State (pop., 2000: 2,298,070), northeastern Mexico.
It covers 57,908 sq mi (149,982 sq km), and its capital is Saltillo . Coahuila occupies a roughly broken plateau intersected by several mountain ranges. The first Spanish settlement in the region was at Saltillo in 1575. Coahuila and Texas formed a single state (1824–36) until Texas declared its independence. In 1857 Coahuila was combined with Nuevo León, and in 1868 it became a separate state. Its economy is based on livestock raising, agriculture, and mining; southern Coahuila has long been known for the wine and brandy it produces.