NUEVO LEN

estado (state), northeastern Mexico. It is bounded north by the United States, east and southeast by Tamaulipas, south and southwest by San Luis Potos, and west by Coahuila. The state is crossed by the southeastward-running Sierra Madre Oriental, which has an average elevation of 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Nuevo Len's territory contains a variety of climatic and vegetation types. The extreme north consists of the plain along the Rio Grande (Ro Bravo del Norte). The climate of almost the entire northern half of the province is arid or semiarid, with sandy wastes that support only cactus and shrubs. Farther south the climate becomes more humid, with forested mountain slopes and subtropical valleys that support a variety of crops. The state produces few minerals, but quantities of cotton, citrus fruits, sugarcane, cereals (especially corn and wheat), and vegetables are grown, in part with the aid of irrigation water provided by the international Falcn Dam on the Rio Grande. Nuevo Len's principal importance lies in its industries. Its ironworks and steelworks and smelting plants were the first heavy-industrial establishments in Latin America, and the state also supports numerous textile enterprises, a large beer brewery, and other industrial activities. The region was made a state in 1824 and was occupied by U.S. forces during the Mexican War (184648). A major railroad and highway linking Laredo, Texas, with the Gulf port of Tampico and Mexico City pass through Monterrey (q.v.), the state capital, which also possesses an airport. Area 25,067 square miles (64,924 square km). Pop. (1990) 3,098,736.