lecture 6a

Independent North Region of Mexico

• Geography and Topography

  • Comprises the Mesa Del Norte and part of the Mesa Central.
  • Characterized as a high plateau with higher elevation.
  • Stretches from north of Mexico City up to the U.S. border.
  • The terrain is quite hilly and mountainous, making it rugged.
  • Situated between the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental.
  • Features a basin and range topography with open basins.
  • Predominantly arid and dry, becoming desert further north.
  • Experiences significant summer thunderstorms, similar to monsoon seasons in Arizona, and at other times of the year.

• Major Cities and Urbanization

  • Key dominant cities include Chihuahua City, Durango, Torreon, Saltillo, and Monterrey.
  • Monterrey, Chihuahua, Torreon, and Durango are considered the most important cities in the region.
  • San Luis Potosí lies at the southern margins, marking the transition between the Mesa Central and Mesa Del Norte.
  • Monterrey is the largest city within the Independent North and the $3^{ ext{rd}}$ largest city in Mexico overall.
  • Mexico, like Latin America, is approaching an $80\%$ urbanization rate.
  • Significant rural-to-urban migration has occurred since World War II up until the $1990s$ and early $2000s$. This migration was not solely to Mexico City but also to regional centers like Monterrey, Torreon, and San Luis Potosí.
  • Many Mexican states in this region are named after their largest cities (e.g., Chihuahua in Chihuahua, Durango in Durango).

• Manufacturing and Economy

  • The Independent North is a major manufacturing hub.
  • Due to NAFTA and subsequently USMCA, factories have increasingly moved further south from the border areas.
  • Automobile manufacturing is a significant industry:
    • Kia has a large facility near Monterrey.
    • Nissan plants are found in Aguascalientes.
    • Ford operates in Hermosillo.
    • Volkswagen is located in Puebla (Central Mexico).
  • Mexico has become a major global automobile manufacturing center for several brands.
  • While ride-sharing might impact car sales in the U.S., the car market is growing in Mexico. More Mexicans are purchasing vehicles, a trend indicative of a rising middle class, despite environmental concerns like air pollution and traffic.
  • The majority of vehicles produced are for export to the United States, other parts of Latin America, and worldwide, rather than solely the domestic market.

Border Communities and US-Mexico Influence

• Twinned Cities Along the Border
  • Many cities along the U.S.-Mexico border are