Economy

New Mexico's economy is based primarily on livestock raising, mining, and tourism. The federal government plays a large role in the state's economy. It maintains large defense-related installations, including military bases and the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which specializes in the design of nuclear weapons. Government, at federal, state, and local levels, is one of the state's largest employers— providing jobs for about a fifth of the labor force. Employment in tourism-related activities is also high.

Manufacturing is a relatively small part of the economy.

The raising of livestock is the predominant agricultural activity. Beef cattle are the most numerous and valuable animals, but large numbers of poultry and sheep are also raised.

The chief crops are hay, cotton, wheat, and sorghum. Reservoirs provide water for irrigating much of the cropland.

Natural gasand petroleum account for over 80 per cent of the value of all minerals mined. The state is a leading national producer of natural gas. It is also a major producer of coal, copper, uranium, and potash. Valuable quantities of molybdenum, silver, gold, and perlite are mined as well.

Forests cover about a fifth of New Mexico; however, much of the timberland is of no commercial value. National forests are a major portion of the timberland. The chief commercial trees are ponderosa pine, Douglas and white fir, and spruce.

About 10 per cent of the state's labor force is employed in manufacturing. Computer and electronic equipment is New Mexico's leading manufactured product. Other items of importance are telephone equipment and petroleum products. Albuquerque is the manufacturing center for almost all types of products.

A fairly extensive system of federal and state highways serves the major cities and towns of New Mexico. Interstate highways, converging at Albuquerque and Las Cruces, provide the main north-south and east-west routes across the state, Large parts of the state, particularly in the mountain and desert areas and on the Great Plains, have chiefly gravel or dirt roads. Commercial airline operations are mainly through Albuquerque International Sunport and Santa Fe airports.