Nuevo León (English: 'New León'; Spanish: [ˈnweβo leˈon] ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Nuevo León (Spanish: Estado Libre y Soberano de Nuevo León) is a state in northeastern Mexico. The state borders the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosi, and has an extremely narrow international border with the U.S. state of Texas. Covering 64,156 square kilometers (24,771 square miles) and with a population of 5.78 million people, Nuevo León is the thirteenth-largest federal entity by area and the seventh-most populous as of 2020.[8][9]
Monterrey, the state's capital, is the most populous city in Nuevo León and the ninth-largest in Mexico. Monterrey is part of the Monterrey metropolitan area, the second-largest metropolitan area in the country with an estimated population of 5.3 million people in 2020.[10] About 92% of the state's population lives in the metropolitan area.
Prior to European colonization, Nuevo León was home to various nomadic groups, known as chichimecas to the Spaniards. Stemming from Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva's expedition in 1580, the New Kingdom of León was established, encompassing present-day Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and Texas, but permanent settlement did not occur until 1592. In 1824, Nuevo León became a state of Mexico following the country's successful war for independence. The state began industrializing in the late 19th century and early 20th century, establishing various large companies, which accelerated after the Mexican Revolution. Today, Nuevo León is a major manufacturing hub with one of Mexico's largest economies.
The origins of Nuevo León's name can be traced back to the late-16th century, when Spanish explorer Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva named the region the New Kingdom of León, in honor of the Kingdom of León, as Carvajal noted various similarities between both territories, particularly their mountainous terrains.[11][12] Following Mexican independence, the name was shortened to Nuevo León.
Prior to European colonization, there was no established nation-state. Historians estimate that there were about 250 distinct indigenous nomad groups living in the state's territory, collectively known to the Spaniards as chicimecas.[13] Archaeological remains, such as cave paintings and carved stones, enabled historians to identify four main indigenous groups that inhabited the state: the Coahuiltecans to the west, Alazapas to the north, the "Borrados" to the east, and the