New Mexico

New Mexico (Spanish: Nuevo México) is one of the two southwestern states of the USA. Over its relatively long history it has also been occupied by Native American populations, part of the Spanish colony of New Spain, a province of the Republic of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. New Mexico has the highest percentage of people of Hispanic ancestry of any state, some recent immigrants and others descendants of Spanish colonists. The state also has a large Indian population. As a result, the demographics and culture of the state are unique for their strong Spanish, Mexican, and American Indian cultural influences. Both English and Spanish are officially recognized languages{{ref|Note-1}} in the state.

Economy

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that New Mexico's total state product in 2003 was $57 billion. Per capital personal income in 2003 was $24,995, 48th in the nation. http://www.bea.gov/

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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.

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Limited but scientifically controlled dryland farming prospers alongside cattle ranching. Major crops include hay, nursery stock, pecans, and chile peppers. Hay and sorghum top the list of major dryland crops. Farmers also produce onions, potatoes, and dairy products. New Mexico specialty crops include piñon nuts, pinto beans, and chiles.

Related Topics:
Chile pepper - Sorghum - Piñon nut - Pinto bean

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In the desert and semiarid portions of the state, the scant rainfall evaporates rapidly, generally leaving insufficient water supplies for large-scale irrigation. The Carlsbad and Fort Sumner reclamation projects on the Pecos River and the nearby Tucumcari project provide adequate water for limited irrigation in those areas. Located upstream of Las Cruces, the Elephant Butte Dam and Reservoir provides a major irrigation source for the extensive farming along the Rio Grande. Other irrigation projects use the Colorado River basin and the San Juan River.

Related Topics:
Pecos River - Las Cruces - Elephant Butte Dam and Reservoir - Rio Grande - Colorado River - San Juan River

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Lumber mills in Albuquerque process pinewood, the chief commercial wood of the rich timber economy of northern New Mexico.

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New Mexicans derive much of their income from mineral extraction. Even before European exploration, Native Americans mined turquoise for making jewelry, and later silver http://www.americana.net/jewelry_history_article.html. New Mexico produces uranium ore, manganese ore, potash, salt, perlite, copper ore, beryllium, and tin concentrates. Natural gas, petroleum, and coal are also found in smaller quantities.

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Industrial outputs, centered around Albuquerque, include electric equipment; petroleum and coal products; food processing; printing and publishing; and stone, glass, and clay products. Defense-related industries include ordnance. Important high-technology industries include lasers, data processing, and solar energy.

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Federal government spending is a major driver of the New Mexico economy; and provides 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 large army base (Fort Bliss), 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. These installations also include the missile and spacecraft proving grounds at White Sands. In addition to the military employers, other federal agencies such as the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, and the United States Bureau of Land Management are a big part of the states rural employment base.

Related Topics:
Kirtland Air Force Base - Holloman Air Force Base - Cannon Air Force Base - Fort Bliss - Los Alamos National Laboratory - Sandia National Laboratories - White Sands - National Park Service - United States Forest Service - United States Bureau of Land Management

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Tourism provides many service jobs. For top attractions see: Tourism.

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The private service economy in urban New Mexico has boomed in recent decades. Since the end of World War II Albuquerque has gained an ever-growing number of retirees, especially among armed forces veterans and government workers. The city is also increasingly gaining notoriety 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. By contrast, many heavily Native American and Hispanic rural communities remain economically underdeveloped.

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:: Source: State of New Mexico Department of Labor http://www.dol.state.nm.us/

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Largest employers

(Not ranked by size)

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• Northern
• College of Santa Fe
• Boy Scouts of America
• U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• Mesa Air Group
• Navajo Nation
• Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Central
• PNM Resources and PNM Electric & Gas Services
• Presbyterian Health Plan
• Sandia National Laboratories
• Intel
• University of New Mexico
• New Mexico State Government
• Eastern
• Albertson's Supermarket
• Kmart Corporation
• U.S. Postal Service
• Wal-Mart
• Navajo Refining Company
• U.S. National Park Service (NPS)
• Allsup's Convenience Stores
• Southwestern
• Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
• Lockheed Engineering and Sciences
• New Mexico State University
• Lovelace Healthcare
• Pepsi Cola Bottling
• NM Institute of Mining and Technology
• U.S. Army (Fort Bliss)

:: Source: Economic Research & Analysis Bureau New Mexico Department of Labor http://laser.state.nm.us/analyzer/

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