COAHUILA

state, northern Mexico, bounded north and northeast by the United States, east by Nuevo Len, south by San Luis Potos and Zacatecas, and west by Durango and Chihuahua. Its territory of 57,908 square miles (149,982 square km) is a roughly broken plateau traversed by several mountain ranges. The climate is hot and dry; rainfall is slight, and rivers are small. The western part of the state was a barren desert until irrigation projects made the soil productive. The first Spanish settlement in the region was at Saltillo, the state capital, in 1575, when the area formed part of Nueva Vizcaya province. Coahuila and Texas formed a single state in 1824, but dissatisfied U.S. settlers in Texas declared their independence in 1836. In 1857 Coahuila was combined with Nuevo Len, and in 1868 it became a separate state. Livestock raising was for a time the principal industry, but irrigation has permitted the development of agriculture in several localities. The chief products are cotton, corn (maize), wheat, beans, sugarcane, and grapes. Southern Coahuila has long been celebrated for its wines and brandies; mineral products include silver, lead, coal, copper, and iron. The modern industrial development of the state was made possible by the railway communications that were developed late in the 19th century and by investments of foreign capital in its local enterprises. In addition to Saltillo, principal towns in Coahuila include Parras de la Fuente, a large rail centre; Piedras Negras, on the Rio Grande (Ro Bravo del Norte); and Torren, one of Mexico's most modern cities. Coahuila has excellent air and rail connections, and a superhighway between Piedras Negras and Mexico City traverses the state. Pop. (1985 est.) 1,806,742.