New Mexico state. New Mexico - Land of Enchantment. Population and religion

When I was offered to go to New Mexico, at first I thought: what is so interesting this state can offer me? As a rule, the main flow of travelers travels to neighboring Colorado or Texas, bypassing New Mexico, or adhering to only that part of it that runs along Route 66. This can be judged at least by the noticeably fewer articles about the state in LiveJournal and blogs compared to what they write about the same Arizona. But I still decided to give New Mexico a chance and began to actively dig. What if there really are places that can lure me? But I immediately ran into the problem of lack of information. Yes, on Russian travel sites you can find articles about New Mexico, but, as a rule, they come down to only a brief description of standard attractions, and not a step aside. Foreign websites came to the rescue, which suddenly opened America to me anew. It turned out that in the state of red chili pepper worthy places are a dime a dozen. This was the reason to think again: why, after all, many people do not include hot New Mexico in their routes, when it has so many unique cities and parks? It turns out to be extremely unfair. Therefore, I really hope that with my upcoming articles I will be able to convince you to look here for a week or two. In addition, I will try to help you find the very useful information that I lacked so much in my time. So let's go! The adventure promises to be unforgettable.

New Mexico, United States of America (New Mexico, The United States of America)
Abbreviation: NM
Capital: Santa Fe
Largest cities: Albuquerque
Population: 2.1 million people
Borders: States, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma;
Time difference with Moscow: -9 hours in summer, -10 hours in winter
Entry for Russians: US Tourist Visa (B2)

!!Fact: The symbol of the state of New Mexico is the red chili pepper, which is found here in large quantities both in restaurant dishes and in dried form in city markets as a condiment or just an original souvenir.

What is New Mexico, and what is it eaten with? Arriving here, at first you do not quite understand where you are. It seems to be in America, but various details now and then bring back memories of hot Mexico. The state lives up to its name of "New Mexico", where the traditions of two different countries have come together, ultimately creating something unique.

Now a decent number of Mexicans live here, which could not but affect both the life and the signature dishes of the state. This is the first thing that caught our eye. Moreover, sometimes New Mexican items on the menu are ahead of their counterparts in terms of spiciness and piquancy. Try the green pepper chimichanga, cooked from the heart, and you will immediately understand what I mean.

A significant contribution to the creation of the modern image of the state was made by the indigenous inhabitants of these lands. We are talking about Indian tribes - Pueblo, Apache, familiar to us from a visit to Arizona Navajo, and others. They are reminiscent of the archaeological parks of the state, where you can see the traditional dwellings of the ancient Indians, as well as numerous trading posts (trading posts). The latter are famous for souvenirs and utensils made by representatives of the tribes now living here. How I love these shops! Now I have a brand new dream catcher above my bed. Couldn't have left without him.

Meet a promotional move from one of the stores somewhere on Route 66. In addition to souvenirs, cowboy boots, hats and belts can be purchased in the state. The spirit of the Wild West has not disappeared here so far.

What to see in New Mexico: the territory of the state is rich in natural and historical attractions - various national and archaeological parks, canyons, caves, hot springs, and so on. In addition, many cities in New Mexico are built in a pueblo style that is extremely unusual for the Russian eye, which makes them unique in their own way. The most popular of them are Santa Fe and the old part of Albuquerque. Lovers of the mysterious and the unknown will also find something interesting for themselves.

It was in New Mexico in 1947 that a UFO crashed near the city of Roswell, thanks to which the city and the state itself gained worldwide fame. Today, there is a base in New Mexico where alien objects are being studied.

So, back to the list of state attractions. Links to main articles.

A small bonus to the main attractions of the state are several of its cities with funny names. For example, Truth or Consequences (Truth or Consequences), Surprise (Surprise), Hope (Hope), Pie Town (City of Pies).

Quite often in the sky over New Mexico you can see the traces of training jets, which we observed almost every day of our week-long visit. The fact is that there are several military bases here: the Holloman Air Force Base, where aerospace research is carried out, and the White Sands Missile Range, where atomic research and testing are carried out. The secret of unidentified jet planes is revealed 🙂

New Mexico highways. As for the highways, they were not as impressive as, for example, in Arizona, located next door. I was expecting wow views and mesmerizing roads, but everything turned out a little differently. For example, moving a little away from Santa Fe, most often we observed dry flat fields with grayish hills in the background. In some regions, the road became more fun, narrowing and winding up the mountains, which was exciting for me as a passenger, but was not very convenient for the driver. And yes, at such moments, our phones lost connection.

In some places there were quite green landscapes.

But even among not the most picturesque roads in the world, we found one that became a real adventure for us. We drove from Arizona to New Mexico through the Gila National Wildlife Refuge, which lurks in the "visaco-visaco in the gars." See that zigzag track over there? We go there!

That was still a day. Curving highway on the edge of the abyss, leading us straight to the top of huge mountains, a green forest looking down on you, an invasion of deer at nightfall, a panic when we realized that the gas was about to run out, a magical gas station is already somewhere on the way down ... And so on for several hours. But now there will be something to remember 🙂

About security corridors.

If you plan to visit New Mexico, you may come across such a concept as the "Safety Corridor". This is a designated area on the highway, marked with green road signs that say "Safety corridor". During a trip through this zone, additional traffic rules are imposed on the driver, which are usually published along the way: for example, turn on the low beams regardless of the time of day. This is done in order to provide additional safety in areas where accidents most often occurred. Keep in mind that speeding in the Safety Corridor is punishable by a fine of twice the usual amount.

The official New Mexico tourism website with a quick overview of locations and car trails, events and some hotel information is click here.
To Motorists: The Official Guide to New Mexico Road Conditions and Repairs, Rest Areas, Traffic, and Weather - Click Here.
Moving Through Cities and States: Site of the US-Popular Greyhound Bus Company and Amtrak Trains.

Briefly about the climate in New Mexico.

Since the state borders on Texas, Arizona and Mexico itself, it is not difficult to assume that the weather here is appropriate. It is very hot here in summer, but it snows in winter. Also, in the mountains, according to tradition, it is always colder. The elevation of various points in the state relative to sea level differs from region to region. We passed everything from languid flat fields and lowlands to hilly and mountainous areas, where the temperature changed accordingly.

Arriving in New Mexico mid March, we immediately noticed a significant difference in temperatures between the “upper” part of the state (the Santa Fe area and above) and the “lower” one (Carlsbad, White Sands): “downstairs” was at least 10 degrees warmer. However, the indicators thermometers and our personal feelings did not always coincide. For example, at night in the mountainous areas near neighboring Colorado, the indicators could reach almost a minus mark, but in reality the air seemed much warmer. In general, the spring in New Mexico is good. It's still not very hot here, but it's not cold at all. I dressed in light sweatshirts over T-shirts, and jeans or leggings, and in the south of the state on March days you can already safely walk around in summer shorts.

About living creatures on the territory of New Mexico, or You have to pay for pleasure ... with nerves.

They say the truth, the less you know, the better you sleep. In the process of searching for information about the sights of the state, I came across information about its local residents. I have found that New Mexico is home to several species of poisonous snakes (such as the rattlesnake), spiders of all colors and sizes (black widows, tarantulas, and scorpions), poisonous lizards in the Gila Forest, and even poisonous toads. Tarantulas are found in some National parks (Bandelier, Petroglyph, and others), snakes are also periodically caught by travelers' cameras (in the same Petroglyph). This fact settled in my head and did not want to move out of there throughout the trip. Each check-in at the next hotel for me began with its inspection for uninvited guests. And all because I once accidentally saw a photo of a furry reptile in one of the American blogs, taken on the trail of some park. I felt paranoid, but for a long time I could not get rid of this feeling. True, in the end, I noticed only one colored lizard, and even that one quickly galloped away. Passed 🙂

But, to my joy, we often came across cute bunnies and deer. Well, that's a completely different matter! The main thing is to notice them in time while driving: these horned insolent people love to cross the road in the wrong place 🙂

New Mexico State Map:

New Mexico (eng. New mexico, Spanish Nuevo México) is a mountainous state in the southwestern United States, one of the so-called Mountain States. Population - 1.819 million people (36th place among the states; 2000 data). The capital is Santa Fe, the largest city is Albuquerque. Other major cities are Las Cruces, Roswell, Farmington, and Rio Rancho.

The official motto of the state is "Grows on the go" (lat. Crescit Eundo). The official nickname is "Land of Enchantment" (Eng. Land of Enchantment, Spanish. Tierra de Encanto).

Official name: State of New Mexico

State capital: Santa Fe

Largest city: Albuquerque

Other major cities: Las Cruces, Roswell, Farmington, Rio Rancho, South Valley, Alamogordo, Clovis, Hobbs, Carlsbad, Los Alamos, Las Vegas.

State Nicknames: Land of Enchantment.

State motto: Grow as you go

New Mexico zip code: NM

State Formation Date: 1912 (47th in order)

Area: 315.2 thousand sq. km. (5th place in the country.)

Population: more than 1.8 million people (36th in the country).

History of the State of New Mexico

Before the arrival of Europeans, Indian tribes lived in New Mexico, creating the Folsom, Sandia, and Anasazi cultures. By the time the Spaniards arrived, the Apache, Comanche, Navajo and Pueblo Indians lived here.

In 1536, the Spaniards Cabeza de Vaca and Estabaniko appeared here. In the late 1530s, Franciscan missionaries came here in search of the legendary gold reserves of Cibola. In 1540-1542, the expedition of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado visited here. In 1598, Spanish conquistadors founded the settlement of San Juan Pueblo on the Rio Grande. Since 1605, the Spanish province of New Mexico, centered in Santa Fe, was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. In 1609, the conquistador Pedro de Peralta built the settlement of Santa Fe at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. In 1680, the Pueblo Indians rebelled against the domination of the Spanish newcomers. In 1706, the city of Albuquerque arose on the site of scattered settlements.

In 1803 Napoleon sold northern New Mexico to the United States. In 1821, the territory of New Mexico became part (province) of the Mexican Empire. At the same time, merchants from the southern states of the United States paved the way to Santa Fe.

In 1846, during the US war with Mexico, American General Stephen Kearney occupied Santa Fe and, as a result of negotiations with the Mexicans, gained control of the region.

In 1850, as a result of the so-called "Compromise of 1850", the Territory of New Mexico was formed. It was subsequently enlarged in 1853 as a result of the Gadsden Purchase. The final boundaries of New Mexico were established in 1863.

At the beginning of the Civil War, most of the New Mexico Territory was under the control of the southerners, but after the victory of the Union army at the Battle of Glorieta Pass in March 1862, power here passed to the northerners.

During World War II, New Mexico became a testing ground for nuclear weapons - on July 16, 1945, the first test of an atomic bomb was carried out in the desert near Alamogordo.

Geography of New Mexico

The total area of New Mexico is 314,914 km² (121,589 sq. miles, 5th largest among the states of the country), and almost all of this area is occupied by land. The water surface area is 606 km² (234 sq. miles, 0.19% of the territory). In the north, New Mexico borders on Colorado, the border runs along the 37th parallel of north latitude. In the east - with Oklahoma along the meridian 103 ° west longitude and Texas, in the south - with Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora, in the west - with Arizona along the longitude 109 ° 03' west longitude. At the point where the northern and western borders of the state converge, there is an intersection of the borders of four states (New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah). The borders of each state form a right angle, this remarkable point is called the Four Corners. There is a memorial sign on it; tourists often have fun putting their hands and feet in four different states.

The state's landscape is varied, from wide deserts and rugged lava fields to high snowy mountain peaks. The ridges of the Rocky Mountains - San Juan and Sangre de Cristo - pass through the central part of the state. To the west is the Colorado Plateau, to the east are the Great Plains and the Llano Estacado Plateau. The main rivers of the state are the Rio Grande and its tributary, the Pecos. Both parts flow in deep gorges. The climate is continental, arid.

The flora and fauna are diverse. The northern part of the state, despite the aridity, is covered with extensive forests, while the southern part is represented by steppe and desert flora and fauna.

And several states of Mexico

New Mexico nicknamed"land of enchantment" due to the state's very beautiful nature, from amazing canyons and wide deserts to winding lava fields and mountain systems.

The state is cited by many as the best place to start a small business. In New Mexico, the share of agriculture in the economy is very significant, in addition to it, much attention should be paid to tourism. It is worth noting that the state is one of the leaders in various scientific developments, there are many laboratories, including secret ones.

Albuquerque

Albuquerque (amer. Albuquerque)- the largest city in terms of population in the state of New Mexico (about 563 thousand people). Albuquerque is located on the Rio Grande, and the Sandia Mountains are also nearby. The city, like most of New Mexico, is in a desert climate, but despite this, agriculture is quite well developed here. In addition, the city is considered the commercial and financial center of the state.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe (Spanish: Santa Fe)- the capital of the state of New Mexico with a population of about 68 thousand people. The city is located on the river of the same name, the water from this river in the city is used for the needs of the city. Like most state capitals, Santa Fe's main employers are state and municipal agencies. Tourism is next in economic importance, in this city there really is something to see.

Las Cruces

Las Cruces (amer. Las Cruces)- the second city in terms of population after Albuquerque (about 98 thousand people). Las Cruces is located on the Rio Grande. There is a US Army training ground and many military laboratories of various levels. In addition, a few kilometers from Las Cruces operates a private spaceport "America".

Roswell

Roswell (amer. Roswell)- a city in the state of New Mexico with a population of about 47 thousand people. Roswell gained notoriety due to the possible discovery of a UFO in it. The city is located on a large plateau that occupies the eastern part of the state, the Rio Hondo River flows through the city, which provides some of the needs of the city.

Los Alamos

You can see that the state of New Mexico forms an almost even square. However, this interesting feature is nothing compared to the landscapes and beauties of the territory.

It is due to its nature that the state acquired its official nickname - Land of Enchantment.

general information

The state of New Mexico (New Mexico state) received one of the most recent status - in 1912. This is due to the fact that the territory “changed hands” for a long time, being either a colony of Spain, or part of the Mexican Empire, or the possessions of America.

The small population of the future state, which is still one of its distinguishing features, also contributed to this.

According to the latest data, New Mexico has over 2 million inhabitants. According to this indicator, the state ranks 36th in the United States. Whereas in terms of area - 5th (315 thousand km2). The capital is Santa Fe. The largest city is Albuquerque.

Map online:

Geography and climate

The state of New Mexico has a very diverse topography. It has no access to the sea, and indeed most of the territory is land.

The area is characterized by the Llano-Estocado and Colorado plateaus, the ridges of the Rocky Mountains, and the Great Plains. Part of the territory is occupied by deserts, part - by forests of national importance.

The local climate is also very diverse and capricious. In the desert, it is usually very hot, there is often dry weather, but in the mountainous regions, on the contrary, it can be somewhat cool.

The lowest average temperature in the state is -5 degrees, the highest is 35 degrees. Therefore, for those who cannot stand the stuffiness, it is recommended to visit the state of New Mexico in the autumn, winter or early spring months.

Ethnic and religious composition

Despite the fact that the state of New Mexico is southern and slavery was developed here, there are few African Americans living here - only 2.2% of the total number of inhabitants.

Interestingly, a fairly large percentage of the indigenous population has survived in this territory - 9.3% of the state's population.

A large number of residents are of Hispanic origin, due to the location of the area and its history.

According to the religious composition of the population is divided into Christians, Jews, Buddhists and atheists. These groups are the most numerous: 72%, 2%, 2% and 22%, respectively. The majority of Christians are Protestants.

Education

The main institution of higher education is the University of New Mexico, founded in 1888. It has about 19 thousand students.

Education programs are very diverse: agriculture, business, liberal arts, etc.

New Mexico also boasts the Santa Fe Research Institute. The field of study is complex systems and complex adaptive systems.

During its existence, the institute has made a great contribution to world science, to the development of various theories.

Economy

According to statistics, the state of New Mexico is one of the poorest in America. This is due to the number and composition of its population, as many Indian farmers and illegal migrants live here.

The main sectors of the economy are: coal mining, agriculture, tourism, irrigation.

Interestingly, for opening and running a small business, the state of New Mexico can be called one of the most favorable in the United States.

Also in this territory there are many stations for the study of space, which is facilitated by the astroclimate of the state.

Finally, there are several large scientific laboratories in New Mexico, some of which are secret. It was here that the first atomic bomb was tested in 1945.

Notable places and attractions

First of all, the state of New Mexico attracts tourists with its nature. The White Sands desert is very beautiful with white, and in some places even colorless sand.

Gorges and bare rocks, Carlsbad caves look very unusual. There are a lot of national parks here, and the flora and fauna are original and diverse.

Tourists will be interested in the cable car. Rock dwellings located in the Gila valley. The archaeological site is the Petroglyph National Monument, on which various images are carved.

Also, the state of New Mexico is known for the Balloon Festival (Albuquerque) and the UFO Museum.