Editing New Mexico (section)

==Geography==
{{Further|List of counties in New Mexico}}
{{See also|Geography of New Mexico|Delaware Basin}}
[[File:Wheeler Pk from Valle Vidal.jpg|thumb|[[Wheeler Peak (New Mexico)|Wheeler Peak]] in the [[Sangre de Cristo Mountains|Sangre de Cristo Range]]]]
[[File:Carlsbad Interior Formations.jpg|thumb|[[Carlsbad Caverns National Park]]]]
[[File:White sands national monument dune.jpg|thumb|[[White Sands National Park]]]]
[[File:Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.jpg|thumb|[[Rio Grande Gorge]] and [[Rio Grande Gorge Bridge|Bridge]]]]
[[File:Shiprock.snodgrass3.jpg|thumb|[[Shiprock]]]]

With a total area of {{convert|121590|sqmi|km2}},<ref name="uscensus2010_cph-2-1_area" /> New Mexico is the [[List of U.S. states and territories by area|fifth-largest state]], after Alaska, Texas, California, and Montana. Its eastern border lies along 103°W [[longitude]] with the state of [[Oklahoma]], and {{convert|2.2|mi|abbr=off}} west of 103°W longitude with [[Texas]] due to a 19th-century surveying error.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Archived copy|url=http://www.amerisurv.com/PDF/TheAmericanSurveyor_Roeder-TX-NMLine_December2006.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424053426/http://www.amerisurv.com/PDF/TheAmericanSurveyor_Roeder-TX-NMLine_December2006.pdf|archive-date=April 24, 2015|access-date=February 8, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nmpartnership.com/maps.aspx |title=MAPS |publisher=NM Partnership |access-date=September 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914031132/http://www.nmpartnership.com/Maps.aspx |archive-date=September 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On the southern border, Texas makes up the eastern two-thirds, while the Mexican states of [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]] and [[Sonora]] make up the western third, with Chihuahua making up about 90% of that. The western border with [[Arizona]] runs along the [[32nd meridian west from Washington|109° 03'W]] longitude.<ref name="NMSUclimate">{{cite web |url=http://weather.nmsu.edu/News/climate-in-NM.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040708010008/http://weather.nmsu.edu/News/climate-in-NM.htm |archive-date=July 8, 2004 |title=Climate of New Mexico |publisher=New Mexico State University |access-date=March 20, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The southwestern corner of the state is known as the [[New Mexico Bootheel|Bootheel]]. The [[37th parallel north|37°N]] parallel forms the northern boundary with Colorado. The states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah come together at the Four Corners in New Mexico's northwestern corner. Its surface water area is about {{convert|292|sqmi|km2}}.<ref name="uscensus2010_cph-2-1_area" />

Despite its popular depiction as mostly arid desert, New Mexico has one of the most diverse [[landscape]]s of any U.S. state, ranging from wide, auburn-colored deserts and [[Prairie|verdant grasslands]], to broken [[mesa]]s and high, snow-capped peaks.<ref name="britannica.com">{{Cite encyclopedia|entry=New Mexico|entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|access-date=2021-08-03|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012085307/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|url-status=live}}</ref> Close to a [[Forest cover by state and territory in the United States|third of the state is covered in timberland]], with heavily forested mountain wildernesses dominating the north. The [[Sangre de Cristo Mountains]], the southernmost part of the [[Rocky Mountains]], run roughly north–south along the east side of the [[Rio Grande]], in the rugged, pastoral north. The [[Great Plains]] extend into the eastern third of the state, most notably the [[Llano Estacado]] ("Staked Plain"), whose westernmost boundary is marked by the [[Mescalero Ridge]] [[Caprock Escarpment|escarpment]]. The northwestern quadrant of New Mexico is dominated by the [[Colorado Plateau]], characterized by unique volcanic formations, dry grasslands and shrublands, open [[pinyon-juniper woodland]], and mountain forests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Colorado Plateau shrublands {{!}} Ecoregions {{!}} WWF|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na1304|access-date=2021-08-03|website=World Wildlife Fund|language=en|archive-date=August 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803033930/https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na1304|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Chihuahuan Desert]], which is the largest in North America, extends through the south.

Over four–fifths of New Mexico is higher than {{convert|4000|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above sea level. The average elevation ranges from up to {{convert|8000|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above sea level in the northwest, to less than 4,000 feet in the southeast.<ref name="britannica.com" /> The highest point is [[Wheeler Peak (New Mexico)|Wheeler Peak]] at over {{convert|13160|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, while the lowest is the [[Red Bluff Reservoir]] at around {{convert|2840|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}, in the southeastern corner of the state.

In addition to the Rio Grande, which is tied for the [[List of rivers of the United States|fourth-longest river in the U.S.]], New Mexico has four other major river systems: the [[Pecos River|Pecos]], [[Canadian River|Canadian]], [[San Juan River (Colorado River)|San Juan]], and [[Gila River|Gila]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/riversofworld.html|title=Rivers of the World|publisher=USGS|access-date=May 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305045437/http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/riversofworld.html|archive-date=March 5, 2009}}</ref> Nearly bisecting New Mexico from north to south, the Rio Grande has played an influential role in the region's history; its fertile floodplain has supported human habitation since prehistoric times, and European settlers initially lived exclusively in its valleys and along its tributaries.<ref name="britannica.com" /> The Pecos, which flows roughly parallel to the Rio Grande at its east, was a popular route for explorers, as was the Canadian River, which rises in the mountainous north and flows east across the arid plains. The San Juan and Gila lie west of the [[Continental Divide of the Americas|Continental Divide]], in the northwest and southwest, respectively. With the exception of the Gila, all major rivers are dammed in New Mexico and provide a major water source for [[irrigation]] and flood control.

===Climate===
New Mexico has long been known for its dry, temperate climate.<ref name="britannica.com" /> Overall, the state is semi-arid to arid, with areas of continental and alpine climates at higher elevations. New Mexico's statewide average precipitation is {{convert|13.7|in|mm}} a year, with average monthly amounts peaking in the summer, particularly in the more rugged north-central area around Albuquerque and in the south. Generally, the eastern third of the state receives the most rainfall, while the western third receives the least. Higher altitudes receive around {{convert|40|in|mm}}, while the lowest elevations see as little as {{convert|8|to|10|in|mm|abbr=off}}.<ref name="britannica.com" />
{{Weather box
| location = New Mexico
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 89
| Feb record high F = 100
| Mar record high F = 99
| Apr record high F = 104
| May record high F = 110
| Jun record high F = 122
| Jul record high F = 116
| Aug record high F = 115
| Sep record high F = 113
| Oct record high F = 101
| Nov record high F = 97
| Dec record high F = 90
| year record high F = 122
| Jan high F = 49.7
| Feb high F = 54.0
| Mar high F = 61.8
| Apr high F = 69.2
| May high F = 78.1
| Jun high F = 87.8
| Jul high F = 88.8
| Aug high F = 86.3
| Sep high F = 80.4
| Oct high F = 70.6
| Nov high F = 58.6
| Dec high F = 49.4
| year high F =
| Jan record low F = -57
| Feb record low F = -50
| Mar record low F = -34
| Apr record low F = -36
| May record low F = -2
| Jun record low F = 10
| Jul record low F = 19
| Aug record low F = 23
| Sep record low F = 8
| Oct record low F = -15
| Nov record low F = -38
| Dec record low F = -47
| year record low F = -57
| Jan low F = 21.7
| Feb low F = 25.0
| Mar low F = 30.4
| Apr low F = 36.5
| May low F = 45.2
| Jun low F = 54.4
| Jul low F = 59.5
| Aug low F = 58.1
| Sep low F = 51.1
| Oct low F = 39.7
| Nov low F = 29.0
| Dec low F = 22.0
| year low F =
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 0.67
| Feb precipitation inch = 0.59
| Mar precipitation inch = 0.69
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.62
| May precipitation inch = 0.91
| Jun precipitation inch = 1.02
| Jul precipitation inch = 2.44
| Aug precipitation inch = 2.33
| Sep precipitation inch = 1.76
| Oct precipitation inch = 1.17
| Nov precipitation inch = 0.68
| Dec precipitation inch = 0.81
| year precipitation inch =
| source = Extreme Weather Watch<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/states/new-mexico | title=New Mexico Weather Records | access-date=March 7, 2022 | archive-date=March 7, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307005840/https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/states/new-mexico | url-status=live }}</ref>
| source 2 = NOAA<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/cag/statewide/time-series/29/pcp/1/12/2020-2022?base_prd=true&begbaseyear=1991&endbaseyear=2020 | title=Statewide Time Series &#124; Climate at a Glance &#124; National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) }}</ref>
}}
[[File:Köppen Climate Types New Mexico.png|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of New Mexico, using 1991–2020 [[Climatological normal|climate normals]]]]
Annual temperatures can range from {{convert|65|°F|°C}} in the southeast to below {{convert|40|°F|°C}} in the northern mountains,<ref name="NMSUclimate" /> with the average being the mid-50s °F (12&nbsp;°C). During the summer, daytime temperatures can often exceed {{convert|100|°F|°C}} at elevations below {{convert|5000|ft|m}}; the average high temperature in July ranges from {{convert|99|°F|°C}} at the lower elevations down to 78{{spaces}}°F (26{{spaces}}°C) at the higher elevations. In the colder months of November to March, many cities in New Mexico can have nighttime temperature lows in the teens above zero, or lower. The highest temperature recorded in New Mexico was {{convert|122|°F|°C}} at the [[Waste Isolation Pilot Plant|Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)]] near [[Loving, New Mexico|Loving]] on June 27, 1994; the lowest recorded temperature is {{convert|-57|°F|°C}} at [[Jamestown, New Mexico|Ciniza]] (near [[Jamestown, New Mexico|Jamestown]]) on January 13, 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/scec/getextreme.php?forwhat=st&elem=ALL&state=NM|title=All-Time Climate Extremes for NM |access-date=March 18, 2011 |publisher=National Climatic Data Center |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528175146/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/scec/getextreme.php?forwhat=st&elem=ALL&state=NM |archive-date=May 28, 2010}}</ref>

New Mexico's stable climate and sparse population provides for clearer skies and less [[light pollution]], making it a popular site for several major [[:Category:Astronomical observatories in New Mexico|astronomical observatories]], including the [[Apache Point Observatory]], the [[Very Large Array]], and the [[Magdalena Ridge Observatory]], among others.<ref>John W. Briggs.[https://stellafane.org/misc/activities/publications/Magdalena-Briggs.pdf "Making it in Magdalena"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155628/https://stellafane.org/misc/activities/publications/Magdalena-Briggs.pdf |date=February 11, 2017 }}."Reflector".2016.</ref><ref>Lauren Villagran.
[https://www.abqjournal.com/923136/new-mexicos-window-to-the-stars.html "New Mexico's window to the stars"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211075402/https://www.abqjournal.com/923136/new-mexicos-window-to-the-stars.html |date=February 11, 2017 }}.
''Albuquerque Journal''.
2017.</ref>

===Flora and fauna===
[[File:Geococcyx californianus.jpg|thumb|[[Greater roadrunner]] (the state bird of New Mexico)]]
Owing to its varied [[topography]], New Mexico has six distinct [[Vegetation zone (latitude)|vegetation zones]] that provide diverse sets of habitats for many plants and animals.<ref name="Beck-McNamee-2023a">{{Cite encyclopedia|entry=New Mexico – Climate|entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|access-date=2021-08-03|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012085307/https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Mexico|url-status=live}}</ref> The Upper Sonoran Zone is by far the most prominent, constituting about three-fourths of the state; it includes most of the plains, foothills, and valleys above 4,500 feet, and is defined by prairie grasses, low piñon pines, and juniper shrubs. The [[Llano Estacado]] in the east features [[Shortgrass Prairie]] with [[Bouteloua gracilis|blue grama]], which sustain [[American bison|bison]]. The [[Chihuahuan Desert]] in the south is characterized by shrubby [[Larrea tridentata|creosote]]. The [[Colorado Plateau]] in the northwest corner of New Mexico is high desert with cold winters, featuring [[Artemisia tridentata|sagebrush]], [[Atriplex confertifolia|shadescale]], [[Sarcobatus|greasewood]], and other plants adapted to the [[Soil salinity|saline]] and [[Selenium|seleniferous]] soil.

The mountainous north hosts a wide array of vegetation types corresponding to elevation gradients, such as [[Pinyon-juniper woodland|piñon-juniper woodlands]] near the base, through [[evergreen]] [[Pinophyta|conifers]], [[spruce]]-[[fir]] and [[aspen]] forests in the transitionary zone, and [[Krummholz]], and [[alpine tundra]] at the very top.<ref name="Beck-McNamee-2023a" /> The [[Madrean Region|Apachian zone]] tucked into the southwestern bootheel of the state has high-calcium soil, [[Madrean pine-oak woodlands|oak woodlands]], [[Cupressus arizonica|Arizona cypress]], and other plants that are not found in other parts of the state.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lowrey|first1=Timothy K.|title=Flora of New Mexico: Biology 463|date=2017|publisher=University of New Mexico|pages=88–162}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ivey |first1=Robert DeWitt |title=Flowering plants of New Mexico |date=2008 |publisher=RD & V Ivey |location=Albuquerque|isbn=978-0961217044 |edition=5th}}</ref> The southern sections of the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys have {{convert|20000|mi2|km2|abbr=off}} of New Mexico's best grazing land and irrigated farmland.

New Mexico's varied climate and vegetation zones consequently support diverse wildlife. [[American black bear|Black bears]], [[bighorn sheep]], [[bobcat]]s, [[cougar]]s, [[deer]], and [[elk]] live in habitats above 7,000 feet, while [[coyote]]s, [[jackrabbit]]s, [[kangaroo rat]]s, [[Peccary|javelina]], [[porcupine]]s, [[pronghorn|pronghorn antelope]], [[Crotalus atrox|western diamondbacks]], and [[wild turkey]]s live in less mountainous and elevated regions.<ref>{{cite book|first=Florence|last=Merriam Bailey|year=1928|title=Birds of New Mexico|publisher=The University of Michigan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | first=C. Michael | last=Hogan | year=2008 | url=http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 | title=Wild turkey: Meleagris gallopavo | website=GlobalTwitcher.com | access-date=April 2, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725174654/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=2199 | archive-date=July 25, 2017 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="MexicoCommission1966">{{cite book|author1=New Mexico|author2=New Mexico Compilation Commission|title=New Mexico statutes, 1953, annotated|volume=2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TdpGAQAAIAAJ|access-date=July 31, 2011|year=1966|publisher=A. Smith Co.|location=Indianapolis|oclc=28494004|page=68|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529051433/http://books.google.com/books?id=TdpGAQAAIAAJ|archive-date=May 29, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The iconic [[greater roadrunner|roadrunner]], which is the state bird, is abundant in the southeast. Endangered species include the [[Mexican wolf|Mexican gray wolf]], which is being gradually reintroduced in the world, and [[Rio Grande silvery minnow]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Threatened and Endangered Species of New Mexico: 2012 Biennial Review |url=http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/download/conservation/threatened-endangered-species/biennial-reviews/2012-Biennial-Review-Executive_Summary_and_Full_Text.pdf |website=New Mexico Department of Game and Fish |access-date=June 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113061108/http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/download/conservation/threatened-endangered-species/biennial-reviews/2012-Biennial-Review-Executive_Summary_and_Full_Text.pdf |archive-date=November 13, 2018 }}</ref> Over 500 species of birds live or migrate through New Mexico, third only to California and Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 7, 2021|title=Take Flight|url=https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/guide-to-bird-watching-in-new-mexico/|access-date=2022-01-06|website=www.newmexicomagazine.org|language=en-us|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106180135/https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/guide-to-bird-watching-in-new-mexico/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Conservation ===
New Mexico and 12 other western states together account for 93% of all federally owned land in the U.S. Roughly one–third of the state, or 24.7&nbsp;million of 77.8&nbsp;million acres, is held by the U.S. government, the tenth-highest percentage in the country. More than half this land is under the [[Bureau of Land Management]] as either [[Public domain (land)|public domain land]] or [[National Conservation Lands]], while another third is managed by the [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]] as [[National forest (United States)|national forests]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Find a Forest by State|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml#NewMexico|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620110003/http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml#NewMexico|archive-date=June 20, 2013|access-date=March 20, 2010|publisher=USDA Forest Service}}</ref>

New Mexico was central to the early–20th century [[conservation movement]], with [[Gila Wilderness]] being designated the world's first [[wilderness area]] in 1924.<ref name="Mazurek-2021">{{Cite news|last=Mazurek|first=Anna|date=June 18, 2021|title=A monumental journey through New Mexico|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travel-new-mexico-national-monuments/2021/06/17/dea06c3a-c9fa-11eb-afd0-9726f7ec0ba6_story.html|access-date=August 2, 2021|archive-date=July 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730084714/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travel-new-mexico-national-monuments/2021/06/17/dea06c3a-c9fa-11eb-afd0-9726f7ec0ba6_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The state also hosts nine of the country's 84 [[National monument (United States)|national monuments]], the most of any state after Arizona; these include the second oldest monument, [[El Morro National Monument|El Morro]], which was created in 1906, and the [[Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument|Gila Cliff Dwellings]], proclaimed in 1907.<ref name="Mazurek-2021" />

====National forests in New Mexico====
{| class="wikitable"
|[[Carson National Forest]]
|[[File:Carson National Forest - 2021-01-20.jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Cibola National Forest]]
|[[File:Trailhead, Trail 77, Gooseberry Trail, Cibola, National Forest - panoramio (1).jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Lincoln National Forest]]
|[[File:Lincoln National Forest (15397461699).jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Santa Fe National Forest]]
|[[File:Looking South from Hermit's Peak, Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest.jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Gila National Forest]]
|[[File:Gila Natl Forest Nima3.JPG|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Gila Wilderness]]
|[[File:GilaWilderness.jpg|center|frameless]]
|-
|[[Coronado National Forest]] (in [[Hidalgo County, New Mexico|Hidalgo County]])
|[[File:Peloncillo Mountains - Flickr - aspidoscelis.jpg|center|frameless]]
|}

====National parks in New Mexico====
New Mexico's [[U.S. national parks|national parks]], together with [[National monument (United States)|national monuments]] and [[National Trail System|trails]] managed by the [[National Park Service]], are listed as follows:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/state/nm/index.htm|title=National Park Service Units in New Mexico|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=September 28, 2023|archive-date=August 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821181025/http://www.nps.gov/state/nm/index.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Aztec Ruins National Monument]] at [[Aztec, New Mexico|Aztec]]
* [[Bandelier National Monument]] at [[White Rock, New Mexico|White Rock]]
* [[Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail]]
* [[Capulin Volcano National Monument]] near [[Capulin, New Mexico|Capulin]]
* [[Carlsbad Caverns National Park]] near [[Carlsbad, New Mexico|Carlsbad]]
* [[Chaco Culture National Historical Park]] at [[Nageezi, New Mexico|Nageezi]]
* [[El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail]]
* [[El Malpais National Monument]] near [[Grants, New Mexico|Grants]]
* [[El Morro National Monument]] in [[Ramah, New Mexico|Ramah]]
* [[Fort Union National Monument]] at [[Watrous, New Mexico|Watrous]]
* [[Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument]] near [[Silver City, New Mexico|Silver City]]
* [[Manhattan Project National Historical Park]] in [[Los Alamos, New Mexico|Los Alamos]]
* [[Old Spanish National Historic Trail]]
* [[Pecos National Historical Park]] in [[Pecos, New Mexico|Pecos]]
* [[Petroglyph National Monument]] near [[Albuquerque]]
* [[Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument]] at [[Mountainair, New Mexico|Mountainair]]
* [[Santa Fe National Historic Trail]]
* [[Valles Caldera National Preserve]] in the [[Jemez Mountains]]
* [[White Sands National Park]] near [[Alamogordo, New Mexico|Alamogordo]]
}}

====National conservation lands in New Mexico====
New Mexico's national monuments, conservation areas, and other units of the [[National Landscape Conservation System]] are managed by the [[Bureau of Land Management]]. Units include but are not limited to:<ref>{{cite web|access-date=September 28, 2023|publisher=Bureau of Land Management|title=New Mexico National Conservation Lands|url=https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/new-mexico|archive-date=September 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928111545/https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/new-mexico|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness]] near [[Farmington, New Mexico|Farmington]]
* [[El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail]]
* [[El Malpais National Conservation Area]] near [[Grants, New Mexico|Grants]]
* [[Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument]] in [[Cochiti Pueblo]]
* [[Prehistoric Trackways National Monument]] near [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]]
* [[Old Spanish National Historic Trail]]
* [[Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument]] near [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]]
* [[Rio Grande del Norte National Monument]] near [[Taos, New Mexico|Taos]]
* [[Rio Chama|Rio Chama Wild and Scenic River]] near [[Abiquiu]]
* [[Wild Rivers Recreation Area|Rio Grande and Red River Wild and Scenic Rivers]] near [[Questa, New Mexico|Questa]]

====National wildlife refuges in New Mexico====
New Mexico's [[National Wildlife Refuge]]s are managed by the [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]].  Units include:
* [[Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Grulla National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[San Andres National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge]]

====State parks in New Mexico====
Areas managed by the New Mexico State Parks Division:<ref>{{Cite web|title=EMNRD State Parks Division|url=http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/FindaPark.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511181221/http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/FindaPark.html|archive-date=May 11, 2019|access-date=October 2, 2019|website=www.emnrd.state.nm.us}}</ref><ref group="Note">[[Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park|Vietnam Veterans Memorial]] was a state park until 2017, when it was transferred to the Department of Veteran Services in 2017. [https://www.newmexico.org/listing/vietnam-veterans-memorial-state-park/2042/ Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park | Angel Fire, NM 87045]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106180135/https://www.newmexico.org/listing/vietnam-veterans-memorial-state-park/2042/ |date=January 6, 2022 }} (newmexico.org).</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[Bluewater Lake State Park]]
* [[Bottomless Lakes State Park]]
* [[Brantley Lake State Park]]
* [[Cerrillos Hills State Park]]
* [[Caballo Lake State Park]]
* [[Cimarron Canyon State Park]]
* [[City of Rocks State Park]]
* [[Clayton Lake State Park]]
* [[Conchas Lake]] State Park
* [[Coyote Creek State Park]]
* [[Eagle Nest Lake State Park]]
* [[Elephant Butte Lake State Park]]
* [[El Vado Lake]] State Park
* [[Heron Lake (New Mexico)|Heron Lake]] State Park
* [[Hyde Memorial State Park]]
* Leasburg Dam State Park
* [[Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park]]
* [[Manzano Mountains State Park]]
* [[Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park]]
* [[Morphy Lake State Park]]
* [[Navajo Lake]] ''([[Rio Arriba County, New Mexico|Rio Arriba]], NM and [[San Juan County, New Mexico|San Juan, NM]])''
* [[Oasis State Park]]
* [[Oliver Lee Memorial State Park]]
* [[Pancho Villa State Park]]
* [[Percha Dam State Park]]
* [[Rio Grande Nature Center State Park]]
* [[Rio Grande Valley State Park]]
* [[Rockhound State Park]]
* [[Santa Rosa Lake State Park]]
* [[Storrie Lake State Park]]
* [[Sugarite Canyon State Park]]
* [[Sumner Lake State Park]]
* [[Fenton Lake State Park]]
* [[Ute Lake State Park]]
* [[Villanueva State Park]]
}}

====Other nature reserves in New Mexico====
Examples of locally administered nature reserves include:
* Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Valencia County<ref name="Valencia Conservation District 2022">{{cite web | title=Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area | website=Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District | date=February 21, 2022 | url=https://valenciaswcd.org/whitfield-wildlife-conservation-area/ | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161646/https://valenciaswcd.org/whitfield-wildlife-conservation-area/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Rio Communities New Mexico 2022">{{cite web | title=Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area | website=Rio Communities New Mexico | date=December 26, 2022 | url=https://www.riocommunities.net/community/page/whitfield-wildlife-conservation-area | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161655/https://www.riocommunities.net/community/page/whitfield-wildlife-conservation-area | url-status=live }}</ref>
* Albuquerque Open Space, see Open Space Visitor Center<ref name="City of Albuquerque 2022">{{cite web | title=Open Space Visitor Center | website=City of Albuquerque | date=December 16, 2022 | url=https://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/open-space/open-space-visitor-center | access-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-date=December 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226161643/https://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/open-space/open-space-visitor-center | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Environmental issues===

In January 2016, New Mexico sued the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] over negligence after the [[2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill]]. The spill had caused heavy metals such as cadmium and lead and toxins such as arsenic to flow into the [[Animas River]], polluting water basins of several states.<ref>Levin, Sam. [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/14/epa-new-mexico-colorado-toxic-river-waste-environment "New Mexico to sue EPA after massive mining spill filled rivers with toxic waste"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220002930/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/14/epa-new-mexico-colorado-toxic-river-waste-environment |date=February 20, 2019 }}, ''[[The Guardian]]'', London, January 14, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2019.</ref> The state has since implemented or considered stricter regulations and harsher penalties for spills associated with resource extraction.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hedden|first=Adrian|title=New Mexico eyeing stricter regulations, more fines on oil and gas spills|url=https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/10/27/new-mexico-eyeing-stricter-regulations-more-fines-oil-and-gas-spills/5996065002/|access-date=2021-08-11|website=Carlsbad Current-Argus|language=en-US|archive-date=August 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811180842/https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/10/27/new-mexico-eyeing-stricter-regulations-more-fines-oil-and-gas-spills/5996065002/|url-status=live}}</ref>

New Mexico is a major producer of [[greenhouse gas]]es.<ref name="Msn-2021">{{Cite web|title=Report: Oil and gas leads New Mexico in greenhouse gas emissions, renewable sector growing|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/report-oil-and-gas-leads-new-mexico-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions-renewable-sector-growing/ar-BB1aEQE6|access-date=2021-08-11|website=www.msn.com|archive-date=August 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811180841/https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/report-oil-and-gas-leads-new-mexico-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions-renewable-sector-growing/ar-BB1aEQE6|url-status=live}}</ref> A study by Colorado State University showed that the state's oil and gas industry generated 60 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2018, over four times greater than previously estimated.<ref name="Msn-2021" /> The fossil fuels sector accounted for over half the state's overall emissions, which totaled 113.6&nbsp;million metric tons, about 1.8% of the country's total and more than twice the national average per capita.<ref name="Msn-2021" /><ref name="Hedden-2020b">{{Cite web|last=Hedden|first=Adrian|title=Oil and gas industry, New Mexico works to curb greenhouse gas emissions, fight climate change|url=https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/09/29/oil-and-gas-industry-new-mexico-works-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions/3523972001/|access-date=2021-08-11|website=Carlsbad Current-Argus|language=en-US|archive-date=August 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811180844/https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/09/29/oil-and-gas-industry-new-mexico-works-curb-greenhouse-gas-emissions/3523972001/|url-status=live}}</ref> The New Mexico government has responded with efforts to regulate industrial emissions, promote renewable energy, and incentivize the use of electric vehicles.<ref name="Hedden-2020b" /><ref name="abqjournal.com">{{Cite news |title=New Mexico targets vehicle emissions |newspaper=Albuquerque Journal |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2415469/new-mexico-targets-vehicle-emissions.html?amp=1 |access-date=2021-08-11 |date=August 2021 |archive-date=August 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811180842/https://www.abqjournal.com/2415469/new-mexico-targets-vehicle-emissions.html?amp=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Settlements ===
{{See also|List of municipalities in New Mexico|List of census-designated places in New Mexico|List of counties in New Mexico}}
[[File:New Mexico population density 2020.png|thumb|left|New Mexico population density map]]With just {{convert|17|/sqmi|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|abbr=out}}, New Mexico is one of the [[List of states and territories of the United States by population density|least densely populated states]], ranking 45th out of 50; by contrast, the overall population density of the U.S. is {{convert|90|/sqmi|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|abbr=out}}. The state is divided into 33 counties and 106 municipalities, which include cities, towns, villages, and a [[City-County|consolidated city-county]], [[Los Alamos County, New Mexico|Los Alamos]]. Only three cities have at least 100,000 residents: Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Las Cruces, whose respective metropolitan areas together account for the majority of New Mexico's population.

Residents are concentrated in the north-central region of New Mexico, anchored by the state's largest city, Albuquerque. Centered in [[Bernalillo County, New Mexico|Bernalillo County]], the [[Albuquerque metropolitan area]] includes New Mexico's third-largest city, [[Rio Rancho, New Mexico|Rio Rancho]], and has a population of over 918,000, accounting for one-third of all New Mexicans. It is adjacent to [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], the capital and fourth-largest city. Altogether, the [[Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area]] includes more than 1.17&nbsp;million people, or nearly 60% of the state population.

New Mexico's other major center of population is in south-central area around [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]], its second-largest city and the largest city in the southern region of the state. The Las Cruces metropolitan area includes roughly 214,000 residents, but with neighboring [[El Paso, Texas]] forms a [[El Paso–Las Cruces, Texas–New Mexico, combined statistical area|combined statistical area]] numbering over 1 million.<ref>"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2018 – United States – Combined Statistical Area; and for Puerto Rico". [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division. March 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.</ref>

New Mexico hosts 23 federally recognized tribal reservations, including part of the Navajo Nation, the largest and most populous tribe; of these, 11 hold [[off-reservation trust land]]s elsewhere in the state. The vast majority of federally recognized tribes are concentrated in the northwest, followed by the north-central region.

Like several other southwestern states, New Mexico hosts numerous [[Colonia (United States)|''colonias'']], [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated]], low-income [[slum]]s characterized by abject poverty, the absence of basic services (such as water and sewage), and scarce housing and infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NM Colonias|url=https://bber.unm.edu/colonias|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204195209/https://bber.unm.edu/colonias|archive-date=February 4, 2022|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Bureau of Business and Economic Research UNM|publisher=[[University of New Mexico]]}}</ref> The University of New Mexico estimates there are 118 colonias in the state, though the [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development]] identifies roughly 150.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 2, 2015|title=Colonias History|url=http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/communitydevelopment/programs/colonias/history|access-date=2021-08-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602094150/http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=%2Fprogram_offices%2Fcomm_planning%2Fcommunitydevelopment%2Fprograms%2Fcolonias%2Fhistory|archive-date=June 2, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>  The majority are located along the [[U.S.-Mexico border|Mexico-U.S. border.]]

{{Largest cities
| country = New Mexico
| stat_ref = Source: 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimate<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>
| list_by_pop =
| div_name =
| div_link = Counties of New Mexico{{!}}County
| city_1 = Albuquerque, New Mexico{{!}}Albuquerque
| div_1 = Bernalillo County, New Mexico{{!}}Bernalillo
| pop_1 = 560,274
| img_1 = Alb Skyline (cropped).png
| city_2 = Las Cruces, New Mexico{{!}}Las Cruces
| div_2 = Doña Ana County, New Mexico{{!}}Doña Ana
| pop_2 = 114,892
| img_2 = Las Cruces.jpg
| city_3 = Rio Rancho, New Mexico{{!}}Rio Rancho
| div_3 = Sandoval County, New Mexico{{!}}Sandoval / Bernalillo
| pop_3 = 110,660
| img_3 = Rio Rancho Sprawl.jpeg
| city_4 = Santa Fe, New Mexico{{!}}Santa Fe
| div_4 = Santa Fe County, New Mexico{{!}}Santa Fe
| pop_4 = 89,167
| img_4 = Santa Fe NM.jpg
| city_5 = Roswell, New Mexico{{!}}Roswell
| div_5 = Chaves County, New Mexico{{!}}Chaves
| pop_5 = 47,109

| city_6 = Farmington, New Mexico{{!}}Farmington
| div_6 = San Juan County, New Mexico{{!}}San Juan
| pop_6 = 46,237

| city_7 = Hobbs, New Mexico{{!}}Hobbs
| div_7 = Lea County, New Mexico{{!}}Lea
| pop_7 = 39,386

| city_8 = Clovis, New Mexico{{!}}Clovis
| div_8 = Curry County, New Mexico{{!}}Curry
| pop_8 = 37,612

| city_9 = Carlsbad, New Mexico{{!}}Carlsbad
| div_9 = Eddy County, New Mexico{{!}}Eddy
| pop_9 = 31,499

| city_10 = Alamogordo, New Mexico{{!}}Alamogordo
| div_10 = Otero County, New Mexico{{!}}Otero
| pop_10 = 31,284

}}