New Mexico, a state in the Southwestern U.S., is part of the Mountain States and the Four Corners region. It borders Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma, and shares an international border with Mexico. Albuquerque is its largest city, while Santa Fe is the state capital and the oldest in the U.S., founded in 1610. Santa Fe is also the highest state capital at 6,998 feet.
In 1906, El Morro was created as a national monument.
In 1907, Gila Cliff Dwellings was proclaimed a national monument.
In 1907, the Gila Cliff Dwellings were proclaimed as a national monument.
In 1911, New Mexico's original state constitution required all laws to be published in both English and Spanish for twenty years after ratification.
In 1911, the Constitution of New Mexico was adopted by popular referendum, establishing a republican form of government.
On January 6, 1912, New Mexico was admitted to the Union as the 47th state, playing a central role in U.S. westward expansion.
Before becoming a state in 1912, New Mexico was among the few U.S. territories that was predominately nonwhite, which contributed to its delayed admission into the Union.
Before statehood in 1912, the name "New Mexico" loosely applied to various configurations of territories in the same general area.
Since achieving statehood in 1912, New Mexico has been carried by the national popular vote winner in every presidential election except in 1976 and 2024.
The Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) was established upon statehood in 1912.
In 1914, New Mexico's rail transportation system reached its height in terms of length following admission as a state with eleven railroads operating 3124 route miles.
In 1922, Soledad Chávez Chacón was the first woman elected secretary of state of New Mexico, and the first Hispanic woman elected to statewide office in the United States.
In 1923, New Mexico launched the nation's first state publication, New Mexico Magazine, to promote tourism.
In 1924, Congress passed a law granting all Native Americans U.S. citizenship and the right to vote in federal and state elections.
In 1924, Gila Wilderness was designated the world's first wilderness area.
In 1926, most of New Mexico's U.S. routes were built by the state government.
In 1927, the KiMo Theater was built in Albuquerque in the Pueblo Revival Style architecture.
In 1928, a major oil discovery near Hobbs, New Mexico, brought greater wealth to the state.
In 1931, the requirement for publishing laws in both English and Spanish was renewed.
Until 1935, Spanish was permitted in the legislature.
In 1937, the Creamland brand was founded to expand a cooperative dairy venture known as the Albuquerque Dairy Association.
As early as 1940, roughly half the population of New Mexico was estimated to be nonwhite.
Starting in 1940, New Mexico saw its population nearly double from roughly 532,000.
In 1943, the requirement for publishing laws in both English and Spanish was again renewed.
Following the 1947 Roswell incident, New Mexico became a center for unidentified flying objects.
In 1948, the first rocket to reach space flew from White Sands Missile Range.
In 1948, veteran Miguel Trujillo Sr. challenged New Mexico's voting restrictions, leading to a court decision that Native Americans who did not pay taxes could not be denied the right to vote.
Some sources state that New Mexico was officially bilingual until 1953.
On May 22, 1957, a B-36 accidentally dropped a nuclear bomb 4.5 miles from the control tower while landing at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque; only its conventional "trigger" detonated.
On January 13, 1963, the lowest recorded temperature in New Mexico was −57 °F (−49 °C) at Ciniza (near Jamestown).
In 2021, the state repealed a 1969 "trigger law" that had banned most abortion procedures, which would have come into effect following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
Personal computer company MITS was founded in Albuquerque in 1969.
Since 1970, New Mexico Magazine has had a standing feature, One of Our 50 Is Missing.
On May 1, 1971, Amtrak, also known as the National Passenger Railroad Corporation, began operating the two extant long-distance routes in New Mexico.
The Severance Tax Permanent Fund (STPF) was created in 1973 during the oil boom.
Two MITS employees, Paul Allen and Bill Gates, later founded Microsoft in Albuquerque in 1975.
Since achieving statehood in 1912, New Mexico has been carried by the national popular vote winner in every presidential election except in 1976 and 2024.
In 1978, New Mexico was the first state to pass legislation allowing the medical use of marijuana in some form, albeit restricted to a federal research program.
Multinational technology company Intel has had operations in Rio Rancho since 1980.
In 1983, the annual Gathering of Nations began. It has been described as the largest pow wow in the U.S., drawing hundreds of native tribes from across North America.
Since the last amendment to the U.S. Mineral Leasing Act in 1987, New Mexico had by far the lowest percent of land sold for the minimum statutory amount of $2 per acre, at just 3%.
In 1989, New Mexico became the first of only four states to officially adopt the English Plus resolution, which supports acceptance of non-English languages.
The 1992 election of Bill Clinton marked the first time New Mexico was won by a Democrat since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.
On June 27, 1994, the highest temperature recorded in New Mexico was 122 °F (50 °C) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Loving.
Gary Johnson was governor from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican.
In 1995, the state adopted an official bilingual song, "New Mexico – Mi Lindo Nuevo México".
In 1996, New Mexico first instated the lottery scholarship, covering 100% of tuition.
In 1999, Republican Governor Gary Johnson became the highest-ranking elected official in the U.S. to publicly endorse drug legalization.
As of 2000, New Mexico had 59,927 route miles of highway, with 7,037 receiving federal aid, and 1,003 miles of freeways.
By comparison, between 2000 and 2010, New Mexico's population increased by 11.7% from 1,819,046.
Due to its relatively low population and numerous federally funded research facilities, New Mexico had the highest concentration of PhD holders of any state in 2000.
From 2000 to 2010, the number of persons in poverty increased to 400,779, or approximately one-fifth of the population.
In 2000 the value of oil and gas produced was $8.2 billion.
In 2000, the highway traffic fatality rate was 1.9 per million miles traveled in New Mexico, the 13th highest rate among U.S. states.
In the year 2000, there were 2,354 route miles of railroads in New Mexico.
As of 2001, 703 highway bridges, or one percent, were declared "structurally deficient" or "structurally obsolete".
Gary Johnson was governor from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican.
In 2003, U.S. Route 666 was renamed U.S. Route 491.
A 2005 study by New Mexico State University estimated that 11.7% of the state's total employment arises directly or indirectly from military spending.
In 2005, the percentage of persons below the poverty level was 18.4%.
In the 2005 tax year, the average millage was about 26.47 for residential property, and 29.80 for non-residential property.
In 2006, New Mexico accounted for 3.4% of the crude oil, 8.5% of the dry natural gas, and 10.2% of the natural gas liquids produced in the United States.
In 2006, the route miles of railroads increased with the opening of the Rail Runner's extension to Santa Fe.
In 2006, the state-owned, privately run commuter railway, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, began serving the Albuquerque metropolitan area, connecting the city proper with Santa Fe and other communities.
Since 2006, over 300 suborbital flights have been successfully launched from Spaceport America.
Rocket launches began in April 2007 at Spaceport America, the world's first operational and purpose-built commercial spaceport.
In 2007, the per capita personal income was $31,474.
Medicinal marijuana was fully legalized in 2007, making New Mexico the 12th state to do so, and the fourth via legislative action.
Based on 2008 data, New Mexico had 146 law enforcement agencies across the state, county, and municipal levels, with over 5,000 sworn police officers.
In 2008, New Mexico was the first state to officially adopt a Navajo textbook for use in public schools.
In 2008, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express system expanded with the adding of the BNSF Railway's line from Belen to a few miles south of Lamy.
In 2008, the election of Barack Obama marked New Mexico's transition into a Democratic stronghold.
According to the Los Angeles Times, by July 2009, New Mexico ranked 25th in the nation for alcohol-related crash rates, improving from having the highest rates previously.
In 2009, New Mexico became the 15th state to abolish capital punishment.
According to Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), the largest denominations in 2010 were the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the United Methodist Church.
According to the 2010 U.S. census, 28.5% of the population age 5 and older speak Spanish at home, while 3.5% speak Navajo.
From 2000 to 2010, the number of persons in poverty increased to 400,779, or approximately one-fifth of the population.
In 2011, Spaceport America, located in Upham, near Truth or Consequences, officially opened.
In 2012 and 2016 Gary Johnson ran for president from the Libertarian Party.
In 2012, New Mexico was the only state to see a decline in its immigrant population.
In December 2013, the New Mexico Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling directing all county clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, thereby making New Mexico the 17th state to recognize same-sex marriage statewide.
In 2013, a BioScience Center was opened in Albuquerque, the state's first private incubator for biotechnology startups.
Between 2015 and 2019, close to 1,900 people were killed in automotive crashes in New Mexico.
In January 2016, New Mexico sued the United States Environmental Protection Agency over negligence after the 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill.
In January 2016, New Mexico sued the United States Environmental Protection Agency over negligence after the 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill.
In 2012 and 2016 Gary Johnson ran for president from the Libertarian Party.
According to a 2017 survey by the Pew Research Center, New Mexico ranked 18th among the 50 U.S. states in religiosity.
According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, New Mexico ranked first in the nation for chile pepper acreage, with Doña Ana and Luna counties placing first and second among U.S. counties.
As of 2017, New Mexico had an S&P Global Rating of AA+, denoting a very strong capacity to meet financial commitments alongside a very low credit risk.
In 2017, New Mexico established the Bioscience Authority to foster local industry development.
In 2017, New Mexico's lottery scholarship decreased to covering 60% of tuition.
In 2017, footprints discovered in New Mexico suggested human presence in the region as far back as 21,000–23,000 BC.
In 2017, graduates of four-year colleges in New Mexico owed an average of $21,237, compared to the national average of $28,650.
In 2017, nearly 30% of New Mexico's children were in poverty, which is 40% higher than the national average.
Since 2017, the state has seen a steady rise in the number of annual visitors.
By 2018, the boom in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling since the mid-2010s led to a large increase in the production of crude oil from the Permian Basin and other U.S. sources.
In 2018, Netflix chose New Mexico for its first U.S. production hub, pledging to spend over $1 billion over the next decade.
In 2018, New Mexico ranked as the most popular retirement destination, with an estimated 42% of new residents being retired.
In 2018, Republican Herrell narrowly lost to Democrat Xochitl Torres Small in New Mexico's Second Congressional District.
In 2018, a state judge ruled that "New Mexico is violating the constitutional rights of at-risk students by failing to provide them with sufficient education".
In 2018, a study showed that New Mexico's oil and gas industry generated 60 million metric tons of greenhouse gases.
In 2018, the top countries of origin for New Mexico's immigrants were Mexico, the Philippines, India, Germany and Cuba.
In 2018, the value of New Mexico's lottery scholarship slightly increased, and new legislation was passed.
Since 2018, New Mexico has been led by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales, both of the Democratic Party.
On January 1, 2019, Michelle Lujan Grisham succeeded two-term Republican governor Susana Martinez.
In April 2019, a court ordered New Mexico's governor and legislature to provide an adequate education system for at-risk students.
In September 2019, New Mexico announced a plan to make tuition at its public colleges and universities free for all state residents.
A 2019 law increased the top marginal rate for personal income tax in 2021.
A program enacted in 2019 provides benefits to media companies that commit to investing in the state for at least a decade and that use local talent, crew, and businesses.
As of 2019, Los Alamos National Laboratory accounts for 24,000 direct and indirect jobs and over $3 billion in annual federal investment.
Between 2015 and 2019, close to 1,900 people were killed in automotive crashes in New Mexico.
Data from 2019 found 207 bridges and more than 3,822 miles of highway in less than subpar condition in New Mexico.
In 2019, New Mexico United began playing in the second tier USL Championship.
In 2019, New Mexico was the first U.S. state to decriminalize possession of drug paraphernalia.
On March 11, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached New Mexico.
On December 23, 2020, the New Mexico Department of Health reported 1,174 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths, bringing the cumulative statewide totals to 133,242 cases and 2,243 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
A 2020 study ranked New Mexico as the 20th hardest state for citizens to vote in, due mostly to the inaccessibility of polling stations among many isolated communities.
According to the 2020 census, Hispanic and Latino Americans account for nearly half the state's population, at 47.7%.
As of 2020, the Land Grant Permanent Fund was valued at $21.6 billion, while the Severance Tax Permanent Fund was worth $5.8 billion.
During fiscal years 2020–2023, the total direct economic impact from the film tax credit was $2.36 million.
In 2020, Republican Herrell retook her seat in New Mexico's Second Congressional District.
In 2020, a study by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) determined 67% of the population were Christian, with Roman Catholics constituting the largest denominational group.
In 2020, census data found that 19.9% of the population in New Mexico identifies as multiracial/mixed-race.
In 2020, the Native American population in New Mexico comprised roughly one-tenth of all residents, maintaining a stable proportion of the population for over a century.
In 2020, the number of doctorate recipients in New Mexico was 300, placing the state 34th in the nation.
The 2020 census recorded a population of 2,117,522 in New Mexico, an increase of 2.8% from the 2010 census.
The 2020 census recorded a slightly reduced poverty rate of 18.2%.
In January 2021, New Mexico approved a minimum wage increase to $10.50 per hour.
On March 1, 2021, Santa Fe County enacted a "Living Wage Ordinance," mandating a minimum wage of $12.32.
In April 2021, New Mexico became the 18th state to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
On May 22, 2021, Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity launched from Spaceport America, making New Mexico the third U.S. state to launch humans into space.
The unemployment rate for June 2021 is 7.9% in New Mexico, tied with Connecticut as the highest in the country.
From July 2021 to July 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated a slight decrease in population.
In July 2021, New Mexico overtook North Dakota in oil production.
In August 2021, Santa Fe announced a one-year pilot program providing a $400 monthly "stability stipend" to 100 parents under 30 attending Santa Fe Community College.
On October 22, 2021, Spaceport America was the site of the first successfully tested vacuum-sealed "suborbital accelerator", conducted by SpinLaunch.
A 2021 analysis placed New Mexico 23rd in business tax climate; its property taxes were found to be the least burdensome in the U.S.
A report commissioned in 2021 attributed the state's slow population growth to a negative net migration rate.
As of 2021, New Mexico's gross domestic product was over $95 billion, and the per capita personal income was slightly over $45,800.
As of 2021, the combined Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) rate in New Mexico ranged from 5.125% to 9.063%.
As of 2021, the vast majority of immigrants in New Mexico came from Mexico (67.6%), followed by the Philippines (3.1%) and Germany (2.4%).
In 2021, NBCUniversal opened its own television film studio in the city, committing to spend $500 million in direct production.
In 2021, New Mexico chile sold close to $40 million, while dry beans accounted for $7.6 million.
In 2021, New Mexico repealed a 1969 "trigger law" that had banned most abortion procedures.
In 2021, New Mexico saw a record-breaking 39.2 million tourists, which had a total economic income of $10 billion.
In 2021, the federal government spent $2.48 on New Mexico for every dollar of tax revenue collected from the state.
In 2021, the top marginal rate for personal income tax was increased from 4.9%.
On January 1, 2022, the state's minimum wage is set to increase to $11.50.
In January 2022, New Mexico became the first state in the U.S. to recruit national guardsmen and state workers to serve as substitute teachers due to staffing shortages.
On March 1, 2022, Governor Grisham signed into law four bills to increase the salaries and benefits of teachers and other school staff.
In March 2022, New Mexico became the first state to offer free college tuition for all residents, after the legislature passed a bipartisan bill.
As of June 2022, New Mexico has one of the nation's most permissive abortion laws: Elective abortion care is legal at all stages of pregnancy, without restrictions.
On July 1, 2022, New Mexico's free college tuition program took effect, covering tuition and fees at all 29 public colleges, universities, community colleges, and tribal colleges for all residents.
From July 2021 to July 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated a slight decrease in population.
In November 2022, the New Mexico State Investment Council announced a $100 million commitment to America's Frontier Fund (AFF), a venture capital firm focused on advanced technologies.
A 2022 report cited poor roads as a major factor in New Mexico's continually high traffic fatalities.
According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 2,560 homeless people in New Mexico.
According to the 2022 American Community Survey, information was gathered about the most commonly claimed ancestry groups in New Mexico.
According to the New Mexico Film Office, in 2022, film and television expenditures reached the highest recorded level at over $855 million.
Among the population in 2022, 31% were unaffiliated with any religion.
As of 2022, a little over 9% of New Mexican residents are foreign-born, and an additional 6.0% of U.S.-born residents live with at least one immigrant parent.
In 2022, Democrat Gabe Vasquez defeated Republican Herrell in New Mexico's Second Congressional District.
In 2022, New Mexico ranked 13th in the Social Mobility Index (SMI).
In 2022, pharmaceutical company Curia announced plans to invest $100 million to expand local operations.
In 2022, the PRRI estimated 63% of the population in New Mexico were Christian.
On January 1, 2023, the state's minimum wage is set to increase to $12.00.
As of January 2023, New Mexico ranked sixth in the number of female state legislators (43.8%), with women comprising a majority of the New Mexico House of Representatives (53%) and over a quarter of the Senate (29%).
As of 2023, agriculture contributes $40 billion to New Mexico's economy, employs nearly 260,000 people, and the state exports $275 million in agricultural goods.
During fiscal years 2020–2023, the total direct economic impact from the film tax credit was $2.36 million.
In 2023, New Mexico's total real gross domestic product (GDP) was over $105 billion, with a GDP per capita of $49,879.
In January 2024, Intel opened its Fab 9 factory in Rio Rancho.
Since achieving statehood in 1912, New Mexico has been carried by the national popular vote winner in every presidential election except in 1976 and 2024.