Higher Education  

New Mexico has nine colleges and universities, as well as approximately twenty community colleges, vocational schools, and other institutes. The state's largest university is the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque. Other state institutions include New Mexico State University, in Las Cruces; Eastern New Mexico University, in Portales; New Mexico Highland University, in Las Vegas; Western New Mexico University, in Silver City; and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, in Socorro. Private institutions include College of Santa Fe, College of the Southwest in Hobbs, St. John's College in Santa Fe, and San Juan College in Farmington.

Geography

The state of New Mexico covers an area of 314,938 square kilometers. There are four main regions into which the state can be divided: the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, and the Basin and Range Region. Occupying the eastern part of the state, the Great Plains region includes a rugged plateau, deep canyons, oil and gas fields, flatlands, and the Pecos River Valley. The Rocky Mountains cover the north-central portion of the state. Located in the northwestern corner of New Mexico, the Colorado Plateau has rich oil and gas fields and uranium deposits. Isolated mountain ranges and low desert basins characterize the Basin and Range Region, which is in the southwestern and central part of the state. The Rio Grande is the state's longest river; some other important rivers are the Canadian and the Pecos. Major cities include Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe (capital), and Roswell. The population of New Mexico is over 1.7 million.

Climate

The climate of New Mexico is warm and dry. Known for its abundant sunshine and low humidity, the state averages only 50 cm of precipitation (rain and snow) per year. However, the northern mountains may receive as much as 762 cm of snow in the winter. January temperatures average 2° C in the north and 13° C in the south. In July, the average temperature is 18° C in the north and 27° C in the south.

Cultural Profile

Among the museums in Sante Fe are the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Laboratory of Anthropology/Museum of Indian Art and Culture, the Palace of the Governors, and the Wheelwright Museum. Museums in Albuquerque include the Albuquerque Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Other museums in the state include the National Atomic Museum on Kirtland Air Force Base, the Bradbury Science Hall and Museum in Los Alamos, and the County Historical Museum, also in Los Alamos.

Performing arts organizations in Santa Fe include the Santa Fe Opera, the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of Santa Fe, and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. Albuquerque is home to the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, the Guarneri String Quartet, and the Albuquerque Civic Chorus. Other communities and colleges campuses throughout the state also feature annual dance, music, and theater performances.

Recreation

New Mexico has seven national forests, nine national monuments, one national park, and more than forty state parks and monuments. Popular outdoor sports include backpacking and mountain climbing, swimming, sailing, fishing, water-skiing, canoeing, snowmobiling, and skiing. Some of the state's popular attractions are Aztec Ruins National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Four Corners Monument, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Pueblo villages, ghost towns, and White Sands National Monument.

Interesting Facts

The world's first atomic bomb was tested in the desert of south-central New Mexico. New Mexico is a leading producer of natural gas, copper, pecans, and chili peppers. Famous New Mexicans include Erna Fergusson (author and historian), Conrad Hilton (founder of the world's largest hotel chain), Peter Hurd (artist), Bill Mauldin (cartoonist), John Nichols (author), and Al and Bobby Unser (race-car drivers).