| The population of New Mexico, which is almost | | | | currently 3 air force bases Kirtland, |
| 2 million, is concentrated in the Rio Grande | | | | Holloman and Cannon, in New Mexico, and major |
| Corridor, which is a rift valley that cuts | | | | national laboratories, Sandia and Los Alamos, |
| the state in two from the North to the South. | | | | which account for a large amount of the |
| Down the rift travels the nation's second | | | | economy of the state. These facilities work |
| longest river, the Rio Grande. Around this | | | | in nuclear weapons, nuclear energy, and the |
| valley are the major cities of the state. | | | | space program. White Sands Space Harbor, near |
| Albuquerque is the largest, with 800,000 | | | | Las Cruces, is a training center for Shuttle |
| people in its metropolitan area. Santa Fe, | | | | astronauts. |
| 7,000 feet above sea level, is the capital, | | | | |
| and is the third largest city. La Cruces, in | | | | Albuquerque is also the home of the |
| the south central area is near the | | | | University of New Mexico. Rio Rancho, outside |
| agricultural area of Mesilla Valley, also the | | | | Albuquerque, is the fastest growing city in |
| home of much chile pepper production. It is | | | | the state, and is home of a new $2 billion |
| home to the New Mexico State University, and | | | | Intel semiconductor facility. Private |
| is the second largest city in the state with | | | | investment funds are investing in New Mexico |
| 82,000 people. Taos in the northern part of | | | | jobs, together with major state support. A |
| the state is known for its artist colony and | | | | recent large investment was given to Eclipse |
| Indian artifacts and crafts production. Taos | | | | Aviation, near Albuquerque - a company that |
| also has a white-river recreational area | | | | combines the passion for aviation of its |
| nearby and fishing, plus skiing in the | | | | founder, with a NASA initiative to develop |
| wintertime. There's plenty more places for | | | | efficient lightweight engines, and now |
| your New Mexico Incorporation. | | | | produces small planes for private flights. |
| | | | Virgin Galactic, a company which plans to |
| New Mexico has a fascinating history of | | | | offer sub-orbital, and later orbital, |
| advanced Indian cultures responsible for | | | | spaceflights to the paying public will locate |
| cliff dwellings and multi storied stone | | | | near Upham in southern New Mexico, and will |
| buildings from the 13th century. Beginning in | | | | establish its worldwide headquarters in New |
| the 17th century, the area of New Mexico was | | | | Mexico. |
| part of Spanish America, as artifacts, and | | | | |
| mission buildings and state names recall. In | | | | The federal government hires one out of every |
| modern times, New Mexico was critical for the | | | | four New Mexico workers - this includes the |
| development of aerospace in the United | | | | U.S. Military, National Parks Service and |
| States. It was an area that encouraged new | | | | National Forests. Agriculture and livestock |
| thinking. Robert Goddard, later known as the | | | | breeding are also a large part of the state's |
| father of rocketry, set up shop in New Mexico | | | | economy, as is extensive mining, and tourism. |
| for his experiment in the 1930s, which were | | | | There is no sales tax, but a gross receipt |
| attacked and ridiculed until they were shown | | | | tax. The top personal income tax rate is |
| to be critical breakthroughs. In recent | | | | 5.80%, and the top corporate income tax rate |
| history, New Mexico was the site of the World | | | | is 7.60%. There is no estate or inheritance |
| War II Manhattan Project - the crash project | | | | tax. |
| to develop nuclear weapons. There are | | | | |