New Mexico

From the snow tipped mountains rising north of Albuquerque to the lush Rio Grande valley running to its southern border, New Mexico is a land of uncommon natural beauty. In the southeastern part of the state, a unique gypsum desert covers thousands of acres with ever-shifting dunes made entirely of glowing white sands. In the southwest, the Gila National Forest offers miles of forest untouched by modern intrusions. And in the north, soaring mountains create a breathtaking setting for the picture perfect towns of Santa Fe and Taos.

As its name suggests, New Mexico has a close connection to Mexico, the nation to its south. Spanish is heard in New Mexico at least as frequently as English, a constant reminder of the Spanish Empire that once reached far into North America. The ancient Spanish royal road, the 'Camino Real', runs through the center of the state, following the path of the Rio Grande river. Today, the road has the more prosaic name, 'Interstate 25'.

The state's diverse population includes Mexicans, Native American Indians and the descendants of the European settlers. Before Europeans arrived, the region we now call New Mexico was occupied by the Anasazi people, an ancient Native American people famous for their unusual cliff houses and mysterious road system. Little is known about their fate, but they are generally thought to be the ancestors of the Hopi and Zuni tribes who live in the region to this day.

New Mexico also has more than its fair share of odd and unique features. The American nuclear bomb project was headquartered in Los Alamos, and the first atomic bomb was tested at Trinity, New Mexico in 1945. Many people are convinced that a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) crashed in nearby Roswell in 1947, and thousands of visitors arrive each year in search of alien bodies. And with its miles of underground trails and massive stone chambers, Carlsbad Caverns in the southeast corner of the state is one of the great natural wonders of the world.