Area Info

A panoramic view of the City of Albuquerque.

Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande.

Albuquerque is home to the University of New Mexico (UNM), Kirtland Air Force Base, Sandia National Laboratories, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, and Petroglyph National Monument, and is the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande. The Sandia Mountains run along the eastern side of Albuquerque, and the Rio Grande flows through the city, north to south.

History

Albuquerque was founded in 1706. It is one of the oldest inland communities in the United States.
Albuquerque's elevation is 5,314 feet - the highest metropolitan city in the American mainland.
Within a day's drive of Albuquerque are nine national monuments.
Albuquerque is the Hot-Air Balloon Capitol of the U.S. The city hosts the annual International Balloon Fiesta - the largest international hot-air balloon competition in the world. The event lasts 9 days, features more than 900 balloons and 1100 pilots every year, and draws crowds of more than 1.6 million people.
The Rio Grande Zoological Park is considered one of the finest zoos in the country.
Cochiti Dam, 45 miles northwest of Albuquerque, is the second-largest dam west of the Mississippi.
The aerial tramway just east of Albuquerque stretches 2.7 miles up into the Sandia Mountains. It has the longest span of any tram in North America and the third longest of any in the world, and it is the longest single-span tram on Earth.
The median age in Albuquerque is 35.7.
Intel Corporation, whose plant in Rio Rancho is one of the largest employers in the state, is the world's largest producer of computer microchips.
In addition to containing approximately 1,000 miles of interstate highway, New Mexico also contains the oldest capital city in the U.S. (Santa Fe), the oldest continuously occupied city in the U.S. (Acoma's Sky City), and the largest known caves in the world (Carlsbad Caverns).

Arts and culture

Diverse cultures, authentic art and vibrant traditions have shaped the centuries-old story of Albuquerque. Native American, Spanish and Western heritage permeates the very essence of this place. You can’t eat, shop or even glance around without seeing its influence.

Ranked seventh in AmericanStyle Magazine's Top 25 Arts Destinations in the country, Albuquerque offers abundance and variety to anyone seeking traditional or contemporary art and culture. Our thriving performing arts community is enriched by the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the National Institute of Flamenco and the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra as well as the cutting-edge Tricklock Theatre Company and Keshet Dance Company.

Sports

The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, having derived their name from The Simpsons episode "Hungry Hungry Homer", which involves the Springfield Isotopes baseball team considering relocating to Albuquerque. Prior to 2002, the Albuquerque Dukes served as the city's minor league team, they played at the Albuquerque Sports Stadium. The stadium was torn down to make room for the current Isotopes Park.

Parks and Recreation

Albuquerque has numerous parks, bike paths, and hiking areas scattered throughout the metro area. Most of the city's best biking and hiking areas are concentrated in and around the Sandia and Manzano foothills.

The city was ranked #1 as the fittest city in the United States, according to a March 2007 issue of Men's Fitness magazine. The critera used in the study included the availability of gyms and bike paths, commute times, and federal health statistics on obesity-related injuries and illnesses.