Albuquerque has an active restaurant scene, and local restaurants receive statewide attention, several of them having become statewide chains. The original library was donated to the state by Joshua and Sarah Raynolds. He retained this commission for the next quarter-century and developed the university's distinctive Southwest style. During his retreat from Union troops into Texas he made a stand on April 8, 1862, at Albuquerque and fought the Battle of Albuquerque against a detachment of Union soldiers commanded by Colonel Edward R. S. Canby. One of the major art events in the state is the summertime New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair, a nonprofit show exclusively for New Mexico artists and held annually in Albuquerque since 1961. Several MMA world champions and fighters, including Holly Holm and Jon Jones, train in that facility. Commonly seen mammals include the coyote, rock squirrel, Gunnison's prairie dog, desert cottontail, and black-tailed jackrabbit. Crops such as New Mexico chile are grown along the entire Rio Grande, the red or green chile pepper is a staple of the aforementioned New Mexican cuisine. This metro is included in the larger Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Las Vegas combined statistical area (CSA), with a population of 1,171,991 as of 2016. [80]:IV.4[81] Each December, a new Council President and Vice-President are chosen by members of the Council.


Since the city's founding it has continued to be included on travel and trade routes including Santa Fe Railway (ATSF), Route 66, Interstate 25, Interstate 40, and the Albuquerque International Sunport. Most rain occurs during the late summer monsoon season, typically starting in early July and ending in mid-September. Monthly temperature, precipitation and hours of sunshine. Albuquerque's climate is usually sunny and dry, with an average of 3,415 sunshine hours per year. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) has developed a water resources management strategy that pursues conservation and the direct extraction of water from the Rio Grande for the development of a stable underground aquifer in the future.[54][55].

Most freight traffic through the Central New Mexico region is processed via a much larger hub in nearby Belen, New Mexico.

[63] The Albuquerque Sikh Gurudwara and Guru Nanak Gurdwara Albuquerque serve the city's Sikh populace; the Hindu Temple Society of New Mexico serves the Hindu population; several Buddhist temples and centers are located in the city limits. Expect occasional winter weather. Albuquerque boasts a unique nighttime cityscape. Agents will aide local and county law enforcement officers in the wake of the George Floyd protests.[88][89]. Limited water supply and rugged terrain are the main limiting factors for development in these towns. Among several systematic problems at APD were an aggressive culture that undervalued civilian safety and discounted the importance of crisis intervention. ... Every Sunday 2-4pm Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice . Albuquerque's drinking water comes from a combination of Rio Grande water (river water diverted from the Colorado River basin through the San Juan-Chama Project[53]) and a delicate aquifer that has been described as an "underground Lake Superior". The Old Main Library was recognized as a landmark in September 1979.
The eastern approaches of the northernmost three all pass through adjacent unincorporated areas, the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, or the North Valley. Local museums, galleries, shops and other points of interest include the Albuquerque Biological Park, Albuquerque Museum, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and Old Town Albuquerque. Locations in the Northeast Heights and Eastern Foothills tend to receive more snowfall due to each region's higher elevation and proximity to the mountains.