The city of Albuquerque lies on the Rio Grande, surrounded by the Sandia Hills. The climate is dry, with hot summers and cold winters. A quarter of the total population of New Mexico live in the city, on which Indians, Spaniards and Anglo-Americans have all left their mark. Albuquerque has long been an important
commercial town and traffic hub. It is an important center of research and development, with many institutes and laboratories (including nuclear research), as well as the University of New Mexico.
History
The Spanish colonial settlement of Albuquerque, situated on the trade route between Santa Fe and Mexico City, was founded in 1706 and soon developed into a considerable town. The Stars and Stripes were hoisted over the town in 1846 by General Stephen Kearny when he established a military post here. A boost was given to the town when the railway reached it in 1880. A new town was established which soon outstripped and incorporated the old Spanish colonial settlement.
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