Reynosa

Town on the northwest border of the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, situated 209 km/130 mi northeast of Monterrey and 147 km/91 mi southeast of Nuevo Laredo; population (1996) 281,400. The town lies on the Rio Grande, and is one of the major gateways between the USA and Mexico. The economy of the region was principally cattle raising before oil production began. The city's oil refineries and petrochemical plants serve the nearby oilfields, and gas pipelines lead into Texas and to Monterrey.

Reynosa's inhabitants were among the first people to join the movement for Mexican independence in 1810. The original settlement was founded in 1749 as Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Reynosa and was a post for the salt trade. A flood in 1800 destroyed the town and forced the residents to move to the current site. There is, therefore, a lack of historic buildings.