<P> Its history has given New Mexico the highest percentage of Spanish - origin Hispanics and the second - highest percentage of Native Americans as a population proportion (after Alaska). Three federally - protected Native American tribes--the Navajo, Pueblo, and Apache peoples--inhabit New Mexico . The flag of New Mexico features the same scarlet and gold coloration as Spain's Cross of Burgundy, along with the ancient sun symbol of the Zia, a Pueblo - related tribe . </P> <P> Inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years before European exploration, it was colonized by the Spanish in 1598 as part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain . Contrary to popular belief, the present - day state of New Mexico is not part of, nor is it even named for, the present - day nation of Mexico . In fact, New Mexico was so named as early as 1561, whereas the country of Mexico did not receive that name until 1821 . It was named Nuevo México after the Aztec Valley of Mexico by Spanish settlers, 223 years before the establishment of the present - day country of Mexico . Being on the periphery of two empires--Spanish and Comancheria--made settlement and effective political control difficult, even when it became part of Mexico after 1821 . New Mexico's longstanding economic ties to the Comanche made integration with Mexico difficult, which helped spark the Revolt of 1837 and a growing economic association with the expanding United States . The 1848 Mexican--American War indirectly capitalized on this tension and created the U.S. New Mexico Territory . It was admitted to the Union as the 47th state on January 6, 1912 . During the 1940s, Project Y of the Manhattan Project developed and built the world's first atomic bomb and nuclear test, Trinity, in northern and central New Mexico, respectively . </P> <P> New Mexico received its name long before the present - day nation of Mexico won independence from Spain and adopted that name in 1821 . Spanish explorers recorded this region as New Mexico (Nuevo México in Spanish) in 1563 . In 1581, the Chamuscado and Rodríguez Expedition named the region north of the Rio Grande "San Felipe del Nuevo México ." The Spaniards hoped to find wealthy Mexican Indian cultures there similar to those of the Aztec (Mexica) Empire of the Valley of Mexico . The indigenous cultures of New Mexico, however, proved to be unrelated to the Aztecs and were not wealthy . Before statehood, the name "New Mexico" was applied to various configurations of the U.S. Territory, to a Mexican state, and to a province of New Spain, all in the same general area but of varying extensions . </P> <P> At total area 121,699 square miles (315,200 km), the state is fifth largest state of the US and slightly larger than British Isles . New Mexico's eastern border lies along 103 ° W longitude with the state of Oklahoma, and (due to a 19th century surveying error) 2.2 miles (3.5 km) west of 103 ° W longitude with Texas . On the southern border, Texas makes up the eastern two - thirds, while the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora make up the western third, with Chihuahua making up about 90% of that . The western border with Arizona runs along the 109 ° 03' W longitude . The southwestern corner of the state is known as the Bootheel . The 37 ° N latitude parallel forms the northern boundary with Colorado . The states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah come together at the Four Corners in New Mexico's northwestern corner . New Mexico, although a large state, has very little water . Its surface water area is about 250 square miles (650 km). </P>

Where does the name new mexico come from
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