Albuquerque is the most populous city in New Mexico. It was named in honor of the Viceroy of New Spain, the 10th Duke of Alburquerque. The city lies in the center of the state with the crossroads of two Interstate highways intersecting, I-25 going north/south and I-40 east/west. It is truely a city, not just a tourist destination like many of the smaller cities in the state.

The economy of Albuquerque centers on science, medicine, technology, commerce, education, entertainment, and culture outlets. The city is home to Kirtland Air Force Base Sandia National Laboratories, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Presbyterian Health Services, and both the University of New Mexico and Central New Mexico Community College.

Places of interest in the city include:

Historic Old Town	Sandia Peak Tramway & Ski Area	Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science	Albuquerque Biological Park	Rio Grande Zoo
Albuquerque Museum of Art and History	Rio Grande Nature Center State Park	National Hispanic Cultural Center
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center	Petroglyph National Monument	The Bosque
Tingley Beach	Explora

 

The annual festivals of interest are:

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, New Mexico State Fair, and the River of Lights during the Christmas season

There is enough Asian population living in Albuquerque that there are Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants and Asian grocery stores in town as well as the many restaurants serving Mexican cuisine.