From the Ranch of the Tia Juana to Tijuana: A Brief History of Development and Population in the Mexican Northern Border

Abstract

The Mexican northern border region has undergone one of the most significant and interesting populations growths of this century in the country. In strictly demographic terms, this growth is explained almost completely by the intense migration to the region from the rest of the country. Tijuana has been the most extraordinary example of the modern demographic history of the northern border. This article is an essay on the economic, social, and demographic development of this important urban center during this century. It's purpose is two fold. On the one hand, to understand Tijuana's general population change in light of a unique socioeconomic development in the country, which has been characterized by a close dependence on the United States as will as by the creation of several federal programs aimed to integrate the border and the natural economies. On the other hand, to introduce the discussion of the Mexico-United States border region to the non-specialist in this field.