Southwestern United States | |
|---|---|
| American Southwest, the Southwest | |
.jpg) Downtown Phoenix, Arizona  Monument Valley, Arizona  Route 66 in downtownAlbuquerque, New Mexico  Desert willow in theMojave Desert  | |
![Though regional definitions vary from source to source, Arizona and New Mexico (in dark red) are almost always considered the core, modern-day Southwest. The brighter red and striped states may or may not be considered part of this region. The brighter red states (California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado) are also classified as part of the West by the U.S. Census Bureau, though the striped states are not; Texas and Oklahoma are classified as part of the South.[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSouthwest_map.png) Though regional definitions vary from source to source,Arizona andNew Mexico (in dark red) are almost always considered the core, modern-day Southwest. The brighter red and striped states may or may not be considered part of this region. The brighter red states (California,Nevada,Utah, andColorado) are also classified as part of theWest by the U.S. Census Bureau, though the striped states are not;Texas andOklahoma are classified as part of theSouth.[1] | |
| Coordinates:37°N111°W / 37°N 111°W /37; -111 | |
| Country | United States |
| States | Core: Arizona New Mexico Others, depending on boundaries used: California Colorado Nevada Utah Oklahoma Texas |
| Largest city | Phoenix |
| Largest metro | Phoenix metropolitan area |
TheSouthwestern United States, also known as theAmerican Southwest or simplythe Southwest, is a geographic and culturalregion of the United States that includesArizona andNew Mexico, along with adjacent portions ofCalifornia,Colorado,Nevada,Oklahoma,Texas, andUtah. The largest cities bymetropolitan area arePhoenix,Las Vegas,El Paso,Albuquerque, andTucson.[2] Before 1848, in the historical region ofSanta Fe de Nuevo México as well as parts ofAlta California andCoahuila y Tejas, settlement was almost non-existent outside of New Mexico'spueblos andSpanish or Mexican municipalities. Much of the area had been a part ofNew Spain and Mexico until the United States acquired the area through theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 and the smallerGadsden Purchase in 1854.
While the region's boundaries are not officially defined, there have been attempts to do so.[3] One such definition is from theMojave Desert in California in the west (117° west longitude) toCarlsbad, New Mexico, in the east (104° west longitude); another says that it extends from theMexico–United States border in the south to the southern areas of Colorado, Utah, and Nevada in the north (39° north latitude).[4] In another definition, thecore Southwestern U.S. includes only the states of Arizona and New Mexico; others focus on the land within the old Spanish and Mexican borders of theNuevo México Province or the later AmericanNew Mexico Territory.[5][6][7]
Distinct elements of theWestern lifestyle thrive in the region, such asWestern wear andSouthwestern cuisines, includingNative American,New Mexican, andTex-Mex, or various genres ofWestern music likeIndigenous,New Mexico, andTejano music styles.[8][9][10][11] Likewise with the sought-after Southwestern architectural styles in the region inspired by blendingPueblo andTerritorial styles, withMediterranean Revival,Spanish Colonial architecture,Mission Revival architecture,Pueblo Deco, andRanch-style houses in the form of the amalgamatedPueblo Revival andTerritorial Revival architectures.[12][13][14][15] This is due to the region'scaballero heritage of the Native American (especiallyApache,Pueblo, andNavajo),Hispano,Mexican American, and frontiercowboy.[16][17][18][19]
The geography of the region is mainly made up of four features: theMojave,Sonoran, andChihuahuan Deserts, and theColorado Plateau; although there are other geographical features as well, such as a portion of theGreat Basin Desert. The deserts dominate the southern and western reaches of the area, while the plateau (which is largely made up of high desert) is the main feature north of theMogollon Rim.[20] The two major rivers of the region are theColorado River, running in the northern and western areas, and theRio Grande, running in the east, north to south.
Formed approximately 8000 years ago, the Chihuahuan Desert is a relatively dry desert,[21] although it is slightly wetter than the Sonoran Desert to the west.[20] The Chihuahuan Desert spreads across the southeastern portion of the region, covering from southeastern Arizona, across southern and central New Mexico, and the portion of western Texas included in the Southwest.[21] While it is the second largest desert in the United States,[20] only a third of the desert is within the United States, with the rest in Mexico.[22] El Paso and Albuquerque are the major US cities in this desert, with other smaller cities beingLas Cruces andRoswell in New Mexico andWillcox in Arizona.[20]
The elevation in the Chihuahuan Desert varies from about 1,750 to 6,000 feet (500 to 1,800 meters), as well as several larger mountain ranges within or bordering this desert including theBlack Range,Organ Mountains,Capitan Mountains,Manzano Mountains,Sacramento Mountains,Sandia Mountains,Magdalena Mountains, andChiracahua Mountains, plus many smaller mountain ranges contained in the area, namely theAnimas,San Andres,Guadalupe Mountains, andDoña Ana Mountains in New Mexico; and theFranklin,Hueco, andDavis Mountains in Texas. It also reaches up into the foothills of the higher ranges such as theBlack Range andOscura Mountains in New Mexico. High above the desert, these forest-covered and sometimes snow-capped mountains formsky islands, with radically different flora and fauna than the surrounding desert below. The sky islands also supply the surrounding desert foothills with flowing water during the spring runoff and after the summer storms of theNew Mexican monsoon season. The Chihuahuan is a "rain shadow" desert, formed between two mountain ranges (the Sierra Madre Occidental on the west and the Sierra Madre Oriental on the east) which block oceanic precipitation from reaching the area.[21] The Chihuahuan Desert is considered the "most biologically diverse desert in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most diverse in the world," and includes more species of cacti than any other desert in the world.[22] The most prolific plants in this region areagave,yucca andcreosote bushes,[20] in addition to the ubiquitous presence of various cacti species.
.jpeg)
When people think of the desert southwest, the landscape of the Sonoran Desert is what mostly comes to mind.[20] The Sonoran Desert makes up the southwestern portion of the Southwest; most of the desert lies in Mexico, but its United States component lies on the southeastern border of California, and the western 2/3 of southern Arizona. Rainfall averages between 4 and 12 in (100 and 300 mm) per year. Its most widely known inhabitant is thesaguaro cactus, which is unique to the Sonoran.[23][24] It is bounded on the northwest by the Mojave Desert, to the north by the Colorado Plateau and to the east by theArizona Mountains forests and the Chihuahuan Desert.[25] Aside from the trademark saguaro, the desert has the most diverse plant life of any desert in the world,[23] and includes many other species of cacti, including the organ-pipe, senita, prickly pear, barrel, fishhook, hedgehog, cholla, silver dollar, and jojoba.[23][24] The portion of the Sonoran Desert which lies in the Southwestern United States is the most populated area within the region. Six of the top ten major population centers of the region are found within its borders: Phoenix,Tucson,Mesa,Chandler,Glendale, andScottsdale, all in Arizona. Also within its borders areYuma andPrescott, Arizona.[20]
The most northwest portion of the American Southwest is covered by the Mojave Desert. Bordered on the south by the Sonoran Desert and the east by the Colorado Plateau, its range within the region makes up the southeast tip of Nevada, the southwestern corner of Utah and the northwestern corner of Arizona.[24] In terms of topography, the Mojave is very similar to the Great Basin Desert, which lies just to its north.[20] Within the region, Las Vegas is the most populous city; other significant population centers includeLaughlin andPahrump in Nevada,St. George andHurricane in Utah, andLake Havasu City,Kingman, andBullhead City in Arizona. The Mojave is the smallest, driest and hottest desert within the United States.[24] The Mojave gets less than 6 in (150 mm) of rain annually, and its elevation ranges from 3,000 to 6,000 feet (900 to 1,800 meters) above sea level.[26] The most prolific vegetation is the tallJoshua tree, which grow as tall as 40 ft (12 m), and are thought to live almost 1000 years.[24] Other major vegetation includes the Parry saltbush and the Mojave sage, both only found in the Mojave, as well as the creosote bush.[27]
TheColorado Plateau varies from the large stands of forests in the west, including the largest stand ofponderosa pine trees in the world, to the Mesas to the east.[28] The Colorado Plateau consists mostly of high desert. Within the Southwest U.S. region, the Colorado is bordered to the south by the Mogollon Rim and the Sonoran Desert, to the west by the Mojave Desert, and to the east by theRocky Mountains, theRio Grande Rift valley, and theLlano Estacado.[24] The Plateau is characterized by a series of plateaus and mesas, interspersed with canyons.[24] The most dramatic example is theGrand Canyon.[29] But that is one of many dramatic vistas included within the Plateau, which includes spectacular lava formations, "painted" deserts, sand dunes, and badlands.[30] One of the most distinctive features of the Plateau is its longevity, having come into existence at least 500 million years ago.[31] The Plateau can be divided into six sections, three of which fall into the Southwest region. Beginning with the Navajo section forming the northern boundary of the Southwestern United States, which has shallower canyons than those in the Canyonlands section just to its north; the Navajo section is bordered to the south by the Grand Canyon section, which of course is dominated by the Grand Canyon; and the southeasternmost portion of the Plateau is the Datil section, consisting of valleys, mesas, and volcanic formations.[32] Albuquerque is the most populous city often considered at the edge of this portion contained in the Southwest region, but Santa Fe, New Mexico and Flagstaff, Arizona, are also significant population centers.
.jpg)
Phoenix, Tucson, andLas Vegas dominate the westernmost metropolitan areas in the Southwest, whileAlbuquerque-Santa Fe andEl Paso-Las Cruces dominate the easternmost metropolitan areas.[33]
Human history in the Southwest begins with the arrival of theClovis culture, aPaleo-Indian hunter-gatherer culture which arrived sometime around 9000 BC.[34][35] This culture remained in the area for several millennia. At some point they were replaced by three greatPre-Columbian Indian cultures: theAncestral Pueblo people, theHohokam, and theMogollon, all of which existed among other surrounding cultures including thePatayan.[36] Maize was first cultivated in the region sometime during the early first millennium BC, but it took several hundred years for the native cultures to become dependent on it as a food source.[37] As their dependence on maize grew,Pre-Columbian Indians began developing irrigation systems around 600CE.[38][39]
Archaeological evidence suggests the Ancestral Pueblo people, sometimes referred to as the Anasazi, began settling the area in approximately 1500 BC.[40] However, the term "Anasazi" is viewed by modernPueblo people as derogatory and is increasingly disused. Eventually, the Ancestral Pueblo would spread throughout the entire northern section of the Southwest.[41] This culture would go through several different eras lasting from approximately 1500 BC through the middle of the 15th century AD: theBasketmaker I,II, andIII phases followed by thePueblo I,II,III, andIV. As the Puebloans transitioned from a nomadic lifestyle to one based on both dry land and irrigated agriculture,[38] their first domiciles were pithouses.[40] TheMogollon culture developed later than the Puebloan, arising in the east at around 300 BC.[42] Their range would eventually extend deep into what would become Mexico, and dominate the southeastern portion of the Southwest.[43] Their settlements would evolve over time from pit-dwellings through pueblos and ultimately incorporate cliff-dwellings. TheHohokam were the last of these ancestral cultures to develop, somewhere around AD 1, but became the most populous of the three by AD 1300, despite occupying the smallest territory of the three, covering most of the southwest portion.[44] Beginning in approximately AD 600, the Hohokam began to develop an extensive series of irrigation canals;[45] of the three major cultures in the Southwest, only the Ancestral Puebloans of theChaco culture and the Hohokam developed irrigation as a means of watering their agriculture.[38][44]
Not long after the Hohokam reached the height of their culture, all three major cultures in the Southwest began to decline for unknown reasons, although severe drought and encroachment from other peoples have been postulated. By the end of the 15th century, all three cultures had disappeared. Themodern Puebloan tribes of theIsleta,Sandia,Cochiti,Kewa,Santa Ana,Taos,Jemez,Acoma,Laguna, andZia, as well as theHopi andZuni peoples, trace their ancestry back to the Ancestral Puebloans,[46] while theAkimel O'odham andTohono O'odham claim descent from Hohokam.[47] The area previously occupied by the Mogollon was taken over by an unrelated tribe, theApache.[48] While it is unclear whether any of the modern Indian tribes are descended from the Mogollon, some archeologists and historians believe that they mixed with Ancestral Puebloans and became part of the modern Hopi and Zuni tribes.[49]
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Southwestern United States was inhabited by a very large population ofAmerican Indian tribes. The area once occupied by the ancestral Puebloans became inhabited by several American Indian tribes, the most populous of which were theNavajo,Ute,Southern Paiute, and Hopi. The Navajo, along with the Hopi, were the earliest of the modern Indian tribes to develop in the Southwest. Around AD 1100 their culture began to develop in theFour Corners area of the region.[50] The Navajosmigrated from northwestern Canada and easternAlaska, where the majority ofAthabaskan speakers reside.[51] The Ute were found over most of modern-day Utah and Colorado, as well as northern New Mexico and Arizona.[52] The Paiutes roamed an area which covered over 45,000 square miles of southern Nevada and California, south-central Utah, and northern Arizona.[53] The Hopi settled the lands of the central and western portions of northern Arizona. Their village ofOraibi, settled in approximately AD 1100, is, along withAcoma Sky City in New Mexico, one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements in the United States.[54] The Mogollon area became occupied by the Apaches and the Zuni. The Apache migrated into the American Southwest from the northern areas of North America at some point between 1200 and 1500.[55] They settled throughout New Mexico, eastern Arizona, northern Mexico, parts of western Texas, and southern Colorado.[56] The Zuni count their direct ancestry through the ancestral Puebloans. The modern-day Zuni established a culture along theZuni River in far-eastern Arizona and western New Mexico.[57] Both major tribes of the O'odham tribe settled in the southern and central Arizona, in the lands once controlled by their ancestors, the Hohokam.[58]
The first European intrusion into the region came from the south. In 1539, a Jesuit Franciscan namedMarcos de Niza led an expedition from Mexico City which passed through eastern Arizona.[59] The following yearFrancisco Vázquez de Coronado, based on reports from survivors of theNarváez expedition (1528–36) who had crossed eastern Texas on their way to Mexico City, led an expedition to discover the Seven Golden Cities of Cíbola.[60] The 1582–3 expedition ofAntonio de Espejo explored New Mexico and eastern Arizona;[61] and this led toJuan de Oñate's establishment of the Spanish province ofSanta Fe de Nuevo México in 1598, with a capital founded nearOhkay Oweenge Pueblo, which he called San Juan de los Caballeros.[62][63] Oñate's party also attempted to establish a settlement in Arizona in 1599, but were turned back by inclement weather.[61] In 1610,Santa Fe was founded, making it the oldest capital in United States.[64]
In 1664 Juan Archuleta led an expedition into what is now Colorado, becoming the first European to enter. A second Spanish expedition was led into Colorado by Juan Ulibarrí in 1706,[65] during which he claimed the Colorado territory for Spain.[66]
From 1687 to 1691 the Jesuit priestEusebio Kino established several missions in theSanta Cruz River valley;[67][68] and Kino further explored southern and central Arizona in 1694, during which he discovered the ruins of Casa Grande.[60] Beginning in 1732, Spanish settlers began to enter the region, and the Spanish started bestowing land grants in Mexico and the Southwest US.[69] In 1751, the O'odham rebelled against the Spanish incursions, but the revolt was unsuccessful. In fact, it had the exact opposite effect, for the result of the rebellion was the establishment of thepresidio atTubac, the first permanent European settlement in Arizona.[70]
In 1768, the Spanish created theProvincia de las Californias, which included California and the Southwest US. Over approximately the next 50 years, the Spanish continued to explore the Southwest, and in 1776 the City of Tucson was founded when thePresidio San Augustin del Tucson was created, relocating the presidio from Tubac.[71][72]
In 1776, two Franciscan priests, Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, led anexpedition from Santa Fe heading to California. After passing through Colorado, they became the first Europeans to travel into what is now Utah. Their journey was halted by bad weather in October, and they turned back, heading south into Arizona before turning east back to Santa Fe.[73]
In 1804 Spain divided the Provincia de las Californias, creating the provinceAlta California, which consisted primarily of what would become California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. In 1821 Mexico achieved its independence from Spain and shortly after, in 1824, developed itsconstitution, which established the Alta California territory, which was the same geographic area as the earlier Spanish province.
In 1825, Arizona was visited by its first non-Spanish Europeans, English trappers.[74] In 1836, theRepublic of Texas, which contained the easternmost of the Southwest United States, won its independence from Mexico. In 1845 the Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States and immediately became a state, bypassing the usual territory phase. The new state still contained portions of what would eventually become parts of other states.[75] In 1846, the Southwest became embroiled in theMexican–American War, partly as a result of the United States' annexation of Texas. On August 18, 1846, an American force captured Santa Fe, New Mexico.[76] On December 16 of the same year, American forces captured Tucson, Arizona, marking the end of hostilities in the Southwest United States.[77] When the war ended with theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 1848, the United States gained control of all of present-day California, Nevada and Utah, as well as the majority of Arizona, and parts of New Mexico and Colorado (the rest of present-day Colorado, and most of New Mexico had been gained by the United States in their annexation of the Republic of Texas).[78] The final portion of the Southwestern United States came about through the acquisition of the southernmost parts of Arizona and New Mexico through theGadsden Purchase in 1853.[71]
In 1851,San Luis became the first European settlement in what is now Colorado.[79]
Of the states of which at least a portion make up the Southwest, Texas was the first to achieve statehood. On December 29, 1845, the Republic of Texas was annexed, bypassing the status of becoming a territory, and immediately became a state.[80] Initially, its borders included parts of what would become several other states: almost half of New Mexico, a third of Colorado, and small portions of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.[81] Texas current borders were set in theCompromise of 1850, where Texas ceded land to the federal government in exchange for $10 million, which would go to paying off the debt Texas had accumulated in its war with Mexico.[82]
Following the Mexican Cession, the lands of what had been the Mexican territory of Alta California were in flux: portions of what is now New Mexico were claimed, but never controlled, by Texas. With the Compromise of 1850, the states of Texas and California were created (Texas as a slave state, and California as a free state), as well as theUtah Territory andNew Mexico Territory.[83] The New Mexico Territory consisted of most of Arizona and New Mexico (excluding a strip along their southern borders), a small section of southern Colorado, and the very southern tip of Nevada;[84] while the Utah Territory consisted of Utah, most of Nevada, and portions of Wyoming and Colorado.[85] The New Mexico Territory was expanded along its southern extent, to its current border, with the signing of the Gadsden Purchase Treaty on December 30, 1853,[71][86] which was ratified by the U.S. Congress, with some slight alterations, in April 1854.[87]
TheColorado Territory was organized on February 28, 1861, created out of lands then currently in the Utah, Kansas, Nebraska, and New Mexico territories.[88] TheNevada Territory was also organized in 1861, on March 2, with land taken from the existing Utah Territory. Initially, only the western 2/3 of what is currently the State of Nevada was included in the territory, with its boundary to the east being the39th meridian west from Washington, and to the south the37th parallel.[89] In 1862 Nevada's eastern border shifted to the38th meridian west from Washington, and finally to its current position at the37th meridian west from Washington in 1866. The boundary modification in 1866 also included adding the southern triangular tip of the present-day state, taken from the Arizona Territory.[90][91]
From July 24–27, 1861 a Confederate force under the command of Lt. Colonel John Robert Baylor forced the surrender of the small Union garrison stationed atFort Fillmore, nearMesilla, New Mexico. On August 1, 1861, Baylor declared the creation of theArizona Territory, and claimed it for the Confederacy, with Mesilla as its capital.[92] The territory, which had been formed by the portion of the existing New Mexico Territory below the 34th parallel, became official on February 14, 1862.[93][94]
Nevada was admitted to the Union on October 31, 1864, becoming the 36th state.[95] This was followed by the admittance to the Union of Colorado, which became the 38th state on August 1, 1876.[96] Confederate Arizona was short-lived, however. By May 1862, Confederate forces had been driven out of the region by union troops. That same month a bill was introduced into the U.S. Congress, and on February 24, 1863Abraham Lincoln signed theArizona Organic Act, which officially created the U.S.Territory of Arizona, splitting the New Mexico Territory at the 107th meridian.[97][98][99]
Utah, as shown above, evolved out of the Utah Territory, as pieces of the original territory created in 1850 were carved out: parts were ceded to Nevada, Wyoming, and Colorado in 1861; another section to Nevada in 1862; and the final section to Nevada in 1866.[100] In 1890, the LDS church issued the1890 Manifesto, which officially banned polygamy for members of the church.[101] It was the last roadblock for Utah entering the Union, and on January 4, 1896, Utah was officially granted statehood, becoming the 45th state.[102]
In 1869,John Wesley Powell led a 3-month expedition which explored theGrand Canyon and the Colorado River.[103] In 1875, he would publish a book describing his explorations,Report of the Exploration of the Columbia River of the West and Its Tributaries, which was later republished asThe Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons.
In 1877 silver was discovered in southeastern Arizona. The notorious mining town ofTombstone, Arizona was born to service the miners.[104] The town would become immortalized as the scene of what is considered the greatest gunfight in the history of the Old West, theGunfight at the O.K. Corral.[105]
Copper was also discovered in 1877, nearBisbee andJerome in Arizona, which became an important component of the economy of the Southwest. Production began in 1880 and was made more profitable by the expansion of the railroad throughout the territory during the 1880s.[106]
The early 1880s also saw the completion of the second transcontinental railroad, which ran through the heart of the Southwest, called the "Santa Fe Route." It ran from Chicago, down through Topeka, then further south to Albuquerque, before heading almost due west through northern Arizona to Los Angeles.[107]
The repeal of theSherman Silver Purchase Act in 1893 led to the decline of the silver mining industry in the region.[108]
In 1901, theSanta Fe Railroad reached the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, opening the way for a tourism boom,[109] a trend led by restaurant and hotel entrepreneurFred Harvey.[110]
The last two territories within the Southwest to achieve statehood were New Mexico and Arizona. By 1863, with the splitting off of the Arizona Territory, New Mexico reached its modern borders. They became states within forty days of one another. On January 6, 1912, New Mexico became the 47th state in the Union.[111] Arizona would shortly follow, becoming the last of the 48 contiguous United States on February 14, 1912.[112]
The 1930s saw the beginning of the ski industry in the Southwest. Resorts were established in Colorado in areas such asEstes Park,Gunnison, and onLoveland Pass.[113] New Mexico's oldest ski area isSandia Peak Ski Area at the eastern edge ofAlbuquerque, which opened to skiers in 1936.[114][115] At the end of the decade, in 1939, with the establishment ofAlta Ski Area,Utah's skiing began to be developed.[116]
Due to the ski conditions in the state, during WWII, the10th Mountain Division establishedCamp Hale in Colorado to train elite ski troops.[117]
While this article deals with the core definition for the American Southwest, there are many others. The various definitions can be broken down into four main categories: Historical/Archeological; Geological/Topographical; Ecological; and Cultural. In the 1930s and 1940s, many definitions of the Southwest included all or part of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, and Utah. As time has gone on, the definition of the Southwest has become more solidified and more compact. For example, in 1948 theNational Geographic Society defined the American Southwest as all of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, and the southernmost sections of Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming, as well as parts of southwest Nebraska, western Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. By 1977, the Society's definition had narrowed to only the four states of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico; and by 1982 the portion of the Southwest in the United States, as defined by the Society, had shrunk to Arizona and New Mexico, with the southernmost strip of Utah and Colorado, as well as the Mojave and Colorado deserts in California.[3] Other individuals who focus on Southwest studies who favored a more limited extent of the area to center on Arizona and New Mexico, with small parts of surrounding areas, includeErna Fergusson,Charles Lummis (who claimed to have coined the term, the Southwest), and cultural geographerRaymond Gastil, and ethnologistMiguel León-Portilla.[3]
GeographerD. W. Meinig defines the Southwest in a very similar fashion to Reed: the portion of New Mexico west of theLlano Estacado and the portion of Arizona east of theMojave-Sonoran Desert and south of the "canyon lands" and also including theEl Paso district of western Texas and the southernmost part of Colorado.[118] Meinig breaks the Southwest down into four distinct subregions. He calls the first subregion "Northern New Mexico," and describes it as focused onAlbuquerque andSanta Fe. It extends from theSan Luis Valley of southern Colorado to south ofSocorro and including theSandia-Manzano Mountains, with an east–west breadth in the north stretching from the upperCanadian River to the upperSan Juan River. The area around Albuquerque is sometimes calledCentral New Mexico.
"Central Arizona" is a vast metropolitan area spread across one contiguous sprawling oasis, essentially equivalent to thePhoenix metropolitan area. The city ofPhoenix is the largest urban center, and located in the approximate center of the area that includesTempe,Mesa, and many others.[119]
Meinig calls the third subregion "El Paso, Tucson, and the Southern Borderlands." WhileEl Paso andTucson are distinctly different cities, they serve as anchor points to the hinterland between them.Tucson occupies a large oasis at the western end of the El Paso-Tucson corridor. The region between the two cities is a major transportation trunk with settlements serving both highway and railway needs. There are also large mining operations, ranches, and agricultural oases. Both El Paso and Tucson have large military installations nearby;Fort Bliss andWhite Sands Missile Range north of El Paso in New Mexico, and, near Tucson, theDavis-Monthan Air Force Base. About 70 miles (110 km) to the southeast are the research facilities atFort Huachuca. These military installations form a kind of hinterland around the El Paso-Tucson region, and are served by scientific and residential communities such asSierra Vista,Las Cruces, andAlamogordo. El Paso's influence extends north into theMesilla Valley, and southeast along the Rio Grande into theTrans-Pecos region of Texas.[120]
The fourth subregion Meinig calls the "Northern Corridor and Navajolands," a major highway and railway trunk which connects Albuquerque andFlagstaff. Just north of the transportation trunk are large blocks of American Indian land.[121]
As theUS expanded westward, the country'swestern border also shifted westward, and consequently, so did the location of the Southwestern andNorthwestern United States. In the early years of the United States,newly colonized lands lying immediately west of the Appalachian Mountains weredetached from North Carolina and given the nameSouthwest Territory. During the decades that followed, theregion known as "the Southwestern United States" covered much of theDeep South east of the Mississippi River.
As territories and eventual states to the west were added after theMexican–American War, the geographical "Southwest" expanded, and the relationship of these new acquisitions to the South itself became "increasingly unclear."[122]
However, archeologist Erik Reed gives a description which is the most widely accepted as defining the American Southwest, which runs from Durango, Colorado in the north, to Durango, Mexico, in the south, and from Las Vegas, Nevada in the west to Las Vegas, New Mexico in the East. Reed's definition is roughly equivalent to the western half of the Learning Center of the American Southwest's definition, leaving out any portion of Kansas and Oklahoma, and much of Texas, as well as the eastern half of New Mexico. Since this article is about the Southwestern United States, the areas of Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico will be excluded. The portion left includes Arizona and western New Mexico, the very southernmost part of Utah, southwestern Colorado, the very tip of west Texas, and triangle formed by the southern tip of Nevada. This will be the defined scope that is used in this article unless otherwise specified in a particular area.[123]
Parts of the other states make up the various areas that can be included in the Southwest, depending on the source. The Learning Center of the American Southwest (LCAS)[a] does not rely on current state boundaries, and defines the American Southwest as parts of Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.[123]From this perspective, almost all of the region's physiographical traits, geological formations, and weather are contained within a box between 26° and 38° northern latitude, and 98° 30' and 124° western longitude.[124]
When looking at the fauna of the region, there is a broader definition of the American Southwest. The Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research defines the Southwest as being only the states of Arizona, New Mexico, with parts of California, Nevada, Texas, and Utah; although they include all of those six states in their map of the region, solely for ease of defining the border.[125]
Lawrence Clark Powell, a major bibliographer whose emphasis is on the Southwest, defined the American Southwest in a 1958Arizona Highways article as, "the lands lying west of the Pecos, north of the [Mexican] Border, south of the Mesa Verde and the Grand Canyon, and east of the mountains which wall off Southern California and make it a land in itself."[3]
Texas has long been the focal point of this dichotomy, and is often considered, as such, thecore area of "the South's Southwest."[122] While theTrans-Pecos area is generally acknowledged as part of thedesert Southwest,[126] most of Texas and large parts of Oklahoma are often placed into a sub-region of theSouth, which some consider southwestern in the general framework of the original application, meaning the "Western South." This is an area containing the basic elements of Southernhistory,culture,politics,religion, andlinguistic and settlement patterns, yet blended with traits of the frontier West. While this particular Southwest is notably different in many ways from the classic "Old South" orSoutheast, these features are strong enough to give it a separate southwestern identity quite different in nature from that of the interior southwestern states to the west.
One of these distinguishing characteristics in Texas—in addition to having been aConfederate state during the Civil War—is that Indigenous and Spanish American culture never played a central role in the development of this area in relative comparison to the others, as the vast majority of settlers were Anglo and blacks from the South.[127] Although the present-day state of Oklahoma wasIndian Territory until the early 20th century, many of these American Indians were from the southeastern United States and became culturally assimilated early on. The majority of members of these tribes also allied themselves with the Confederacy during the Civil War. Combined with that, once the territory was open for settlement, southeastern pioneers made up a disproportionate number of these newcomers. All this contributed to the new state having a character that differed from other parts of the Southwest with large American Indian populations.[127]
The fact that a majority of residents of Texas and Oklahoma—unlike those in other "southwestern" states—self-identify as living in the South and consider themselves southerners rather than the West and westerners—also lends to treating these two states as a somewhat distinct and separate entity in terms of regional classification.[128]
Vegetation of the southwest includes various types ofyucca, along withsaguaro cactus,barrel cactus,prickly pear cactus,desert spoon,creosote bush,sagebrush, andgreasewood. Many native cacti grow throughout Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and west Texas.[129]Steppe is also located all over the high plains areas in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. The mountains of the southwestern states have large tracts of alpine trees.
Landscape features of the core southwestern areas include mountains, canyons, mesas,buttes, high broad basins, plateaus, desert lands, and some plains, characteristic of theBasin and Range Province. The entire southwestern region features semi-arid to arid terrain. The far eastern part of southwestern Texas, for example, theTexas Hill Country, consists of dry, tall, and rugged rocky hills of limestone and granite.South Texas and theRio Grande Valley is mostly flat with many places consisting of scrub and bare topsoil, much like the deserts further west.
The region has an extremely diverse bird population, with hundreds of species being found in the American Southwest. In theChiricahua Mountains alone, in southeastern Arizona, there can be found more than 400 species. Species includeCanada (Branta canadensis) andsnow geese,sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis),[130] and theroadrunner, the state bird of New Mexico and most famous bird in the region, is found in all states of the Southwest.[131] Birds of prey include thered-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis),Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii), theosprey (Pandion haliaetus),golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos),Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus),[132] American kestrel (Falco sparverius), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus),[133] the gray hawk (Buteo plagiatus),[134] theAmerican barn owl (Tyto furcata), thewestern screech owl (Megascops kennicottii), thegreat horned owl (Bubo virginianus), theelf owl (Micrathene whitneyi), and theburrowing owl (Athene cunicularia)[135]
Other bird species include theturkey vulture (Cathartes aura), theblack vulture (Coragyps atratus),[136] thenorthern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), theblue grosbeak (Passerina caerulea),[137] thehouse finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), thelesser goldfinch (Spinus psaltria),[138] thebroad-billed hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris), theblack-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri),Costa's hummingbird (Calypte costae),[139]Gambel's quail (Callipepla gambelii),[140] thecommon raven (Corvus corax),[141] theGila woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis), thegilded flicker (Colaptes chrysoides),[142] thecactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus), therock wren (Salpinctes obsoletus),[143] and the federally endangeredSouthwest willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus).[144] Four types of doves call the Southwest home: thewhite-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica), themourning dove (Zenaida macroura), thecommon ground dove (Columbina passerina), and theInca dove (Columbina inca).[145]
Mammal species include thebobcat,coyote,black bear,black-tailed jackrabbit,desert cottontail,desert bighorn sheep,mule deer,white-tailed deer,gray fox,mountain lion,river otter,long-tailed weasel,western spotted skunk,pronghorn,raccoon,cactus mouse, andOrd's kangaroo rat, all of which can be found in parts of every southwestern state.Elk are found in parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona.White-nosed coati andcollared peccary—orjavelina—in the Southwest are normally found in southern areas of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas near the Mexican border.Jaguars can be found in thebootheel region ofSouthwestern New Mexico.[146] TheMexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) was reintroduced to Arizona and New Mexico in 1998.[147] A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service study reported a minimum population of 241 Mexican wolves in southwest New Mexico and southeast Arizona at the beginning of 2023.[148]
There is a large contingent of snakes native to the region. Among them include therosy boa (Lichanura trivirgata); several sub-species of theglossy snake (Arizona elegans); theTrans-Pecos ratsnake (Bogertophis subocularis); several sub-species of shovel-nosed snakes; several sub-species of kingsnake, including thedesert kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula splendida) and theArizona mountain kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana); theArizona coral snake (Micruroides euryxanthus); thewestern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox); theTrans-Pecos copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster); theSonoran sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes cercobombus); theArizona black rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus cerberus); thewestern rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis); theGrand Canyon rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus abyssus), found only in Arizona; several sub-species of theridge-nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi), the most recent rattlesnake species to be discovered in the United States, including theNew Mexico ridge-nosed rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi obscurus), and the Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake, the state reptile of Arizona; and thedesert massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii).[149]
Other reptiles in the region include lizards and turtles. Lizards are highly represented in the region, the most distinctive denizen being theGila monster, native only to the American Southwest and the state of Sonora in Mexico. TheNew Mexico whiptail is thestate reptile of New Mexico. Other lizards include:Sonoran collared lizard (Crotaphytus nebrius); several types of geckos, includingwestern banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus), thecommon house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus), and theMediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus), the last two species being non-native to the region but have been introduced; thedesert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis); thechuckwalla (Sauromalus ater); thegreater earless lizard (Cophosaurus texanus scitulus); several sub-species ofhorned lizards (Phrynosoma); numerous species ofspiny lizards (Sceloporus);Gilbert's skink (Plestiodon gilberti); thewestern skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus);Trans-Pecos striped whiptail (Aspidoscelis inornata heptagrammus); and theArizona night lizard (Xantusia arizonae).[150] Turtles are less numerous than their other reptilian counterparts, but several are found in the region, including: thewestern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii); theRio Grande cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi); thedesert box turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola); theBig Bend slider (Trachemys gaigeae gaigeae); theSonora mud turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense); and thedesert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii).[151]
Amphibians include numerous toads and frogs in the American Southwest. Toads which can be found in the region include theGreat Plains toad (Anaxyrus cognatus); thegreen toad (Anaxyrus debilis); theArizona toad (Anaxyrus microscaphus); theNew Mexico spadefoot (Spea multiplicata stagnalis); and theColorado River toad (Incilius alvarius), also known as the Sonoran Desert toad. Frog representation includes:western barking frog (Craugastor augusti); thecanyon tree frog (Hyla arenicolor); theArizona treefrog (Hyla wrightorum); thewestern chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata);Chiricahua leopard frog (Lithobates chiricahuensis); and therelict leopard frog (Lithobates onca). There are quite a few salamanders throughout the region, including: theArizona tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum) and thepainted ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii picta).[152]
Despite the Southwest being mostly arid, various fishes are found where water is available, including various species unique to the region.Apache trout andGila trout are twosalmonids endemic to the area, with the former found only in Arizona and the latter only in Arizona and New Mexico.[153][154] Desertpupfishes are several closely related species of fish in the genus Cyprinodon, many of which are found in isolated spring-fed ponds hundreds of miles from each other, ranging from far West Texas toDeath Valley in California. These pupfishes often thrive in water considerably higher in temperature and dissolved solids than most fish can tolerate.[155][156] Many of these desert fish species are endangered due to their limited and tenuous habitat, as well as loss of habitat due to human consumption of groundwater and diversion of surface water, as well as the introduction of species such as sportfish for recreation (see:Rio Grande Silvery Minnow v. Bureau of Reclamation).
The southwestern United States features a semi-arid to arid climate, depending on the location.[157] Much of the Southwest is an arid desert climate, but higher elevations in the mountains in each state, with the exception of West Texas, feature alpine climates with very large amounts of snow. The metropolitan areas of Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, and El Paso hardly ever receive any snow at all, as they are strictly desert lands with mountains.[157] Albuquerque receives less snow than other cities, but still receives significant snowfalls occasionally in the winter. Although it snows in this region, the snow in this part of the United States melts rapidly, often before nightfall. This is due mainly to the higher altitude and abundant sunshine in these states.
Nevada and Arizona are both generally arid with desert lands and mountains, and receive large amounts of snow in the higher elevations in and near the mountains. New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado are generally arid, with desert lands and mountains as well. They all receive decent amounts of snow and large amounts of snow in the high elevations in the mountains, although some areas in far southwestern and southern New Mexico do not receive much snow at all at lower elevations. West Texas is generally arid as well but does not receive the same amount of snow that the other southwestern states receive at their high elevations. The terrain of western Texas in the Southwest is the flat, rolling land of the plains, which eventually turns into a desert with some hills. There are significant mountains as well in west Texas upon reaching theTrans-Pecos area.
The term "High Desert" is synonymous with this region. The High Desert is generally defined as theMojave Desert and theColorado Plateau,[158] which extends from inland southern California into southern Nevada, east to theRio Grande Rift in New Mexico. The High Desert also extends into parts of theNorthwest, such as theRed Desert in southwestern Wyoming. The High Desert is very different from the lower desert lands found in Arizona, in theSonoran Desert. This area of the desert land generally sits at a very high elevation, much higher than the normal desert land, and can receive very cold temperatures at night in the winter (with the exception of California, southern Nevada and southwestern Utah), sometimes near zero degrees on very cold nights. The High Desert also receives a decent amount of snowfall in the winter (with the exception of California, southern Nevada and southwestern Utah) which melts very quickly. Rain falls in this region mainly in the summer, during theNorth American Monsoon season.
The desert lands found in Eastern Utah, Northern Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico are usually referred to as the high desert. Colorado has scattered desert lands found in southern, southwestern, western, and northwestern parts of the state. These scattered desert lands are located in and around areas such as, theRoan Plateau,Dinosaur National Monument,Colorado National Monument,Royal Gorge,Cortez,Dove Creek,Canyons of the Ancients National Monument,Four Corners Monument,Montrose,Blue Mesa Reservoir,Pueblo,San Luis Valley,Great Sand Dunes andJoshua Tree National Park. Besides theChihuahuan Desert, lands in southwestern and southern New Mexico, they also have scattered desert lands in the northwestern and northern portions of their state, which is referred to as the high desert.
DuringEl Niño, winters and springs are generally colder and wetter across southern portions of the region, while the northern portion stays warmer and drier due to a southern jet stream. UnderLa Niña, the opposite happens, meaning the cool and wet weather tends to stay farther north.[157] The Southwest also experiences multi-year and multi-decade episodes of severe drought, including the ongoingsouthwestern North American megadrought which emerged starting year 2000.[159][160]
The southwestern United States contains many well-known national parks includingGrand Canyon in Arizona,Death Valley in California,Great Sand Dunes in Colorado,Arches in Utah,Big Bend in Texas,Great Basin in Nevada, andWhite Sands in New Mexico.
Arizona parks and monuments include Grand Canyon,Monument Valley (aNavajo Nation park),Petrified Forest, andSaguaro national parks; the national monuments ofAgua Fria,Canyon de Chelly,Casa Grande Ruins,Chiricahua,Ironwood Forest,Montezuma Castle,Navajo,Organ Pipe Cactus,Pipe Spring,Sonoran Desert,Sunset Crater,Tonto,Tuzigoot,Vermilion Cliffs,Walnut Canyon, andWupatki. Other federal areas include theApache–Sitgreaves National Forests andTumacacori National Historical Park.
Southern California parks and monuments include Death Valley andJoshua Tree national parks; the national monuments ofCastle Mountains,Mojave Trails,Sand to Snow, andSan Gabriel Mountains; andMojave National Preserve.
Colorado parks and monuments include Great Sand Dunes,Black Canyon of the Gunnison, andMesa Verde national parks; the national monuments ofBrowns Canyon,Canyons of the Ancients,Colorado,Hovenweep, andYucca House. Other federal areas includeCurecanti National Recreation Area andBent's Old Fort National Historic Site; as well as the national forests ofSan Isabel,San Juan, andUncompahgre.
Nevada has one national park at Great Basin, and the national monuments ofBasin and Range,Gold Butte, andTule Springs Fossil Beds. Other federal areas includeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest,Lake Mead National Recreation Area, andRed Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
New Mexico has two national parks, atCarlsbad Caverns and White Sands. National monuments includeAztec Ruins,Bandelier,El Malpais,El Morro,Gila Cliff Dwellings,Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks,Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks,Petroglyph,Rio Grande del Norte, andSalinas Pueblo Missions. Other federal park areas includeChaco Culture National Historical Park,Pecos National Historical Park,Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, and the national forests ofApache,Carson,Gila,Lincoln, andSanta Fe.
West Texas has two national parks, at Big Bend andGuadalupe Mountains. Other federal park areas includeChamizal National Memorial andFort Davis National Historic Site.
Utah national parks include Arches,Bryce Canyon,Canyonlands,Capitol Reef, andZion. National monuments includeBears Ears,Cedar Breaks,Grand Staircase–Escalante, Hovenweep (also in Colorado),Natural Bridges, andRainbow Bridge. Other federal areas includeGlen Canyon National Recreation Area,Dixie National Forest, andManti–La Sal National Forest.
Hispanic Americans can be found in large numbers in every major city in the Southwest such asEl Paso (80%),San Antonio (63%),Los Angeles (48%),Albuquerque (47%),Phoenix (43%),Tucson (41%),Las Vegas (32%), andMesa (27%). Over 60 percent of the Latino population in the Southwest isMexican American.[161]
Very large Hispanic American populations can also be found in the smaller cities such asEagle Pass (96%),Las Cruces (56%),Yuma (55%),Blythe (53%),Pueblo (48%),Santa Fe (48%), andGlendale (36%). Many small towns throughout the southwestern states also have significantly large Latino populations.
The largest Asian American populations in the southwest can be found inCalifornia andTexas,[162] with some significant Asian population in Phoenix. The most significant American Indian populations can be found inNew Mexico andArizona.
More than 20% of Native Americans live in the Southwest.[163]
Before 1700, the only permanent Spanish settlements in the Southwest were along the valley of the upper Rio Grande in New Mexico.[164]
The area also contains many of the nation's largest cities and metropolitan areas, despite relatively low population density in rural areas.Phoenix is the fifth most populous city in the country, andAlbuquerque andLas Vegas were some of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.[165][166] Also, the region as a whole has witnessed some of the highest population growth in the United States, and according to theUS Census Bureau, in 2008–2009,Utah was the fastest-growing state in America. As of the 2010 Census,Nevada was the fastest-growing state in the United States, with an increase of 35.1% in the last ten years. Additionally, Arizona (24.6%), Utah (23.8%), Texas (20.6%), and Colorado (16.9%) were all in the top ten fastest-growing states as well.[167]
The largestmetropolitan areas are centered aroundPhoenix (with an estimated population of more than 5 million as of 2020[update]),Las Vegas (more than 2.2 million),Tucson (more than 1 million),Albuquerque (more than 900,000), andEl Paso (more than 840,000).[2] Those five metropolitan areas have an estimated total population of more than 9.6 million as of 2017[update], with nearly 60 percent of them living in the twoArizona cities—Phoenix and Tucson.
.jpg)
| Rank | City | State | Population[168] | Metro Population[168] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix | Arizona | 1,608,139 | 4,845,832 |
| 2 | El Paso | Texas | 678,815 | 868,859 |
| 3 | Las Vegas | Nevada | 641,903 | 2,265,461 |
| 4 | Albuquerque | New Mexico | 564,559 | 916,528 |
| 5 | Tucson | Arizona | 542,629 | 1,043,433 |
| 6 | Mesa | Arizona | 504,258 | 4,845,832 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs | Colorado | 478,961 | 755,105 |
| 8 | Henderson | Nevada | 317,610 | 2,265,461 |
| 9 | Chandler | Arizona | 275,987 | 4,845,832 |
| 10 | Gilbert | Arizona | 267,918 | 4,845,832 |
.jpg)
.jpg)
Of the fourmajor professional sports, Phoenix and Las Vegas are the only metropolitan areas in the Southwest that have representatives. Las Vegas is home to theLas Vegas RaidersNFL football team and theVegas Golden KnightsNHL hockey team. Phoenix is home to theArizona Diamondbacks inMajor League Baseball,Arizona Cardinals in theNational Football League, and thePhoenix Suns in theNational Basketball Association. The Greater Phoenix area is home to theCactus League, one of two spring training leagues for Major League Baseball; fifteen of MLB's thirty teams are now included in the Cactus League.[169] The region has also been the scene of several NFL super bowls. Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe heldSuper Bowl XXX in 1996, when theDallas Cowboys defeated thePittsburgh Steelers.[170] State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona hostedSuper Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008, in which theNew York Giants defeated theNew England Patriots,[171] as well asSuper Bowl XLIX, which resulted in theNew England Patriots defeating theSeattle Seahawks 28–24. The U.S. Airways Center hosted both the1995 and the2009 NBA All-Star Games.[172]
In 1997, thePhoenix Mercury were one of the original eight teams to launch theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA).[173]Indoor American football is represented by theArizona Rattlers located in Phoenix.[174] The region is also host to several major professional golf events: theLPGA'sFounder's Cup;[175] thePhoenix Open and theShriners Hospitals for Children Open (in Las Vegas) of thePGA;[176][177] and theTucson Conquistadores Classic (in Tucson), and theCharles Schwab Cup Championship (in Scottsdale) on theChampions Tour of the PGA.[178][179]
NASCAR has two venues within the region: ThePhoenix International Raceway, was built in 1964 with a one-mile oval, with a one-of-a-kind design, as well as a 2.5-mile road course,[180] and theLas Vegas Motor Speedway, a 1,200-acre (490 ha) complex of multiple tracks for motorsports racing.[181] There are several nationally recognized running events in the region, including The Phoenix Marathon, a qualifier for theBoston Marathon,[182] and theRock 'n' Roll Marathon Series in bothPhoenix andLas Vegas.[183][184] Las Vegas is also the end point for the annual Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay, a 120-mile-long foot race by law enforcement teams from around the world,[185] which is the largest law enforcement athletic event in the world.[186]
TheProfessional Bull Riders association has its headquarters in Pueblo, Colorado. ThePBR World Finals are held annually in Las Vegas,[187] which also hosts theNational Finals Rodeo.
Since the 1950s, Las Vegas has been host to many of professional boxing's largest events, beginning with the Heavyweight non-title bout in 1955 between world light heavyweight championArchie Moore and perennial contenderNiño Valdés.[188]Muhammad Ali fought his last world title bout in Las Vegas againstLarry Holmes in 1980, andFloyd Mayweather fought many of his major fights there.
The Southwest is home to a rich tradition of college sports. TheBig-12 Conference has two teams in the region, theArizona State Sun Devils and theUniversity of Arizona Wildcats. TheMountain West Conference also has two teams, theUNLV Rebels and theUniversity of New Mexico Lobos.Conference USA is represented by theUniversity of Texas at El Paso Miners. TheBig Sky Conference has two teams: theLumberjacks of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, and theSouthern Utah University Thunderbirds in Cedar City, Utah. TheWestern Athletic Conference also has two representatives, theNew Mexico State University Aggies in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and theGrand Canyon University Antelopes in Phoenix.
Las Vegas is becoming the nexus for NCAA league basketball tournaments. TheMountain West Conference, theWestern Athletic Conference, theWest Coast Conference, and thePac-12 Conference all hold their conference basketball tournaments in Las Vegas.[189]
The Southwest is the site of six college football bowl games: the Rate Bowl, formerly known as theCheez-it Bowl, in Phoenix;[190] theArizona Bowl in Tucson; theFiesta Bowl, played at the University of Phoenix Stadium;[191] theLas Vegas Bowl;[192] theNew Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque;[193] and theSun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.[194]
The erstwhile [20th century]Southwest Conference might seem to have been named after this region, but it had no teams fromArizona norNew Mexico. All but one of its teams were from schools inTexas.[195]
PDF file link underGeneral Reference Maps oncensus.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/reference.html
The coordinates 104°–117° West Longitude and 29°–39° North Latitude constitute the boundaries of this region
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
| Administrative |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical |
| ||||||||
| Historical |
| ||||||||
| Divided | |||||||||
| Other | |||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
