convictions are expunged.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Cannabis in NM: How will it work? |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2378994/how-does-it-work-2.html |access-date=2022-02-05 |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |archive-date=February 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205191208/https://www.abqjournal.com/2378994/how-does-it-work-2.html |url-status=live }}</ref> New Mexico has long pioneered loosening cannabis restrictions: In 1978, it was the first state to pass legislation allowing the [[Medicinal marijuana in the United States|medical use of marijuana]] in some form, albeit restricted to a federal research program.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Now|first=Cannabis|date=February 21, 2018|title=Today Is the 40th Anniversary of America's First Medical Marijuana Law|url=https://cannabisnow.com/lynn-pierson-first-medical-marijuana-law/|access-date=2022-02-05|website=Cannabis Now|language=en-US|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205191208/https://cannabisnow.com/lynn-pierson-first-medical-marijuana-law/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1999, Republican Governor [[Gary Johnson]] became the highest-ranking elected official in the U.S. to publicly endorse drug legalization.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Janofsky|first=Michael|date=August 22, 1999|title=A Governor Who Once Dabbled in Drugs Says War on Them Is Misguided|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/22/us/a-governor-who-once-dabbled-in-drugs-says-war-on-them-is-misguided.html|access-date=2022-02-05|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=April 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404003359/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/22/us/a-governor-who-once-dabbled-in-drugs-says-war-on-them-is-misguided.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Medicinal marijuana was fully legalized in 2007, making New Mexico the 12th state to do so, and the fourth via legislative action.<ref>{{Cite web|title=New Mexico Becomes Twelfth State To Authorize Medical Cannabis Use|url=https://norml.org/news/2007/04/05/new-mexico-becomes-twelfth-state-to-authorize-medical-cannabis-use/|access-date=2022-02-05|website=NORML|date=April 5, 2007|language=en-US|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205191208/https://norml.org/news/2007/04/05/new-mexico-becomes-twelfth-state-to-authorize-medical-cannabis-use/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, it was the first U.S. state to decriminalize possession of drug paraphernalia.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 4, 2019|title=New Mexico Makes History with Weed and Paraphernalia Decriminalization Bill|url=https://reason.com/2019/04/04/nm-weed-paraphernalia-decriminalized/|access-date=2022-02-05|website=Reason Magazine|language=en-US|first1=Zuri|last1=Davis|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205191208/https://reason.com/2019/04/04/nm-weed-paraphernalia-decriminalized/|url-status=live}}</ref>

As of June 2022, New Mexico has one of the nation's [[Abortion law in the United States by state|most permissive abortion laws]]: elective abortion care is legal at all stages of pregnancy, without restrictions such as long waiting periods or parental consent.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 2022 |title=State Facts About Abortion: New Mexico |url=https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/state-facts-about-abortion-new-mexico |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=Guttmacher Institute |language=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630034615/https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/state-facts-about-abortion-new-mexico |archive-date= June 30, 2022 }}</ref> In 2021, the state repealed a 1969 "[[trigger law]]" that had banned most abortion procedures, which would have come into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in ''[[Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization]]''.<ref name="AAYVZYl">{{Cite web |title=New Mexico shields abortion clinics ahead of expected patient surge |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-mexico-shields-abortion-clinics-ahead-of-expected-patient-surge/ar-AAYVZYl |agency=Reuters |first1=Andrew |last1=Hay |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=MSN |language=en-US |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630034310/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-mexico-shields-abortion-clinics-ahead-of-expected-patient-surge/ar-AAYVZYl |archive-date= June 30, 2022 }}</ref> In response to the ''Dobbs'' decision, which held that abortion was not a constitutional right, New Mexico's governor issued an executive order protecting abortion providers from out-of-state litigation, in anticipation of the influx of nonresidents seeking abortions.<ref name="AAYVZYl"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 30, 2022 |title=Women are traveling to New Mexico for abortions |url=https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/women-are-traveling-to-new-mexico-for-abortions |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=WFTS |language=en |archive-date=July 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714153652/https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/women-are-traveling-to-new-mexico-for-abortions |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Fiscal policy ===
New Mexico's government has one of the largest state budgets per capita, at $9,101 per resident.<ref>"General Appropriation Act of 2019". ''Section 4, HB No. 2 of 2019.'' New Mexico Legislature. p. 173. Retrieved July 9, 2019.</ref> As of 2017, the state had an [[S&P Global Ratings|S&P Global Rating]] of AA+, denoting very strong capacity to meet financial commitments and very low credit risk.

New Mexico has two constitutionally mandated [[permanent fund]]s: The [[New Mexico Land Grant Permanent Fund|Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF)]], established upon statehood in 1912, and the Severance Tax Permanent Fund (STPF), created in 1973 during the [[oil boom]].<ref name="NM LFC-2021">[https://www.nmlegis.gov/Entity/LFC/Documents/Finance_Facts/finance%20facts%20permanent%20funds.pdf Legislative Finance Committee Finance Facts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020181713/https://www.nmlegis.gov/Entity/LFC/Documents/Finance_Facts/finance%20facts%20permanent%20funds.pdf |date=October 20, 2022 }}, ''New Mexico Legislature'' (May 2021)</ref> Both funds derive revenue from rents, royalties, and bonuses related to the state's extensive oil, gas, and mining operations; the vast majority of the LGPF's distributions are earmarked for "common [public] schools", while all distributions from the STPF are allocated to the LGPF.<ref name="NM LFC-2021" /> As of 2020, the LGPF was valued at $21.6 billion and the STPF at $5.8 billion.<ref name="NM LFC-2021" />

==Education==

[[File:ApodacaBuildingNMEd.JPG|thumb|The [[New Mexico Public Education Department]] is in Santa Fe.]]

Due to its relatively low population and numerous federally funded research facilities, New Mexico had the highest concentration of PhD holders of any state in 2000.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.07/silicon_pr.html |title=Venture Capitals |magazine=Wired |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313074736/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.07/silicon_pr.html |archive-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=live |last1=Hillner |first1=Jennifer }}</ref> [[Los Alamos County, New Mexico|Los Alamos County]], which hosts the [[Los Alamos National Laboratory|eponymous national laboratory]], leads the state in the most post-secondary degree holders, at 38.7% of residents, or 4,899 of 17,950.<ref>{{cite web|title=County Data |website=Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM|url=http://bber.unm.edu/county-profiles|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301064026/http://bber.unm.edu/county-profiles|archive-date=March 1, 2016|access-date=February 28, 2016}}</ref> However, New Mexico routinely ranks near the bottom in studies measuring the quality of primary and secondary school education.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/04/wallethub-education-rankings_n_5648067.html| title=These Are The States With The Best And Worst School Systems, According To New Rankings| date=August 4, 2014| work=Huffington Post| access-date=November 22, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123031054/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/04/wallethub-education-rankings_n_5648067.html| archive-date=November 23, 2015| url-status=live}}</ref>

By national standards, New Mexico has one of the highest concentrations of persons who did not finish high school or have some college education, albeit by a low margin: Slightly more than 14% of residents did not have a high school diploma, compared to the national rate of 11.4%, the fifth lowest out of 52 U.S. states and territories. Almost a quarter of people over 25 (23.9%) did not complete college,<ref name="bber.unm.edu"/> compared with 21% nationally.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://bber.unm.edu/data
| title = Data |website=Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM
| access-date = February 28, 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160228150856/http://bber.unm.edu/data
| archive-date = February 28, 2016
| url-status = live
}}</ref> New Mexico ranks among the bottom ten states in the proportion of residents with a bachelor's degree or higher (27.7%), but 21st in PhD earners (12.2%); the national average is 33.1% and 12.8%, respectively. In 2020, the number of doctorate recipients was 300, placing the state 34th in the nation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Number of doctorate recipients in the U.S. by state 2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/240173/top-us-doctorate-granting-states/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=Statista |language=en |archive-date=January 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125044431/https://www.statista.com/statistics/240173/top-us-doctorate-granting-states/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018, a state judge issued a landmark ruling that "New Mexico is violating the constitutional rights of at-risk students by failing to provide them with sufficient education", in particularly those with indigenous, non-English-speaking, and low-income backgrounds.<ref name="Mckay-2018">{{cite news |last1=Mckay|first1=Dan|last2=Perea|first2=Shelby|title=New Mexico loses education lawsuit|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1199185/nm-loses-landmark-education-case-ordered-to-provide-adequate-funding.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111175424/https://www.abqjournal.com/1199185/nm-loses-landmark-education-case-ordered-to-provide-adequate-funding.html|archive-date=January 11, 2019|access-date=January 11, 2019 |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |date=July 21, 2018}}</ref> The court ordered the governor and legislature to provide an adequate system by April 2019;<ref>{{cite web|title=Martinez v. New Mexico, consolidated with Yazzie v. New Mexico|url=http://nmpovertylaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Courts-Findings-of-Fact-and-Conclusions-of-Law-2018-12-20.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111121734/http://nmpovertylaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Courts-Findings-of-Fact-and-Conclusions-of-Law-2018-12-20.pdf|archive-date=January 11, 2019|access-date=January 11, 2019|website=nmpovertylaw.org|publisher=State of New Mexico, County of Santa Fe, First Judicial District Court}}</ref> in response, New Mexico increased teacher salaries, funded an extended school year, expanded prekindergarten childhood education programs, and developed a budget formula for delivering more funding to schools that serve at-risk and low-income students.<ref name="McKay-2021">{{Cite news|title=Native leader blasts NM's response to education lawsuit » Albuquerque Journal|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2412541/native-leader-blasts-nms-response-to-education-lawsuit.html?amp=1|access-date=2021-07-25|newspaper=Albuquerque Journal|date=July 23, 2021|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725162659/https://www.abqjournal.com/2412541/native-leader-blasts-nms-response-to-education-lawsuit.html?amp=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, many activists and public officials contend that these efforts continue to fall short, particularly with respect to Native American schools and students.<ref name="McKay-2021" />

===Primary and secondary education===
{{See also|List of school districts in New Mexico|List of high schools in New Mexico}}
The [[New Mexico Public Education Department]] oversees the operation of primary and secondary schools; individual school districts directly operate and staff schools.

In January 2022, New Mexico became the first state in the U.S. to recruit national guardsmen and state workers to serve as substitute teachers due to staffing shortages caused by COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 19, 2022|title=New Mexico asks Guard to sub for sick teachers amid omicron|url=https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-mexico-michelle-lujan-grisham-teaching-eaa5e804bc4f3c98efc0c8b14f2fb94e|access-date=2022-01-26|website=AP News|language=en|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126152419/https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-mexico-michelle-lujan-grisham-teaching-eaa5e804bc4f3c98efc0c8b14f2fb94e|url-status=live}}</ref> Partly in response to pandemic-related shortages, on March 1, 2022, Governor Grisham signed into law four bills to increase the salaries and benefits of teachers and other school staff, particularly in entry-level positions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Mexico governor signs education bills, raises teacher minimum salaries by $10K |url=https://news.yahoo.com/mexico-governor-signs-education-bills-000416719.html |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=news.yahoo.com |date=March 2, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407204519/https://news.yahoo.com/mexico-governor-signs-education-bills-000416719.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Postsecondary education===
{{See also|List of colleges and universities in New Mexico}}
[[File:Nm-public-schools-map.jpg|thumb|400x400px|Public New Mexico colleges and universities. New Mexico Higher Education Department.]]
New Mexico has 41 accredited, degree-granting institutions; twelve are private and 29 are state-funded, including four tribal colleges.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Mexico Map of Colleges and Universities |website=NM Higher Education Department |url=https://hed.state.nm.us/students-parents/find-a-college/nm-map |access-date=2022-04-07 |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320161844/https://hed.state.nm.us/students-parents/find-a-college/nm-map |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Private Post-Secondary School Directory |website=NM Higher Education Department |url=https://hed.state.nm.us/resources-for-schools/private-post-secondary-schools/private-post-secondary-school-directory |access-date=2022-04-07 |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320102608/https://hed.state.nm.us/resources-for-schools/private-post-secondary-schools/private-post-secondary-school-directory |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Best Colleges in New Mexico|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/nm|website=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=August 11, 2021|archive-date=August 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811224540/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/nm|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, select students can attend certain institutions in Colorado, at in-state tuition rates, pursuant to a reciprocity program between the two states.<ref>[https://registrar.unm.edu/forms/nmcrpa.pdf ''New Mexico–Colorado Tuition Reciprocity Agreement''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017030507/https://registrar.unm.edu/forms/nmcrpa.pdf |date=October 17, 2021 }} UNM Office of Admissions and Recruitment</ref>

Graduates of four-year colleges in New Mexico have some of the lowest student debt burdens in the U.S.; the class of 2017 owed an average of $21,237 compared with a national average of $28,650, according to the [[The Institute for College Access and Success|Institute for College Access & Success]].<ref name="Romero-2019">{{Cite news |last1=Romero |first1=Simon |last2=Goldstein |first2=Dana |date=September 18, 2019 |title=New Mexico Announces Plan for Free College for State Residents |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/us/new-mexico-free-college-tuition.html |access-date=2022-04-07 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407204451/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/us/new-mexico-free-college-tuition.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

New Mexico ranked 13th in the 2022 Social Mobility Index (SMI), which measures the extent to which economically disadvantaged students (with family incomes below the national median) have access to colleges and universities with lower tuition and indebtedness and higher job prospects.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=CollegeNET |last2=CollegeNET |title=Social Mobility Index College Rankings by CollegeNET |url=https://www.socialmobilityindex.org/ |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=www.socialmobilityindex.org |language=en |archive-date=October 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012082350/https://www.socialmobilityindex.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Major flagship (R1) universities ====
* [[University of New Mexico|University of New Mexico at Albuquerque]]
* [[New Mexico State University|New Mexico State University at Las Cruces]]

====Regional state universities====
* [[New Mexico Tech|New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology at Socorro]] 
* [[Eastern New Mexico University|Eastern New Mexico University at Portales]]
* [[New Mexico Highlands University|New Mexico Highlands University at Las Vegas]]
* [[Western New Mexico University|Western New Mexico University at Silver City]]

====Lottery scholarship====

New Mexico is one of eight states that fund college scholarships through the state [[lottery]].<ref>{{cite web |title=A Comparison of States' Lottery Scholarship Programs |url=https://thec.ppr.tn.gov/THECSIS/Lottery/pdfs/SpecialReports/A%20Comparison%20of%20States'%20Lottery%20Scholarship%20Programs%20120717.pdf |website=tn.gov/thec |publisher=Tennessee Higher Education Commission |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113061111/https://thec.ppr.tn.gov/THECSIS/Lottery/pdfs/SpecialReports/A%20Comparison%20of%20States%27%20Lottery%20Scholarship%20Programs%20120717.pdf |archive-date=November 13, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Bryan-2018b">{{cite news |last1=Montoya Bryan |first1=Susan |title=Falling lottery sales pinch college scholarships in 8 states{{snd}}The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/03/02/falling-lottery-sales-pinch-college-scholarships-states/dQJQCVq9ulGtn2orSu29nI/story.html |work=The Boston Globe |agency=Associated Press |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627144226/https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/03/02/falling-lottery-sales-pinch-college-scholarships-states/dQJQCVq9ulGtn2orSu29nI/story.html |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Peterson-2019">{{cite web |last1=Peterson |first1=Deb |title=Which States Have Lottery Scholarships |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/which-states-have-lottery-scholarships-31569 |website=ThoughtCo. |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627115730/https://www.thoughtco.com/which-states-have-lottery-scholarships-31569 |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The state requires that the [[New Mexico Lottery|lottery]] put 30% of its gross sales into the scholarship fund.<ref>{{cite news |author= Jessica Dyer |title= NM lottery scholarships to get big increase |url= https://www.abqjournal.com/1173844/nm-lottery-scholarship-gets-boost-for-2018-19.html |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |date= May 18, 2018 |access-date= June 27, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180627115723/https://www.abqjournal.com/1173844/nm-lottery-scholarship-gets-boost-for-2018-19.html |archive-date= June 27, 2018 |url-status= live }}</ref> The scholarship is available to residents who graduated from a state high school and attend a state university full-time while maintaining a GPA of 2.5 or higher.<ref>{{cite web |title=Legislative Lottery Scholarship Program |url=http://www.hed.state.nm.us/students/lotteryscholarship.aspx |website=www.hed.state.nm.us |publisher=New Mexico Higher Education Department |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627144328/http://www.hed.state.nm.us/students/lotteryscholarship.aspx |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> It covered 100% of tuition when it was instated in 1996,<ref name="Bryan-2018a">{{cite news |last1=Montoya Bryan |first1=Susan |title=Changes made in lottery scholarship system |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1143417/new-mexico-changes-system-for-state-lottery-scholarships.html |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |agency=Associated Press |access-date=June 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627115725/https://www.abqjournal.com/1143417/new-mexico-changes-system-for-state-lottery-scholarships.html |archive-date=June 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> decreased to 90%, then dropped to 60% in 2017.<ref name="Bryan-2018b" /> The value slightly increased in 2018, and new legislation was passed to outline what funds are available per type of institution.<ref name="Bryan-2018a" />

==== Opportunity scholarship ====
In 2019, New Mexico announced a plan to make tuition at its public colleges and universities free for all state residents, regardless of family income.<ref name="Romero-2019"/> The proposal was described as going further than any other existing state or federal plan or program at the time.<ref name="Romero-2019" /> In March 2022, New Mexico became the first state to offer free college tuition for all residents. The legislature passed a bipartisan bill allocating almost 1% of the budget to tuition and fees at all 29 public colleges, universities, community colleges, and tribal colleges.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news |last=Romero |first=Simon |date=March 31, 2022 |title=What if College Were Free? This State Is Trying to Find Out. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/us/new-mexico-free-college.html |access-date=2022-04-07 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407204520/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/us/new-mexico-free-college.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The program, which took effect on July 1, 2022, has been called among the nation's most ambitious and generous, as it is available to all residents regardless of income, work status, or legal status, and is provided without taking into account other scholarships and sources of financial aid.<ref name="auto1"/>

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of New Mexico}}

{{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|New Mexico music}}
[[File:Southwestern Chillis and Skull.jpg|thumb|upright|Symbols of the Southwest: a string of dried [[chili pepper|chile pepper pods]] (a [[ristra]]) and a bleached white [[Cattle|cow]]'s [[skull]] hang in a market near [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]].]]

New Mexican culture is a fusion of indigenous, Spanish, Hispanic, and American influences. The intermingling of these diverse groups is reflected in New Mexico's demographics, [[Toponymy|toponyms]], cuisine, dialect, and identity. Compared to other Western states, New Mexico's Spanish and Mexican heritage remain more visible and enduring, due to it having been the oldest, most populous, and most important province in New Spain's northern periphery.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Simmons |first=Marc |title=New Mexico: An Interpretive History |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |year=1988 |isbn=978-0-8263-1110-8 |pages=8}}</ref> However, some historians allege that this history has been understated or marginalized by persistent [[Black Legend (Spain)|American biases and misconceptions]] about Spanish colonial history, reflected in part by the fact that many Americans do not know it is part of the U.S.;<ref>{{Cite news |title=Is New Mexico a State? Some Americans Don't Know |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12512979 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205130134/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12512979 |archive-date=February 5, 2018 |access-date=2021-08-18 |website=NPR |language=en}}</ref> this misconception variably elicits frustration, amusement, or even pride among New Mexicans as evidence of their unique heritage.<ref>{{Cite web |last4= |last5= |last6= |last7= |last8= |first8= |last9= |date=May 31, 1987 |title=Many Americans Can't Quite Place It: New Mexico Finds It's a Lost State |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-05-31-mn-9289-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818225141/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-05-31-mn-9289-story.html |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |access-date=2021-08-18 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 15, 2018 |title=Yes, New Mexico Is a State |url=https://www.newmexico.org/nmmagazine/articles/post/one-of-our-50-missing-june-2018/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818225142/https://www.newmexico.org/nmmagazine/articles/post/one-of-our-50-missing-june-2018/ |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |access-date=2021-08-18 |website=www.newmexico.org |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Apache historian questions official narratives: 'How is it possible that 120 soldiers cut off the feet of 8,000 of our brave Indigenous people?' |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/apache-historian-questions-official-narratives-how-is-it-possible-that-120-soldiers-cut-off-the-feet-of-8-000-of-our-brave-indigenous-people/ar-AA14za1f |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129035422/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/apache-historian-questions-official-narratives-how-is-it-possible-that-120-soldiers-cut-off-the-feet-of-8-000-of-our-brave-indigenous-people/ar-AA14za1f |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=MSN |language=en-US}}</ref>

Like other states in the [[Southwestern United States|American Southwest]], New Mexico bears the legacy of the "[[American frontier|Old West]]" period of American westward expansion, characterized by [[cattle ranching]], [[cowboy]]s, [[American pioneer|pioneers]], the [[Santa Fe Trail]], and conflicts among and between settlers and Native Americans.<ref name="Beck-McNamee-2023b">{{Cite encyclopedia |entry=New Mexico |encyclopedia=Britannica |entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico |access-date=2022-05-19 |language=en |archive-date=October 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012085307/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico |url-status=live }}</ref> The state's vast and diverse geography, sparse population, and [[List of ghost towns in New Mexico|abundance of ghost towns]] have contributed to its enduring frontier image and atmosphere.<ref name="Beck-McNamee-2023b" /> Many fictional works of the [[Western (genre)|Western genre]] are [[List of films shot in New Mexico|set or produced in New Mexico]].

===Architecture===
{{Main|Pueblo architecture|Territorial Style|New Mexico vernacular|Pueblo Revival architecture|Territorial Revival architecture}}

Examples of New Mexico's architectural history date back to the [[Ancestral Puebloans]] within [[Oasisamerica]].{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} The [[Hispanos of New Mexico]] adapted the [[Pueblo architecture]] style within their own buildings, and following the establishment of [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]] in 1706, the [[Territorial Style]] of architecture blended the styles.<ref name="Shapland 2018">{{cite web | last=Shapland | first=Jenn | title=The Slash that Killed Santa Fe Style | website=Southwest Contemporary | date=November 28, 2018 | url=https://southwestcontemporary.com/santa-fe-style/ | access-date=January 11, 2023 | archive-date=January 11, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111215037/https://southwestcontemporary.com/santa-fe-style/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Rural communities incorporated both building types into a [[New Mexico vernacular]] style, further exemplifying the indigenous roots of New Mexico.<ref name="Shacklette 2012 pp. 157–176">{{cite journal | last=Shacklette | first=Ben | title=Syncretistic Vernacular Architecture Santa Fe, New Mexico | journal=The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences: Annual Review | publisher=Common Ground Research Networks | volume=6 | issue=10 | year=2012 | issn=1833-1882 | doi=10.18848/1833-1882/cgp/v06i10/52173 | pages=157–176 | url=https://arcc-journal.org/index.php/repository/article/view/372 | access-date=April 16, 2023 | archive-date=April 25, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425053024/https://arcc-journal.org/index.php/repository/article/view/372 | url-status=live | url-access=subscription }}</ref> After statehood, the modern [[Pueblo Revival architecture|Pueblo Revival]] and [[Territorial Revival architecture|Territorial Revival architectural styles]] became more prevalent, with these revival architectures becoming officially encouraged since the 1930s.<ref name="Nelson 2021">{{cite web | last=Nelson | first=Kate | title=In Mud We Trust | website=New Mexico Magazine | date=March 24, 2021 | url=https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/adobe-architectural-highlights-of-new-mexico/ | access-date=January 11, 2023 | archive-date=January 11, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111215036/https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/adobe-architectural-highlights-of-new-mexico/ | url-status=live }}</ref> These styles have been blended with other modern styles, as happened with [[Pueblo Deco architecture]],<ref name="Secord 2012">{{cite book | last=Secord | first=P.R. | title=Albuquerque Deco and Pueblo | publisher=Arcadia Publishing | series=Images of America | year=2012 | isbn=978-0-7385-9526-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P6jjbfYeWbgC | access-date=March 21, 2023 | page= | archive-date=March 21, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321174446/https://books.google.com/books?id=P6jjbfYeWbgC | url-status=live }}</ref> within modern contemporary New Mexican architecture.<ref name="Thompson Dunn 2021 p. 34">{{cite book | last1=Thompson | first1=H. | last2=Dunn | first2=C. | title=Santa Fe Modern: Contemporary Design in the High Desert | publisher=Monacelli Press | year=2021 | isbn=978-1-58093-561-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BDg4EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA34 | access-date=March 21, 2023 | page=34 | archive-date=March 21, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321174445/https://books.google.com/books?id=BDg4EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA34 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Keates 2019">{{cite web | last=Keates | first=Nancy | title=Thanks to Skiing, It's All Uphill for Santa Fe's Luxury-Home Market | website=WSJ | date=September 18, 2019 | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/thanks-to-skiing-its-all-uphill-for-santa-fes-luxury-home-market-11568823113 | access-date=March 21, 2023 | archive-date=March 21, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321174446/https://www.wsj.com/articles/thanks-to-skiing-its-all-uphill-for-santa-fes-luxury-home-market-11568823113 | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Art, literature, and media===
{{See also|Art of the American Southwest|New Mexican literature|Media in Albuquerque, New Mexico}}

The earliest New Mexico artists whose work survives today are the [[Mimbres culture|Mimbres Indians]], whose black and white pottery could be mistaken for modern art, except for the fact that it was produced before AD 1130. Many examples of this work can be seen at the [[Deming Armory|Deming Luna Mimbres Museum]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/ |title=Deming Luna County Museum |publisher=Lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407100414/http://www.lunacountyhistoricalsociety.com/ |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> and at the [[Western New Mexico University]] Museum.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wnmumuseum.org/ |title=Western New Mexico University Museum |publisher=Wnmumuseum.org |access-date=April 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209164438/http://www.wnmumuseum.org/ |archive-date=February 9, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] has long hosted a thriving artistic community, which has included such prominent figures as [[Bruce Nauman]], [[Richard Tuttle]], [[John Connell (artist)|John Connell]], [[Steina Vasulka]] and [[Ned Bittinger]].<ref>{{Citation |last=The Santa Fe New Mexican |title=The Santa Fe New Mexican Eldorado |date=January 14, 2004 |url=http://archive.org/details/apache-canyon |access-date=2023-07-29}}</ref> 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 Art]]s, [[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 [[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. The weekend after Labor Day boasts the burning of [[Zozobra]], a fifty-foot (15{{spaces}}m) marionette, during [[Fiestas de Santa Fe]].
[[File:Santa Fe Opera interior view from section 10.jpg|thumb|Interior of the Crosby Theater at the [[Santa Fe Opera]], viewed from the mezzanine]]

As New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque hosts many of the state's leading cultural events and institutions, including the [[New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science]], the [[National Hispanic Cultural Center]], the [[National Museum of Nuclear Science & History]], and the famed annual [[Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta]]. The National Hispanic Cultural Center has held hundreds of performing arts events, art showcases, and other events related to Spanish culture in New Mexico and worldwide in the centerpiece Roy E Disney Center for the Performing Arts or in other venues at the 53-acre facility. New Mexico residents and visitors alike can enjoy performing arts 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Popejoy Hall|url=https://www.popejoypresents.com|access-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516111725/http://popejoypresents.com/|archive-date=May 16, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Albuquerque also has the iconic [[KiMo Theater]] built in 1927 in the [[Pueblo Revival Style architecture]]. The KiMo presents live theater and concerts as well as movies and [[simulcast]] operas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cabq.gov/kimo/|title=KiMo Theater|access-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516004829/http://www.cabq.gov/kimo/|archive-date=May 16, 2012}}</ref> 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<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aapacnm.org/content.asp?CustComKey=351038&CategoryKey=351039&pn=Page&DomName=aapacnm.org |title=African American Performing Arts Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico |publisher=Aapacnm.org |access-date=June 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418075923/http://www.aapacnm.org/content.asp?CustComKey=351038&CategoryKey=351039&pn=Page&DomName=aapacnm.org |archive-date=April 18, 2012 }}</ref> and the [[Indian Pueblo Cultural Center]] which highlights the cultural heritage of the [[Native Americans in the United States|First Nations]] people of New Mexico.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianpueblo.org|title=Indian Pueblo Cultural Center|access-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513203015/http://www.indianpueblo.org/|archive-date=May 13, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Farolitos, old church, Jemez State Monument.jpg|thumb|[[Luminarias]] in the old mission church, [[Jemez State Monument]] ]]
New Mexico holds strong to its Spanish heritage. Old Spanish traditions such [[zarzuela]]s and [[flamenco]] are popular;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zarzuela.net/ref/feat/newmexico.htm |title=Zarzuela in New Mexico |publisher=Zarzuela.net |access-date=June 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415012050/http://www.zarzuela.net/ref/feat/newmexico.htm |archive-date=April 15, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[http://www.newmexico.org/hispanic/experience/flamenco.php] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307131437/http://www.newmexico.org/hispanic/experience/flamenco.php|date=March 7, 2012}}</ref>  the University of New Mexico is the only institute of higher education in the world with a program dedicated to flamenco.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Professor who brought Flamenco to UNM retires|url=http://news.unm.edu/news/professor-who-brought-flamenco-to-unm-retires|access-date=2021-08-10|website=UNM Newsroom|language=en|archive-date=August 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810143346/http://news.unm.edu/news/professor-who-brought-flamenco-to-unm-retires|url-status=live}}</ref> Flamenco dancer and native New Mexican [[María Benítez]] founded the Maria Benítez Institute for Spanish Arts "to present programs of the highest quality of the rich artistic heritage of Spain, as expressed through music, dance, visual arts, and other art forms". There is also the annual Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque, where native Spanish and New Mexican flamenco dancers perform at the University of New Mexico; it is the largest and oldest flamenco event outside of Spain.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fjeld |first=Jonathan |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Albuquerque to host largest, oldest flamenco event outside of Spain |url=https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuquerque-to-host-largest-oldest-flamenco-event-outside-of-spain/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=KOB.com |language=en-US |archive-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609221806/https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/albuquerque-to-host-largest-oldest-flamenco-event-outside-of-spain/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

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]], [[Adelina Otero-Warren|Nina Otero-Warren]], Fabiola Cabeza de Baca, Aurelio Espinosa, [[Cleofas Martínez Jaramillo|Cleofas Jaramillo]], [[Juan Bautista Rael]], and [[Aurora Lucero-White Lea]]. [[D. H. Lawrence]] lived near [[Taos, New Mexico|Taos]] in the 1920s, at the [[D. H. Lawrence Ranch]], where there is a shrine said to contain his ashes.

New Mexico's strong [[Culture of Spain|Spanish]], [[Anglo-America|Anglo]], and [[Wild West|Wild West frontier]] motifs have contributed to a unique [[New Mexican literature|body of literature]], represented by internationally recognized authors such as [[Rudolfo Anaya]], [[Tony Hillerman]], and [[Daniel Abraham (author)|Daniel Abraham]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.genordell.com/travel/NMauthors.htm|title=New Mexico Authors Page|access-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808202007/http://www.genordell.com/travel/NMauthors.htm|archive-date=August 8, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Western fiction]] folk heroes [[Billy the Kid]], [[Elfego Baca]], [[Geronimo]], and [[Pat Garrett]] originate in New Mexico.<ref name="New Mexico Archives Online 2022">{{cite web | title=Billy the Kid, Elfego Baca, Pat Garrett, ca. 1980s – 1990s | website=New Mexico Archives UNM | date=December 16, 2022 | url=https://nmarchives-dev.unm.edu/repositories/22/archival_objects/297859 | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=November 20, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120225403/https://nmarchives-dev.unm.edu/repositories/22/archival_objects/297859 | url-status=dead }}</ref> These same Hispanic, indigenous, and frontier histories have given New Mexico a place in the history of [[country music|country]] and [[Western music (North America)|Western]] music,<ref name="New Mexico Tourism & Travel 2019">{{cite web | title=How Clovis Impacted the Growth of Rock & Roll | website=New Mexico Tourism & Travel | date=March 18, 2019 | url=https://www.newmexico.org/blog/post/how-clovis-impacted-the-growth-of-rock-roll/ | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234323/https://www.newmexico.org/blog/post/how-clovis-impacted-the-growth-of-rock-roll/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Elizondo 2022">{{cite web | last=Elizondo | first=Aleli | title=International Western Music Association being held in Albuquerque | website=KRQE NEWS 13 – Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos | date=November 11, 2022 | url=https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/international-western-music-association-being-held-in-albuquerque/ | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234322/https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/international-western-music-association-being-held-in-albuquerque/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Segarra 2022">{{cite web | last=Segarra | first=Curtis | title=How an Albuquerque nightclub became a library | website=KRQE NEWS 13 – Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos | date=July 8, 2022 | url=https://www.krqe.com/plus/data-reporting/how-an-albuquerque-nightclub-became-a-library/ | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234325/https://www.krqe.com/plus/data-reporting/how-an-albuquerque-nightclub-became-a-library/ | url-status=live }}</ref> with its own [[New Mexico music]] genre,<ref name="Nashville To New Mexico 2022">{{cite web | title=Billy Dawsons Songwriters Country Music Festival | website=Nashville To New Mexico | date=June 18, 2022 | url=https://nashvilletonewmexico.com/ | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234327/https://nashvilletonewmexico.com/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Arellano 2017">{{cite web | last=Arellano | first=Gustavo | title=The 10 Best Songs of New Mexico Music, America's Forgotten Folk Genre | website=Latino USA | date=November 8, 2017 | url=https://www.latinousa.org/2017/11/08/10-best-songs-new-mexico-music-americas-forgotten-folk-genre/ | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234323/https://www.latinousa.org/2017/11/08/10-best-songs-new-mexico-music-americas-forgotten-folk-genre/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Energy.gov 2020">{{cite web | title=NNSA hidden talents: Eric Yee and Lawrence Trujillo make music in New Mexico | website=Energy.gov | date=January 8, 2020 | url=https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/articles/nnsa-hidden-talents-eric-yee-and-lawrence-trujillo-make-music-new-mexico | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234325/https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/articles/nnsa-hidden-talents-eric-yee-and-lawrence-trujillo-make-music-new-mexico | url-status=live }}</ref> exemplified by [[Al Hurricane]],<ref name="Interns 2017">{{cite web | last=Interns | first=Our | title=Viejo el viento – Remembering Al Hurricane | website=Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage | date=October 31, 2017 | url=https://folklife.si.edu/talkstory/viejo-el-viento-remembering-al-hurricane | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234327/https://folklife.si.edu/talkstory/viejo-el-viento-remembering-al-hurricane | url-status=live }}</ref> [[Robert Mirabal]],<ref name="The Taos News 2019">{{cite web | title=Two Taos County musicians named Platinum Music Award honorees | website=The Taos News | date=August 14, 2019 | url=https://www.taosnews.com/tempo/music/two-taos-county-musicians-named-platinum-music-award-honorees/article_699a8dda-5f84-5318-9638-accc85740605.html | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234329/https://www.taosnews.com/tempo/music/two-taos-county-musicians-named-platinum-music-award-honorees/article_699a8dda-5f84-5318-9638-accc85740605.html | url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Michael Martin Murphey]].<ref name="Doland 2018">{{cite web | last=Doland | first=Gwyneth | title=Michael Martin Murphey on Why He Loves New Mexico | website=New Mexico Magazine | date=July 3, 2018 | url=https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/michael-martin-murphey/ | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216234328/https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/michael-martin-murphey/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Silver City, New Mexico|Silver City]], originally a mining town, is a major hub and exhibition center for artists, visual and otherwise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.silvercity.org/arts_list.php |title=Silver City Art |access-date=May 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421031853/http://www.silvercity.org/arts_list.php |archive-date=April 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another former mining town turned art haven is [[Madrid]], which gained fame as the filming location for the 2007 movie ''[[Wild Hogs]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitmadridnm.com/|title=Madrid Art|access-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518234046/http://www.visitmadridnm.com/|archive-date=May 18, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Las Cruces has a museum system affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.las-cruces.org/en/Departments/Public%20Services/Services/Museums.aspx |title=City of Las Cruces |access-date=May 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413121937/http://www.las-cruces.org/en/Departments/Public%20Services/Services/Museums.aspx |archive-date=April 13, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and hosts various cultural and artistic opportunities for residents and visitors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.staysunny.org/ThingsToDo/Museums.aspx/|title=Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau|access-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628102853/http://staysunny.org/ThingsToDo/Museums.aspx|archive-date=June 28, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Western (genre)|Western]] genre immortalized the varied mountainous, riparian, and desert environment on film.<ref name="2006 Momaday">{{citation | last1=Grabowska | first1=John | last2=Momaday | first2=N. Scott | title=Remembered earth: New Mexico's high desert | year=2006 | oclc=70918459 | page=}}</ref> Owing to a combination of financial incentives, low cost, and geographic diversity, New Mexico has long been a popular setting or filming location for films and television series. In addition to ''Wild Hogs'', movies filmed in New Mexico include ''[[Sunshine Cleaning]]'' and ''[[Vampires (1998 film)|Vampires]]''. Some seasons of the [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E]]/[[Netflix]] series ''[[Longmire (TV series)|Longmire]]'' were filmed in New Mexico, including in [[Las Vegas, New Mexico|Las Vegas]], [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], [[Eagle Nest, New Mexico|Eagle Nest]], and [[Red River, New Mexico|Red River]].<ref>{{cite web |author = Christine |url = http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2012/01/16/a-e-will-film-the-new-series-longmire-starring-katee-sackhoff-lou-diamond-phillips-in-new-mexico-this-spring/ |title = A & E will film the new series 'Longmire', starring Katee Sackhoff & Lou Diamond Phillips, in New Mexico this spring |publisher = Onlocationvacations.com |date = January 16, 2012 |access-date = June 15, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120511011815/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2012/01/16/a-e-will-film-the-new-series-longmire-starring-katee-sackhoff-lou-diamond-phillips-in-new-mexico-this-spring/ |archive-date = May 11, 2012 |url-status = dead }}</ref> The [[Breaking Bad (franchise)|''Breaking Bad'' franchise]] is set and was filmed in and around Albuquerque, a product of the ongoing success of [[Media in Albuquerque, New Mexico|media in the city]] in large part helped by [[Albuquerque Studios]] and the presence of production studios like [[Netflix]] and [[NBCUniversal]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/01/albuquerque-breaking-bad-tourism-10th-anniversary|title=Ten Years Later, Albuquerque Is Still Breaking Bad's Town|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=January 17, 2018|access-date=October 15, 2019|archive-date=February 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220153323/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/01/albuquerque-breaking-bad-tourism-10th-anniversary|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Bloomberg 2021">{{cite web | last=Sisson | first=Patrick | title=Albuquerque Is Winning the Streaming Wars | website=Bloomberg | date=May 3, 2021 | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-03/why-hollywood-is-moving-to-albuquerque | access-date=December 16, 2022 | archive-date=April 17, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417000700/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-03/why-hollywood-is-moving-to-albuquerque | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Padilla NBCUniversal 2021"/>

=== Cuisine ===
{{Main|New Mexican cuisine}}

New Mexico is known for its unique and eclectic culinary scene,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cuisine in Northern New Mexico |website=Frommer's |url=https://www.frommers.com/destinations/northern-new-mexico/in-depth/cuisine |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-date=December 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228205520/https://www.frommers.com/destinations/northern-new-mexico/in-depth/cuisine |url-status=live }}</ref> which fuses various [[Native American cuisine|indigenous cuisines]] with those of [[Spanish cuisine|Spanish]] and [[Mexican cuisine|Mexican]] [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispanos]] originating in [[Santa Fe de Nuevo México|Nuevo México]].<ref name="Enchantment">{{cite book |last=Casey |first=C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7FT4mgEACAAJ |title=New Mexico Cuisine: Recipes from the Land of Enchantment |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-8263-5417-4 |access-date=March 19, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Swentzell Perea 2016 p.">{{cite book |last1=Swentzell |first1=R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6P4CkAEACAAJ |title=The Pueblo Food Experience Cookbook: Whole Food of Our Ancestors |last2=Perea |first2=P.M. |publisher=Museum of New Mexico Press |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-89013-619-5 |access-date=March 19, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Nostrand 1996 p. 13">{{cite book |last=Nostrand |first=R.L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zlvElL6-WK4C&pg=PA13 |title=The Hispano Homeland |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-8061-2889-4 |page=13 |access-date=March 19, 2018}}</ref> Like other aspects of the state's culture, [[New Mexican cuisine]] has been shaped by a variety of influences from throughout its history;<ref name="Taylor 2016 p. 361">{{cite book |last=Taylor |first=C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IkUoCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT361 |title=Moon Route 66 Road Trip |publisher=Avalon Publishing |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-63121-072-3 |series=Travel Guide |page=361 |access-date=March 19, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Enchantment" /><ref name="New Mexico Magazine 2012 p.">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ffa2YctHlBIC |title=New Mexico Magazine |publisher=New Mexico Department of Development |year=2012 |language=it |access-date=March 19, 2018 |issue=v. 90}}</ref> consequently, it is unlike [[Latin American cuisine|Latin]] food originating elsewhere in the [[contiguous United States]].<ref name="Taco USA">{{cite book |last=Arellano |first=Gustavo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mbUwNDfOBxQC&q=Taco+USA%3A+How+Mexican+Food+Conquered+America |title=Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America |date=2013 |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |isbn=9781439148624 |access-date=January 18, 2018 |via=Google Books |archive-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715054936/https://books.google.com/books?id=mbUwNDfOBxQC&q=Taco+USA%3A+How+Mexican+Food+Conquered+America |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|109}}<ref name="Guide">{{cite book |last1=Laine |first1=Don |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UNJk5M6_w8gC&q=Frommer%27s+National+Parks+of+the+American+West+(2012) |title=Frommer's National Parks of the American West |last2=Laine |first2=Barbara |date=2012 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=9781118224540 |access-date=January 18, 2018 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="Sutter 2017">{{cite news |last=Sutter |first=Mike |date=September 14, 2017 |title=Review: Need a break from Tex-Mex? Hit the Santa Fe Trail |url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/restaurants/article/Review-Need-a-break-from-Tex-Mex-Hit-the-Santa-12200676.php |access-date=March 19, 2018 |newspaper=Mysa |archive-date=March 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320044128/https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/restaurants/article/Review-Need-a-break-from-Tex-Mex-Hit-the-Santa-12200676.php |url-status=live }}</ref> Distinguishing characteristics include the use of local spices, herbs, flavors, and vegetables, particularly red and green [[New Mexico chile]] peppers,<ref name="Video 2022">{{cite web |date=April 30, 2022 |title=Local Obsession: New Mexican Hatch Chile |url=https://video.vice.com/en_us/video/local-obsession-new-mexican-hatch-chile/5ce82818be40773a571c2291 |access-date=April 30, 2022 |website=Video |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004164850/https://video.vice.com/en_us/video/local-obsession-new-mexican-hatch-chile/5ce82818be40773a571c2291 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Tanis 2016">{{cite web |last=Tanis |first=David |date=October 14, 2016 |title=Inside New Mexico's Hatch Green Chile Obsession |url=https://www.saveur.com/hatch-chiles-new-mexico/ |access-date=April 30, 2022 |website=Saveur |archive-date=June 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628143042/https://www.saveur.com/hatch-chiles-new-mexico/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Larese 2013">{{cite web |last=Larese |first=Steve |date=July 1, 2013 |title=New Mexico Chile: America's best regional food? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/07/01/10best-readers-choice-new-mexico-green-red-chile-sauce/2479813/ |access-date=April 30, 2022 |website=USATODAY |archive-date=April 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430091627/https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/07/01/10best-readers-choice-new-mexico-green-red-chile-sauce/2479813/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[anise]] (used in [[Bizcochito|''bizcochitos'']]),<ref name="Jamison 2013">{{cite web |last=Jamison |first=Cheryl Alters |date=October 4, 2013 |title=A Classic Biscochitos Recipe |url=https://www.newmexico.org/nmmagazine/articles/post/bizcochito-recipe-83756/ |access-date=July 8, 2018 |website=New Mexico Tourism & Travel |archive-date=July 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708133449/https://www.newmexico.org/nmmagazine/articles/post/bizcochito-recipe-83756/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Pine nuts|''piñon'']] (pine nuts).<ref name="Nut">{{cite act|type=Act|date=1978|title=Piñon Nut Act|url=http://www.nmda.nmsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/pinonnutact.pdf|access-date=June 25, 2018}} {{Cite web |url=https://www.nmda.nmsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/pinonnutact.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-date=November 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104050202/https://www.nmda.nmsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/pinonnutact.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Among the dishes unique to New Mexico are [[frybread]]-style [[Sopapilla|''sopapillas'']], [[breakfast burrito]]s, ''[[enchilada]] montada'' (stacked enchiladas), green chile stew, ''[[carne seca]]'' (a thinly sliced variant of [[jerky]]), green chile burgers, ''[[Pozole|posole]]'' (a [[hominy]] dish), slow-cooked ''frijoles'' (beans, typically [[pinto bean]]s), ''calabacitas'' (sautéed [[zucchini]] and [[summer squash]]), and ''[[Adobada#New Mexico|carne adovada]]'' (pork marinated in red chile).<ref name="Matador Network 2011">{{cite web |date=May 27, 2011 |title=8 quintessential New Mexican foods we wish would go national |url=http://matadornetwork.com/life/8-quintessential-new-mexican-foods-wish-go-national/ |access-date=May 7, 2018 |website=Matador Network |archive-date=December 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221171346/http://matadornetwork.com/life/8-quintessential-new-mexican-foods-wish-go-national/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="New Mexico Secretary of State 2018">{{cite web |date=July 3, 2018 |title=State Symbols |url=http://www.sos.state.nm.us/Kids_Corner/State_Symbols.aspx |access-date=July 8, 2018 |website=New Mexico Secretary of State |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707234719/http://www.sos.state.nm.us/Kids_Corner/State_Symbols.aspx }}</ref><ref name="Bizarre Foods Delicious Destinations, Albuquerque">{{Cite episode |title=Albuquerque |url=https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/bizarre-foods-delicious-destinations/episodes/albuquerque |access-date=May 7, 2018 |series=[[Bizarre Foods]]: Delicious Destinations with [[Andrew Zimmern]] |season=3 |number=15 |archive-date=November 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105135518/https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/bizarre-foods-delicious-destinations/episodes/albuquerque |url-status=live }}</ref> The state is also the epicenter of a burgeoning Native American culinary movement, in which chefs of indigenous descent serve traditional cuisine through [[food truck]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 27, 2022 |title=The Native American-owned food trucks taking New Mexico by storm |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/27/native-american-owned-food-trucks-chefs-new-mexico |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=The Guardian |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510135711/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/27/native-american-owned-food-trucks-chefs-new-mexico|archive-date=10 May 2024}}</ref>

===Sports===
[[File:Santa Ana Star Center.jpg|thumb|The [[Santa Ana Star Center]]]]
No major league professional sports teams are based in New Mexico, but the [[Albuquerque Isotopes]] are the [[Pacific Coast League]] baseball affiliate of the [[MLB]] [[Colorado Rockies]]. The state hosts several baseball teams of the [[Pecos League]]: the [[Roswell Invaders]], [[Ruidoso Osos]], [[Santa Fe Fuego]], and the [[White Sands Pupfish (baseball)|White Sands Pupfish]]. The [[Duke City Gladiators]] of the [[Indoor Football League]] (IFL) plays their home games at [[Tingley Coliseum]] in Albuquerque; the city also hosts two soccer teams: [[New Mexico United]], which began playing in the [[United States soccer league system|second tier]] [[USL Championship]] in 2019, and the associated [[New Mexico United U23]], which plays in the fourth tier [[USL League Two]].

Collegiate athletics are the center of [[spectator sport]]s in New Mexico, namely the rivalry between various teams of the [[New Mexico Lobos|University of New Mexico Lobos]] and the [[New Mexico State Aggies]].<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|entry=New Mexico – The arts|entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|access-date=2021-08-11|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012085307/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|url-status=live}}</ref> The intense competition between the two teams is often referred to as the "[[Rio Grande Rivalry]]" or the "Battle of [[Interstate 25 in New Mexico|I-25]]" (both campuses are along that highway). [[NMSU]] also has a rivalry with the [[University of Texas at El Paso]] called "[[The Battle of I-10]]". The winner of the NMSU-UTEP football game receives the [[Silver Spade]] trophy.

Olympic gold medalist [[Tom Jager]], an advocate of [[high-altitude training]] for swimming, has conducted training camps in Albuquerque at 5,312 feet (1,619{{spaces}}m) and [[Los Alamos, New Mexico|Los Alamos]] at 7,320 feet (2,231{{spaces}}m).<ref>(10-15-08) [http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/articles/swimtechnique/articles/200001-01st_art.asp "High Hopes: Altitude Training for Swimmers"], by Michael Scott, SwimmingWorldMagazine.com Magazine Archives. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060703013341/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/articles/swimtechnique/articles/200001-01st_art.asp|date=July 3, 2006}}.</ref>

New Mexico is a major hub for various [[shooting sports]], mainly concentrated in the [[NRA Whittington Center]] in Raton, which is largest and most comprehensive competitive shooting range and training facility in the U.S.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/sports/othersports/03outdoors.html |title=The N.R.A. Whittington Center Shooting Range in New Mexico Caters to All in the Middle of Nowhere |last=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 2, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013065247/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/sports/othersports/03outdoors.html |archive-date=October 13, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Historic heritage ===
Owing to its millennia of habitation and over two centuries of Spanish colonial rule, New Mexico has many sites of historical and cultural significance. Forty-six locations are listed on the [[U.S. National Historic Landmark|U.S. National Register of Historic Places]], the 18th-highest of any state.<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Register Database and Research – National Register of Historic Places (U.S. National Park Service)|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/database-research.htm|access-date=2021-08-02|website=www.nps.gov|language=en|archive-date=August 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828223402/https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/database-research.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

New Mexico has nine of the country's 84 national monuments, which are sites federally protected by presidential proclamation; this is the second-highest number after Arizona.<ref name="Mazurek-2021" /> The monuments include some of the earliest to have been created: [[El Morro National Monument|El Morro]] and [[Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument|Gila Cliff Dwellings]], proclaimed in 1906 and 1907, respectively; both preserve the state's ancient indigenous heritage.<ref name="Mazurek-2021" />

New Mexico is one of 20 states with a [[List of World Heritage Sites in the United States|UNESCO World Heritage Site]], and among only eight with more than one. Excluding sites shared between states, New Mexico has the most World Heritage Sites in the country, with three exclusively within its territory.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chaco Culture|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/353/|access-date=2021-08-02|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-date=July 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727154835/http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/353|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Taos Pueblo|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492/|access-date=2021-08-02|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-date=August 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814035724/http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Carlsbad Caverns National Park|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/721/|access-date=2021-08-02|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-date=August 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813182043/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/721/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Other ===
Since 1970, ''[[New Mexico Magazine]]'' has had a standing feature, ''One of Our 50 Is Missing'',<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/one-of-our-50-is-missing-may-2023/ |title=One of Our 50 is Missing: May 2023 |date=May 10, 2023 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |archive-date=June 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621042851/https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/one-of-our-50-is-missing-may-2023/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> which relates anecdotes about instances in which people elsewhere do not realize New Mexico is a state, confuse it with the nation of Mexico, or otherwise mistake it for a foreign country. The state's license plates say "New Mexico USA" so as to avoid confusion with Mexico. New Mexico is the only state that specifies "USA" on its license plates.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kurtz |first=Todd |date=June 21, 2017 |title=Loving the Land of Enchantment: License Plates |url=https://www.koat.com/article/loving-the-land-of-enchantment-license-plates/10200618 |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=KOAT |language=en |archive-date=June 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627145406/https://www.koat.com/article/loving-the-land-of-enchantment-license-plates/10200618 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Geography|North America|United States}}
* [[Climate change in New Mexico]]
* [[Economy of New Mexico]]
* [[Geology of New Mexico]]
* [[Government of New Mexico]]
** [[Governor of New Mexico]]
** [[List of counties in New Mexico]]
** [[List of municipalities in New Mexico]]
* [[History of New Mexico]]
** [[Timeline of New Mexico history]]
* [[Index of New Mexico-related articles]]
* [[List of mountain peaks of New Mexico]]
* [[List of rivers of New Mexico]]
* [[Outline of New Mexico]]
* [[Paleontology in New Mexico]]
{{clear}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}<references group="lower-alpha" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* Beck, Warren and Haase, Ynez. ''Historical Atlas of New Mexico'' 1969.
* {{cite book
|last1=Bills
|first1=Garland D.
|last2=Vigil
|first2=Neddy A.
|title=The Spanish Language of New Mexico and Southern Colorado: A Linguistic Atlas
|year= 2008
|publisher=University of New Mexico Press
|isbn=978-0826345516
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2cxVwA-fyoEC
}}
* Carleton, William, R. "Fruit, Fiber and Fire: A history of Modern Agriculture in New Mexico. Lincoln, University of Nebraska, 2021, {{ISBN|978-1496216168}}
* Chavez, Thomas E. ''An Illustrated History of New Mexico'', 267 pages, University of New Mexico Press 2002, {{ISBN|0826330517}}
* Bullis, Don. ''New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary, 1540–1980'', 2 vol, (Los Ranchos de Albuquerque: Rio Grande, 2008) 393 pp. {{ISBN|978-1890689179}}
* [[Erlinda Gonzáles-Berry|Gonzales-Berry, Erlinda]], David R. Maciel, eds. ''The Contested Homeland: A Chicano History of New Mexico'', University of New Mexico Press 2000, {{ISBN|0826321992}}, 314 pp.
* Gutiérrez, Ramón A. "New Mexico's Spanish Catholic Past." ''American Catholic Studies'' 133, no. 4 (2022): 61–68.
* Gutiérrez, Ramón A. ''When Jesus Came, the Corn Mothers Went Away: Marriage, Sexuality, and Power in New Mexico, 1500–1846'' (1991)
* Hain, Paul L., [[F Chris Garcia|F. Chris Garcia]], Gilbert K. St. Clair; ''New Mexico Government'' 3rd ed. (1994)
* [[Paul Horgan|Horgan, Paul]], ''Great River, The Rio Grande in North American History'', 1038 pages, Wesleyan University Press 1991, 4th Reprint, {{ISBN|0585380147}}, 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|0826311105}}, 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
{{refend}}

===Primary sources===
{{refbegin}}
* 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|082630530X}}), fiction
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|voy=New Mexico|q=no|s=Portal:New Mexico|b=no|v=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no}}

===State government===
* [http://www.newmexico.gov/ New Mexico Government] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223184016/http://www.newmexico.gov/ |date=February 23, 2011 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080515221523/http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/New_Mexico 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
* [http://bber.unm.edu/ Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220232107/http://bber.unm.edu/ |date=February 20, 2009 }} at the [[University of New Mexico]]: credible and objective data and research to inform economic development and public policy

===Federal government===
* [https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/states/newmexico/index.html New Mexico State Guide from the Library of Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117050835/https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/states/newmexico/index.html |date=November 17, 2020 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080923225139/http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=NM Energy Profile for New Mexico: economic, environmental, and energy data]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070106170120/https://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=NM New Mexico] ''Science in Your Backyard'', from the U.S. Geological Society
* [http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/amsw/ "American Southwest"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701095440/http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/amsw/ |date=July 1, 2014 }} ''Discover Our Shared Heritage'': travel itinerary from the National Park Service
* [http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets/state-data.aspx?StateFIPS=35&StateName=New%20Mexico#.U8BACfldUeo New Mexico state facts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714124628/http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets/state-data.aspx?StateFIPS=35&StateName=New%20Mexico#.U8BACfldUeo |date=July 14, 2014 }} economic research service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

===Tourism===
* [https://www.newmexico.org/ New Mexico Tourism Department]
* [https://www.gilaflora.com/ Flora of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522041908/http://gilaflora.com/ |date=May 22, 2012 }}
* {{OSM relation|162014}}

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[[Category:New Mexico| ]]
[[Category:Former Spanish colonies]]
[[Category:Southwestern United States]]
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