Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Area
The Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Area (UN/LOCODE: USLRD & MXNLD) is one of six bi-national metropolitan areas along the United States-Mexican border. The city of Laredo is situated in the American state of Texas on the northern bank of the Rio Grande and Nuevo Laredo is located in the Mexican State of Tamaulipas in the southern bank of the river. This metropolitan area is also known as the Two Laredos or the Laredo Borderplex. The metropolitan area is made up of one county: Webb County in Texas and three municipalities: Municipality of Nuevo Laredo in Tamaulipas, Municipality of Hidalgo in Coahuila, Municipality of Anahuac in Nuevo Leon in Mexico. Two urban areas: the Laredo Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Zona Metropolitana Nuevo Laredo (Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Zone) three cities and 12 towns make the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan area which has a total of 589,309 inhabitants according to the INEGI Census of 2005[1] and the United States Census estimate of 2006[2]. The Laredo-Nuevo Laredo is connected by four International Bridges and an International Railway Bridge. According to World Gazetteer this metropolitan area ranked 167th largest in North and South America in 2007 with an estimated population of 683,503 in 2008. It ranks 162nd with a population of 718,073[3]. This area ranks 66th in the United States[4] and 23rd in Mexico[5].
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Populated Places
Laredo-Nuevo Laredo metropolitan area is formed by the following populated places:
Urban Areas
- Nuevo Laredo: 355,827
- Laredo: 231,470
Cities
Texas
Tamaulipas
- Campanario: 4,538
Towns
Texas
- Laredo Ranchettes: 1,845
- Larga Vista: 742
- Penitas West: 520
- La Presa: 508
Coahuila
Tamaulipas
- Álvarez: 1,257
- Nuevo Progreso: 393
- América: 263
- América II: 253
- Los Artistas: 175
- Miguel Alemán: 165
- La Cruz: 100
Nuevo Leon
History
Map of Laredo in 1892Villa de San Agustin de Laredo was founded in 1755 by Don Tomas Sanchez while the area was part of a region called Nuevo Santander in the Spanish colony of New Spain. Villa de San Agustin de Laredo got its name from Laredo, Cantabria, Spain and in honor of Saint Augustine of Hippo. In 1840, Laredo was the capital of the independent Republic of the Rio Grande, set up in rebellion to the dictatorship of Antonio López de Santa Anna and brought back into Mexico by military force. In 1846, during the Mexican-American War the town was occupied by the Texas Rangers. After the war the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ceded the land to the United States. A referendum was taken in the town, which voted overwhelmingly to petition the American military government in charge of the area to return the town to Mexico. However, this petition was rejected, and in response the bulk of the population moved over the river into Mexican territory to found the new town of Nuevo Laredo.
The origin of name of Laredo is unclear. Some scholars say the name might stem from Glaretum which means "sandy, rocky place" others state that Laredo stems from Euskaro and means "beautiful prairies"[8][9]. Laredo might also stem from Laridae which means gull or it might be made up of two Latin words lar which means home and edo which means birth.
Population Growth
| Year | Population | Count Type[3] |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 343,442 | Census |
| 2000 | 519,801 | Census |
| 2007 | 683,503 | Estimate |
| 2008 | 718,073 | Estimate |
Economy
The Laredo National Bank is one of the strongest banking institutions in Laredo, Texas Map of the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan AreaTrade
More than 47% of United States international trade headed for Mexico and more than 36% of Mexican international trade crosses through the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo port of entries[10][11]. This is the reason that the borderplex's economy rotates around commercial and industrial warehousing, import, and export. The city of Laredo has an airport called Laredo International Airport which has one-way flights to Houston, Dallas, and Las Vegas. The city of Nuevo Laredo has the Quetzalcóatl International Airport which has daily flights to Mexico City. These airports also handle merchandise to export to the neighboring country. The Laredo-Nuevo Laredo port of entry has five international bridges crossing the Rio Grande in 2007.
International Bridges
- Gateway to the Americas International Bridge
- Juárez-Lincoln International Bridge
- World Trade International Bridge (commercial traffic only)
- Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge
- Texas-Mexican Railway International Bridge
Major Highways
Major Highways in Laredo and their starting and ending points:
- Interstate 35 Laredo-Duluth
- U.S. Highway 59 Laredo-Lancaster
- U.S. Highway 83 Brownsville-Laredo-Westhope
- State Highway 255 Laredo-Colombia
- State Highway 359 Laredo-Skidmore
Major Highways in Nuevo Laredo and their starting and ending points:
- Mexican Federal Highway 85 Nuevo Laredo-Mexico City
- Mexican Federal Highway 2 Matamoros-Nuevo Laredo-Colombia-Ciudad Acuña
- Tamaulipas State Highway 1 Nuevo Laredo-Monterrey
- Nuevo Leon State Highway Spur 1 Colombia-Anáhuac
Retail Sales
Foggy morning at Mall Del NorteRetail sales also helps the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo economy, it attracts shoppers from Northern Mexico and South Texas[12]. There are 2 indoor shopping malls located in the area and dozens of plazas. The Streets of Laredo Urban Mall is an association created by businesses located in Iturbide Street in the San Agustin historical district to beautify and renovate the area[13]. By 2009 Laredo will have an additional 2 malls which are currently under construction:
- Mall Del Norte 1,198,199 ft²
- El Portal Mall 380,000 ft²
- Laredo Town Center Mall 580,577 ft² (to open in 2009)[14]
- Piazza del Sol Mall 1,000,000+ ft² (to open in 2009)[15]
- Streets of Laredo Urban Mall
Media
Television
The Laredo Borderplex has 14 television stations, 8 in Laredo and 6 located in Nuevo Laredo. They are affiliated with United States and Mexico's major networks including KVTV CBS affiliate, KGNS NBC affiliate, KXOF Fox affiliate, KGNS The CW affiliate, KLDO Univision affiliate, KETF Telefutura, XHLAT TV Azteca 7 affiliate, XHLNA TV Azteca 13 affiliate, XHBR XEW affiliate, and other Televisa networks and independent stations.
Radio
There are 13 AM radio stations (8 in Nuevo Laredo five in Laredo) and 20 FM radio stations (8 in Laredo 12 in Nuevo Laredo). Formats available in the region are: Classic Rock, Country, Easy Listening, Urban Contemporary, International, Mexican Regional Music, Spanish Contemporary, Spanish Christian, Spanish Talk, and Tejano.
Newspapers
Laredo has two English newspapers: Laredo Morning Times[16] and LareDOS[17]. Nuevo Laredo has four Spanish newspapers: El Diario de Nuevo Laredo[18], El Mañana de Nuevo Laredo[19], Primera Hora[20], and Ultima Hora[21]. Other out of town newspapers are sold in the most sold are San Antonio Express, Corpus Christi Caller Times, El Norte de Monterrey, New York Times, El Universal (Mexico City), and USA Today.
Sports
Laredo is home to four semiprofessional sports teams. The Laredo Bucks are a Central Hockey League hockey team in the Southern Conference's Southeast Division. The Bucks have been the League's Champion twice in 2003 and 2005. The Laredo Heat is a Premier Development League soccer team in the Southern Conference's Mid South Division. Laredo are the current USL Premier Development League champions, having defeated 2006 champions Michigan Bucks in a penalty shootout, following a 0-0 draw in the 2007 championship game. The Laredo Broncos are a baseball team in the United League. Nuevo Laredo is home to the Mexican Soccer League's Second Division Bravos de Nuevo Laredo. Both Laredo were home to the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos which were the only Mexican Baseball League team to play in both the United States and Mexico. The Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos were the Mexican Baseball League Champions in 1953, 1954, 1958, 1977, and 1989. In 2008 the Tecolotes came back to Nuevo Laredo and they are known as the Tecolotres de Nuevo Laredo.
Gallery
Pictures of Laredo, Texas
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San Agustin Cathedral in Laredo |
San Agustin Cathedral Tower |
University of Texas Health Science Center Laredo Campus Clock Tower |
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Foggy morning at the Mall del Norte |
Holiday Inn in Laredo |
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Pocket Communications Laredo Branch |
University of Texas Health and Science Center Laredo Campus |
Embassy Suites in Laredo |
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Webb County administration building |
Laredo Community Health Center |
Mall del Norte Northwest wing |
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Laredo Police Department |
Laredo Duty-free Zone Building |
Tex-Mex Railway International Bridge view from Laredo |
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El Portal Center Eastside |
El Portal Center view from Nuevo Laredo |
Pictures of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico
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Vicente Guerrero Statue |
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Founder's Monument |
Mother's Monument Royal Crowne Plaza in the background |
Technical Institute |
Federal Palace |
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Municipal Palace Garden |
Municipal Palace |
Soriana Reforma Plaza |
Tex-Mex Railway International Bridge view from Nuevo Laredo |
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Gateway to the Americas International Bridge Mexican side |
External links
- City of Laredo Official Website
- City of Nuevo Laredo Official Website (Spanish)
- City of El Cenizo Official Website
- Webb County Official Website
References
- ^ INEGI Mexican Census results for 2005 See Tamaulipas > Nuevo Laredo (Spanish)
- ^ United States Census 2006 estimate Laredo, Texas
- ^ a b World Gazetteer List of Metropolitan Areas in both Americas
- ^ Metropolitan population rank in United States
- ^ Metropolitan population rank in Mexico
- ^ INEGI Mexican Census results for 2005 See Coahuila > Hidalgo (Spanish)
- ^ INEGI Mexican Census results for 2005 See Nuevo Leon > Colombia (Spanish)
- ^ Laredo Origin
- ^ Laredo Origin (Spanish)
- ^ Laredo Morning Times "National report lists Laredo as largest inland port"
- ^ Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas "Southwest Economy "
- ^ Shopping Demographics in the Laredo Area
- ^ LareDOS Article "Streets of Laredo Urban Mall
- ^ Laredo Town Center Plans
- ^ Piazza del Sol Plans
- ^ Laredo Morning Times
- ^ LareDOS
- ^ El Diario de Nuevo Laredo (Spanish)
- ^ El Mañana de Nuevo Laredo (Spanish)
- ^ Primera Hora (Spanish)
- ^ Ultima Hora (Spanish)
Coordinates: 27°30′01″N 99°30′10″W / 27.5002397°N 99.5027876°W
See also
- List of Texas metropolitan areas
- United States metropolitan area
- List of United States metropolitan statistical areas by population
- Metropolitan areas of Mexico
- Transnational conurbations Mexico/USA
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Categories: Laredo • Nuevo Laredo metropolitan area | Metropolitan areas of Mexico | Metropolitan areas of Texas | Webb County, Texas | Nuevo Laredo | Geography of Laredo, Texas
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