| In New Mexico, the Native Americans and the | | | | |
| Anglo-Americans make up the small population | | | | Industries |
| of the state. There are still adobe villages | | | | |
| throughout the state. People still celebrate | | | | Early in their history, the people settled |
| traditional festivities reminiscent of | | | | along the river banks. They found sufficient |
| pre-Columbian and Spanish influences. Much of | | | | livelihood in farming and ranching. When the |
| this influences are still visible in the | | | | first railroad was completed in1879 the state |
| architecture of the buildings and homes, and | | | | saw an important economic transformation. |
| in the customs of the people. In 1945, New | | | | With the availability of freight services, |
| Mexico became the center for nuclear | | | | cattle ranching expanded to a large scale. |
| research. | | | | Agriculture also saw development as more |
| | | | people cultivated cash crops. Mining became |
| Geographical Location and Demography | | | | an important source for economic viability. |
| | | | People mined silver and gold and other |
| New Mexico occupies a stretch of 314,917 sq | | | | minerals. |
| km (121,590 sq mi) and 606 sq km (234 sq mi) | | | | |
| of inland water. It has therefore the | | | | Economic activities increased when the Los |
| distinction of being the fifth largest state | | | | Alamos National Laboratory was set up in |
| in the United States. On the north are the | | | | 1943. It was here that the first atomic bomb |
| Colorado boundaries, on the west Oklahoma and | | | | was developed. Military and Energy |
| Texas. The south border is taken up by Texas | | | | establishments spurred economic growth. |
| and Mexico. Arizona borders on the west. The | | | | |
| New Mexican landscape is guarded by the | | | | In 2005, the work force of New Mexico had |
| mountain ranges that lend a formidable | | | | 941,300 people. Some 42 percent were in the |
| skyscrape. | | | | service industries, mostly occupations along |
| | | | tourism. Others did work as computer |
| Climate | | | | programmers or did serving in the many |
| | | | restaurants. Twenty percent was in wholesale |
| Down in New Mexico it is sunny. The climate | | | | or in the retail trade; 22 percent were |
| is mild. Winters are warm. It is always | | | | working for the federal, state, or local |
| cooler and wetter up in the mountains and the | | | | government. Some were in the employ of the |
| nearby environs. The state also experiences | | | | military. About 6 percent are in |
| an annual average precipitation of about 8 | | | | construction; 29 percent in real estate, |
| inches. Precipitation is higher in the | | | | finance and insurance. Manufacturing had an |
| valleys of Rio Grande and San Juan. | | | | employment of 6 percent. Farming or forestry |
| | | | had a minimal 3 percent even including |
| The wettest season is on July and August. In | | | | agricultural services. The mining industry |
| winter snow caps the mountains and the lower | | | | had 2 percent of the total workforce. |
| elevations. | | | | |