USA New Mexico - The People : USA  

USA New Mexico - The People - Travel guide

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USA New Mexico - The People

The People

The newest source of income for many reservations in New Mexico is gambling. Large casinos have been built on these lands and are becoming a significant contributor to the Native American economy.

Hispanics, who may be of any race but in New Mexico are primarily of Mexican descent, represented 42.1 percent of the state's population in 2000. The exploration and conquest of present-day New Mexico by the Spanish and, later, the Mexicans, introduced a culture that continues to influence the character of New Mexico. The Camino Real became a major trade route between parts of New Mexico and Mexico, introducing new foods and other cultural attributes to the area. In some of the northern counties, Hispanics constitute a large majority of the population, and in some parts of New Mexico, Spanish is the primary language. Early Hispanic settlers were granted lands first by Spain and later Mexico. Many of these land grants, most of which are in northern New Mexico, are owned today by the descendants of these early settlers.

Anglo-Americans are the third component of the tri-cultural character of the state. Whites comprised 66.8 percent of the state's population in 2000.

The 2000 census put New Mexico's population at 1,819,046. The State Capital is Santa Fe, other major cities or towns include Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Roswell, Rio Rancho, Farmington, Clovis, Alamogordo, Hobbs & Carlsbad.