New Mexico is located in the southwestern United States, just west of Texas. Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, is one of the oldest cities in the United States, recently celebrating its 400th birthday. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado came to this area searching for gold between 1540 and 1542. By 1853, the last of the New Mexico area was purchased by the United States. There are a large number of descendants of Spanish colonists as well as immigrants from Latin America and Native Americans, representing a combination of cultures. New Mexico has the third-highest percentage of Native Americans in the United States. The Navajo and Pueblo are the most represented tribes. New Mexico is the sixth most sparsely inhabited of the states with a population of only 16 people per square mile.
New Mexico has a uniqueness, whereby four states are joined. On its northwestern corner, the states of Colorado, Arizona and Utah join New Mexico. The state is a leader in energy research. Minerals such as uranium, petroleum, natural gas, copper gold, silver, zinc and lead are rich resources and income for the state. Cotton, pecans, peanuts, beans and onions are among the field crops and along with sheep represent a large percentage of the state’s farm income.
The state has many tourist attractions, including the famous Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the White Sands. New Mexico also has one of the very first dinosaurs, Coelophysis. Las Cruces, with the beautiful Organ Mountains in the distance, has been named one of the best cities for retirement. The El Morro National Monument with its hidden water hole became a popular campsite for travelers in ancient times with over 2,000 signatures carved on the walls.
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