While deserts are generally thought to be sparsely populated regions in which even vegetation can scarcely afford to make a home, Albuquerque, New Mexico proves that a vibrant city can indeed succeed amid largely arid surroundings. The largest city in the state of New Mexico, Albuquerque boasts a population of over half a million. Though smaller than the Chihuahuan Desert’s largest collection of people (that title belongs to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico), Albuquerque enjoys the size of a major city without the widespread violence and major corruption issues that plague its more sizeable contemporary to the southeast. The city of Albuquerque is still growing as well, with almost half of New Mexico’s residents already calling Albuquerque home.The desert locale allows inhabitant to enjoy almost constant sunshine, a dry air and warm temperatures, with modern technology taking care of many would-be irrigation and water supply issues that would have made such large populations in similar locations nearly impossible in eras of old. The city enjoys an estimated 300 sunny days a year, well above what one would find in almost any other metro area, though the temperature can vary greatly from daylight hours into the night. In the summertime, highs typically hover from the upper 80′s well into the 90′s with overnight lows dropping to the 60′s and 70′s. The winter months see even more deviation, averaging daytime highs in the 40 to 50 range, compared to 20 to 30 degree nighttime temperatures. Still, Albuquerque enjoys 4 distinct seasons, without often reaching the exorbitantly hot and humid hundred degree heat indexes or bitingly frigid, single digit temperatures that are common in many climates throughout the country.Not only is the city very climatically friendly, it is very well cultured as well, enjoying over 300 organizations, associations and locations dedicated to the arts, including visual, film, literary, dance, music, ethnic and many more. It is also the home of the University of New Mexico, the state’s flagship institution for higher education.
While deserts are generally thought to be sparsely populated regions in which even vegetation can scarcely afford to make a home, Albuquerque, New Mexico proves that a vibrant city can indeed succeed amid largely arid surroundings. The largest city in the state of New Mexico, Albuquerque boasts a population of over half a million. Though [...]
