Laredo–Nuevo Laredo facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Laredo-Nuevo Laredo
Transborder agglomeration
Nickname(s): "Four-State Area", "Los Dos Laredos", "Quad State Area"
Laredo Borderplex
Largest city	Laredo, Texas Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
Other cities	Campanario Rio Bravo El Cenizo
Subdivisions	Texas Webb County Tamaulipas Nuevo Laredo Municipality Nuevo León Anáhuac Municipality Coahuila Hidalgo Municipality
Area
• Total	418.96 km² (161.76 sq mi)
Population (2010 official U.S. Census / INEGI Census)
• Total	636,516
• Estimate (2010 World Gazetteer est.)	675,481
• Rank	157th in the Americas (2008)
• Density	3,643/km² (1,407/sq mi)
GDP
• Laredo	US$17.0 billion
• Nuevo Laredo	US$5.5 billion
• Laredo-Nuevo Laredo	US$22.5 billion
Time zone	UTC-6

Laredo–Nuevo Laredo is a special area that crosses the border between the United States and Mexico. It's often called the "Two Laredos" or the "Laredo Borderplex." This area is one of six places along the U.S.-Mexican border where cities from both countries are very close and work together.

On the U.S. side, you'll find the city of Laredo in Texas. It sits on the northern bank of the Rio Grande river. On the Mexican side, Nuevo Laredo is located in the state of Tamaulipas, on the southern bank of the same river.

The Laredo–Nuevo Laredo area includes Webb County in Texas and three areas (called municipalities) in Mexico: Nuevo Laredo Municipality in Tamaulipas, Hidalgo Municipality in Coahuila, and Anáhuac Municipality in Nuevo León.

This large area has two main urban centers, three cities, and 12 towns. People and goods move between the two sides using four international bridges and one international railway bridge. In 2010, about 636,516 people lived here. It's a busy and important place for trade and culture between the two countries!

People Living in Laredo–Nuevo Laredo

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1990	343,442	—
2000	519,801	51.4%
2010	636,516	22.5%
2020	706,245	11.0%

The Laredo–Nuevo Laredo area is made up of many towns and cities. Here are the main places where people live:

Main Urban Areas

Nuevo Laredo: This is the larger city on the Mexican side, with over 425,000 people.
Laredo: This is the main city on the U.S. side, with over 259,000 people.

Cities in the Area

Texas Cities

Río Bravo: 5,553 people
El Cenizo: 3,545 people

Tamaulipas Cities

Campanario: 4,538 people

Towns in the Area

Texas Towns

Laredo Ranchettes: 1,845 people
Larga Vista: 742 people
Penitas West: 520 people
La Presa: 508 people

Coahuila Towns

Hidalgo: 1,638 people

Tamaulipas Towns

Álvarez: 1,257 people
Nuevo Progreso: 393 people
América: 263 people
América II: 253 people
Los Artistas: 175 people
Miguel Alemán: 165 people
La Cruz: 100 people

Nuevo León Towns

Colombia: 541 people

History of the Two Laredos

Map of Laredo in 1892

The city of Laredo started as a small village called Villa de San Agustin de Laredo. It was founded in 1755 by Don Tomas Sanchez. At that time, this area was part of a Spanish colony called New Spain. The name "Laredo" came from a town in Spain, and it also honored Saint Augustine of Hippo.

In 1840, Laredo became the capital of a short-lived independent country called the Republic of the Rio Grande. This republic was formed by people who were unhappy with the ruler of Mexico at the time, Antonio López de Santa Anna. However, Mexico soon took back control of the area.

During the Mexican–American War in 1846, American soldiers, including the Texas Rangers, took over Laredo. After the war, a treaty called the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo made this land part of the United States. The people of Laredo voted to stay with Mexico, but their request was turned down. Because of this, many people moved across the river into Mexican territory and started a new town, which became Nuevo Laredo. This is how the "Two Laredos" came to be!

The exact meaning of the name Laredo is not fully clear. Some experts think it might mean "sandy, rocky place," while others believe it means "beautiful prairies." It could also be related to the word for "gull" or even mean "home of birth" in Latin.

Economy and Trade

The Laredo National Bank is an important bank in Laredo, Texas.

The economy of the Laredo–Nuevo Laredo area is mostly about trade. It's a super important place for goods moving between the United States and Mexico.

Trade Hub

More than 47% of all goods going from the U.S. to Mexico pass through Laredo. Also, over 36% of goods coming from Mexico into the U.S. cross here! This makes the area a huge center for warehouses, importing, and exporting.

Both Laredo and Nuevo Laredo have airports that help with trade. The Laredo International Airport has flights to major U.S. cities like Houston and Dallas. Nuevo Laredo has the Quetzalcóatl International Airport, with daily flights to Mexico City. These airports also handle lots of cargo.

International Bridges

There are five bridges that connect Laredo and Nuevo Laredo across the Rio Grande. These bridges are vital for cars, trucks, and trains to cross the border.

Gateway to the Americas International Bridge
Juárez-Lincoln International Bridge
World Trade International Bridge (This bridge is only for commercial trucks.)
Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge
Texas-Mexican Railway International Bridge (This bridge is only for trains.)

Major Roads

Many important highways connect Laredo and Nuevo Laredo to other parts of the U.S. and Mexico.

Major highways in Laredo, Texas:

Interstate 35: This highway goes all the way north to Duluth.
U.S. Highway 59: This road goes northeast to Lancaster.
U.S. Highway 83: This highway stretches from Brownsville in the south to Westhope in the north.
State Highway 255: Connects Laredo to Colombia.
State Highway 359: Connects Laredo to Skidmore.

Major highways in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico:

Mexican Federal Highway 85: Connects Nuevo Laredo to Mexico City.
Mexican Federal Highway 2: Runs along the border from Matamoros to Ciudad Acuña.
Tamaulipas State Highway 1: Connects Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey.
Nuevo León State Highway Spur 1: Connects Colombia to Anáhuac.

Shopping and Retail

Foggy morning at Mall Del Norte

Shopping is also a big part of the economy here. Many people from northern Mexico and South Texas come to Laredo to shop. The biggest shopping center is Mall del Norte. There's also an effort to make the historic downtown area, called the Streets of Laredo Urban Mall, a nicer place for businesses and shoppers.

Media in the Laredos

The Laredo–Nuevo Laredo area has its own newspapers, TV channels, and radio stations.

Newspapers

People in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo can read several newspapers:

Laredo Morning Times: This newspaper is in English and comes out every day in Laredo.
LareDOS: This is a monthly English newspaper from Laredo.
El Mañana: This daily newspaper is in Spanish and serves both Nuevo Laredo and Laredo.
El Diario de Nuevo Laredo: Another daily Spanish newspaper from Nuevo Laredo.
Primera Hora: A daily Spanish newspaper from Nuevo Laredo.
Última Hora: Also a daily Spanish newspaper from Nuevo Laredo.

Television

The Laredo area has several local TV stations. The first station, KGNS, started broadcasting in 1956. Over the years, more stations have joined, offering different channels and programs.

Some channels are in English, like those affiliated with NBC and ABC. Others are in Spanish, like Univision and Telemundo, which are very popular.

In Mexico, all TV stations in Nuevo Laredo switched from old analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting in December 2014. This means clearer pictures and more channels!

Radio

The Laredo area also has many radio stations, both AM and FM, playing different types of music and shows.

AM Radio Stations

790 XEFE: "La Mera Ley" from Nuevo Laredo.
890 KVOZ: "Radio Cristiana" from Laredo, playing religious music.
960 XEK: "La Grande" from Nuevo Laredo.
1000 XENLT: "Radio Formula" from Nuevo Laredo.
1090 XEWL: "La Romantica" from Nuevo Laredo, playing romantic music.
1300 KLAR: "Radio Poder" from Laredo.
1340 XEBK: "Mega 95.7" from Nuevo Laredo.
1370 XEGNK: "Radio Mexicana" from Nuevo Laredo.
1410 XEAS: "Ke Buena" from Nuevo Laredo.
1490 KLNT: "Super Tejano" from Laredo, playing Tejano music.
1550 XENU: "La Rancherita" from Nuevo Laredo.

FM Radio Stations

88.1 KHOY: "Catholic Radio" from Laredo, playing religious content.
88.9 XHLDO: "Radio Tamaulipas" from Nuevo Laredo, a public radio station.
89.9 KBNL: "Radio Manantial" from Laredo, playing Spanish religious music.
91.3 XHNOE: "Stereo 91" from Nuevo Laredo, playing Spanish contemporary music.
92.7 KJBZ: "Z93" from Laredo, playing Tejano music.
94.1 XHTLN: "Imagen / RMX Laredo" from Nuevo Laredo, with talk and contemporary music.
94.9 KQUR: "Digital 94.9" from Laredo, playing Spanish pop.
95.7 XHBK: "Mega 95.7" from Nuevo Laredo, playing Spanish contemporary music.
97.1 XHNLO: "La Caliente" from Nuevo Laredo, playing Norteño music.
98.1 KRRG: "Big Buck Country" from Laredo, playing country music.
99.3 XHNK: "40 Principales" from Nuevo Laredo, playing Top 40 hits.
100.5 KBDR: "La Ley" from Laredo, playing Tejano music.
101.5 XHAS: "Ke Buena" from Nuevo Laredo, playing Norteño music.
102.3 XHMW: "Stereo Vida" from Nuevo Laredo, playing AC/Oldies.
106.1 KNEX: "Hot 106.1" from Laredo, playing Urban/Rhythmic Top 40.
107.3 XHGTS: "107.3 Me Gusta" from Nuevo Laredo, playing Spanish pop.

Sports in the Laredos

The Laredo–Nuevo Laredo area is home to several exciting sports teams!

Laredo has four semi-professional sports teams:

The Laredo Bucks are a hockey team that has won their league championship twice, in 2003 and 2005.
The Laredo Heat is a soccer team that won the USL Premier Development League championship in 2007.
The Laredo Broncos are a baseball team that plays in the United League.

Nuevo Laredo is home to the Bravos de Nuevo Laredo, a soccer team in Mexico's Second Division.

Both Laredo and Nuevo Laredo used to share a baseball team called the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos. This team was special because it was the only Mexican Baseball League team that played its games in both the United States and Mexico! The Tecolotes won the Mexican Baseball League championship many times: in 1953, 1954, 1958, 1977, and 1989. In 2008, the team came back to Nuevo Laredo and is now known as the Tecolotres de Nuevo Laredo.