|
New Mexico is a southwestern state in the United States.
Over its relatively long history it has also been occupied by Native American
populations and has
 been part of the Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, a
province of Mexico and a U.S. territory. Among U.S. states, New Mexico has
simultaneously the highest percentage of Hispanic Americans (some recent
immigrants and others descendants of Spanish colonists) and the second-highest
percentage of Native Americans (mostly Navajo and Pueblo peoples). As a result,
the demographics and culture of the state are unique for their strong Spanish,
Mexican, and U.S. Amerindian cultural influences.
With a Native American population of 134,000 in 1990, New
Mexico still ranks as an important center of American Indian culture. Both the
Navajo and Apache share Athabaskan origin. The Apache and some Ute live on
federal reservations within the state. With 16 million acres, mostly in
neighboring Arizona, the reservation of the Navajo Nation ranks as the largest
in the United States. The prehistorically agricultural Pueblo Indians live in
pueblos scattered throughout the state, many older than any European settlement.
Private service economy in urban New Mexico, especially in
Albuquerque, has boomed in recent decades. Since the end of World War II, the
city has gained an ever-growing number of retirees, especially among armed
forces veterans and government workers. It is also increasingly gaining notice
as a health conscious community, and contains many hospitals and a high per
capita number of massage and alternative therapists. The warm, semiarid climate
has contributed to the exploding population of Albuquerque, attracting new
industries to New Mexico.
Cattle and dairy products top the list of major animal
products of New Mexico. Cattle, sheep, and other livestock graze most of the
arable land of the state throughout the year. New Mexicans derive much of their
income from mineral extraction. Even before European exploration, Native
Americans mined turquoise for making jewelry. After the Spanish introduced
refined silver alloys they were incorporated into the Indian jewelry designs.
New Mexico produces uranium ore, manganese ore, potash, salt, perlite, copper
ore, beryllium, and tin concentrates.
Federal government spending is a major driver of the New
Mexico economy. The federal government spends 2 dollars on New Mexico for every
dollar of tax revenue collected from the state. This rate of return is higher
than any other state in the Union. [5]. The federal government also a major
employer in New Mexico providing more than a quarter of the state's jobs. Many
of the federal jobs relate to the military; the state hosts three air force
bases (Kirtland Air Force Base, Holloman Air Force Base, and Cannon Air Force
Base); a testing range (White Sands Missile Range); an army proving ground and
maneuver range (Fort Bliss Military Reservation - McGregor Range); national
observatories; and the technology labs of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). SNL conducts electronic and industrial
research next to Kirtland AFB, on the southeast side of Albuquerque.
New Mexico does not have a sales tax. Instead, it has a 5%
gross receipts tax. In almost every case, the business passes along the tax to
the consumer, so that the gross receipts tax resembles a sales tax. The combined
gross receipts tax rate varies throughout the state from 5.125% to 7.8125%. The
total rate is a combination of all rates imposed by the state, counties and
municipalities. Started in 2005, New Mexicans no longer pay taxes on most food
purchases; however, there are exceptions to this program. Also beginning Jan.
2005, the state eliminated the tax on certain medical services.
The climate of New Mexico is best summed up as sunny and
dry. The main
 factor in the climate of the state is elevation. Summers in New
Mexico are hot below 5000 feet in elevation with daytime highs frequently
exceeding 100 °F. At the highest elevations, the upper 70's °F is the summertime
normal high temperature. The summertime peak is often reached earlier than in
the rest of the United States and July and August often bring monsoon moisture
to the state as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico comes into the state. Summer
nights are comfortable as the temperature drops rapidly as the sun sets. The
winters bring cooler temperatures than might be expected for a state at its
latitude with daytime highs in the south part of the state only reaching around
55 °F in lower elevations in the south, while many higher elevations in the
north barely average above freezing. Nights throughout the state tend to be
below freezing in the winter. As a general rule, precipitation in New Mexico
increases with elevation with the southern desert and the San Juan Valley
receiving less than 10 inches per year, while the highest areas of the state
receive more than 20 inches per year.
|
|
Fast Facts
Population - 1,928,384
Capital - Santa Fe
Largest cities - Albuquerque
Las Cruces
Santa Fe
Area - 121,593 sq.mi, 5th
Elevation
Highest - 13,161 ft (Wheeler Peak)
Lowest - 2,842 ft (Red Bluff Reservoir)
Border States - Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah
Time zone - Mountain
Daylight Savings - Yes
Nicknames - Land of Enchantment
Motto - Crescit Eundo "It Grows as It Goes"
State gem - Turquoise
Web site - www.newmexico.gov
 |
|
