City (pop., 2000: 448,607), New Mexico, U.S. The state's largest city, it lies on the Rio Grande southwest of Santa Fe.
Founded by the governor of New Mexico, it was named for the duke de Alburquerque (the first r was later dropped), the viceroy of Santa Fe Trail brought an influx of settlers; an army post was established following U.S. occupation in 1846. With the coming of the railroad in 1880, the population expanded. The characteristically Spanish "old town" and its mission church (1706) have survived. Since the 1930s many defense-related federal agencies have been established there.