MEXICALI

city, capital of Baja California estado (state), northwestern Mexico. It lies in the Mexicali Valley, an extension of the Imperial Valley of the United States, in the extreme northeastern portion of Baja California. The city lies across the Mexico-U.S. border from Calexico, Calif. Its name, formed from the first two syllables of Mexico and California, was chosen as a gesture of international friendship. Improved irrigation of the Mexicali Valley, land redistribution (1937), and a duty-free zone franchise (193767) brought capital, immigration, and better transport facilities to the city. Its economy, which is no longer entirely dependent upon tourism, is based chiefly on the processing and distribution of long-staple cotton and varieties of fruits, vegetables, and cereals. The Autonomous University of Baja California was established in the city in 1957. It is easily accessible by highway, railroad, and air from the southwestern United States and from many points in Mexico. Mexicali has experienced phenomenal growth in the 20th century. Pop. (1980) 341,559; (1990) 438,377.