New+Mexico

= New Mexico = Clem Poole and Brendon Dougherty

For our research project we chose New Mexico. Santa Fe, New Mexico is the capital of this large rocky dry area. The state has many unique nick-names such as "The Cactis State" or "The Spanish State" because it is so close to th border of mexico and also there are tons of cacti at the border of mexico. My favorite nick-name is "The Land of Oppertunity" because New Mexico is known for fufilling all your hopes. These nick-names are very unique for New Mexico. New Mexico was named after is former ruler, Mexico. A while back New Mexico was apart of mexico and was ruled by Mexico.

Location
New Mexico is south of the Rocky Mountains and North of the international border of Mexico. It is land locked by Arizona to the west Texas and Oklahoma to the east and Colorado to the north.

Physical Geography
New Mexico is part Desert and part Grasslandand. The notheastern part of the state is a platue. New Mexico is a very rocky, dry area, with terrible soil for growing. Alot of people in New Mexico are ranchers, because of the dry climate. The elevation of most of the state is forom 5,000 feet to 10,000 feet.

Climate

 * Average January temperatures are from about 35°F in the north to about 55°F in the southern and central regions. July temperatures are from about 78°F at high elevations, to around 92°F at lower elevations. The record high temperature for the state is 122°F on July 27, 1994 at Lakewood. The record low temperature is –50°F was set on February 1, 1951 at Gavilan.
 * Average precipitation is 9.5 inches in Albuquerque. At high elevations,the average precipitation is over 20 in. About a half of the rainfall in the year comes during July and August, in the summer thunderstorms are more common. Snow is mainly the type of presipitation in the winter. Albuquerque gets about 10 in of snow per year, and the northern mountains receive up to 100 in.
 * The climate zone is kind of tricky. It cna be many. Most of New Mexico is a des

People
Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, and Rio Rancho are some of the most popular cities in New Mexico.Some of the leisure activit ies in new mexico are Aztec ruins National Monument and Park, Dragon Room at the pink adobe, and many more. Attractions in New Mexico are New Mexico Museum of Space and History, The monument of the Flying Paper Boy, and the annual Balloon festival. The Population Density of New Mexico is 142 people per square mi (55 per sq Km)

Economy
Since there aren'tmany irrigation oppertunities, most of the land is given over to grazing. There are many large ranches, with cattle and sheep year round. In the dry farming regions, the major crops are hay and sorghum grains. Onions, potatoes, and dairy products are also important. In addition, piñon nuts, pinto beans, and chilis are crops particularly grown in New Mexico.

Much of the state's income is from its considerable mineral wealth. New Mexico is a leading producer of uranium ore, manganese ore, potash, salt, perlite, copper ore, natural gas, beryllium, and tin concentrates. Petroleum and coal are also found in smaller quantities. Silver and turquoise have been used in making jewelry since long before European exploration.

The federal government is the largest employer in the state, accounting for over one quarter of New Mexico's jobs. A large percentage of government jobs in the state are related to the military; there are several air force bases, along with national observatories and the Los Alamos and Sandia laboratories. Climate and increasing population have aided New Mexico's effort to attract new industries; manufacturing, centered especially around Albuquerque, includes food and mineral processing and the production of chemicals, electrical equipment, and ordnance. High-technology manufacturing is increasingly important, much of it in the defense industry.