MONTERREY

metropolitan area and capital, Nuevo Len state, northern Mexico; at an altitude of 1,765 ft (538 m) and partly surrounded by mountains, it is on the floodplain of the eastward-flowing Ro Santa Catarina. It was founded in 1579, but floods, hostile Indians, its distance from Mexico City, and lack of metals kept it small and unimportant until the late 19th century. Rail connections with Laredo, Texas, opened in 1882, and state legislation favourable to capital investment was passed, leading to large-scale smelting and heavy-industrial enterprises. Further growth was stimulated by the building of the Inter-American Highway, beginning in 1930, which led to the development of Monterrey into Mexico's third largest city and one of the most energetic and up-to-date industrial complexes in the hemisphere. In addition to its heavy industries, fabricating plants, and ore-processing units, Monterrey has hundreds of light industries, producing such items as beer, cigarettes, pottery, glass, and textiles. On a semiarid piedmont north and east of the city there is considerable irrigated agriculture. Local rivers provide hydroelectric power, but for both irrigation and electricity, Monterrey is the chief Mexican beneficiary of the great Falcn Dam, on the Lower Rio Grande (Ro Bravo del Norte). The city is the site of Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (1943), Nuevo Len University (1933), Labastida University (1947), the Regiomontane University (1957), and the University of Monterrey (1969). It is on main highways, railroads, and air routes between Laredo, to the north, and Mexico City, to the south. Pop. (1775) 258; (1880) 29,000; (1930) 132,571; (1980) metropolitan area, 1,702,000.