New Mexico: State Flag, Bird and Facts
New Mexico's state bird is the greater roadrunner, and the yucca flower is the state flower.
- Capital
- Santa Fe
- Nickname
- Land of Enchantment
- State bird
- Greater roadrunner
- State flower
- Yucca flower
- State tree
- Piñon pine
- Admitted
- January 6, 1912
- Population
- 2,117,522 (2020 census)
- Mottos and slogans
- Crescit eundo; Chile Capital of the World; Everybody is somebody in New Mexico
- Region
- West
- Area
- 315,194 km² (121,697 sq mi)
- Highest point
- Wheeler Peak (13,167 ft)
About New Mexico
Santa Fe, founded in 1610, is the oldest state capital in the country and the highest, sitting at 7,000 feet. Albuquerque is the largest city. New Mexico ranks fifth in area but has just over 2.1 million people. The Rio Grande runs down the middle, feeding a green river corridor through land that ranges from forested peaks in the north to dry desert in the south and west.
Pueblo peoples, the Mogollon culture and the Ute lived here long before Spain took control of the region for centuries. The flag blends both heritages. A red sun symbol of the Zia people sits on a field of gold, using the colors of Spain's flag. It became official in 1925 and is one of only four state flags with no blue, and the only one of those four without white.
Did you know?
- Wheeler Peak is the highest point in New Mexico, at 13,167 feet.
- New Mexico holds three UNESCO World Heritage Sites entirely within its borders, the most of any state.
- One of New Mexico's mottoes is Chile Capital of the World.
Questions about New Mexico
What is the symbol on the New Mexico flag?
It is the sacred sun symbol of the Zia people, shown in red on a gold field.
When did New Mexico become a state?
New Mexico was admitted on January 6, 1912.
Sources
- Wikidata Q1522, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: New Mexico, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Flag of New Mexico, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.