New Mexico

The oldest European-founded culture in the present US after Spain settled Santa Fe in 1598, New Mexico is the heart of El Norte — Hispanic and Catholic over a deep Pueblo foundation, American only since 1848. Sparsely peopled and arid, it became a centre of the atomic age at Los Alamos and a hub of ranching, energy and federal research. It is the most Hispanic state by share.

• Existed: 1598 CE – present
• Type: Entity
• Government: U.S. State
• Capital: Santa Fe