| Piedras Negras | |||
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| Nickname(s): The Safe Border! | |||
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Piedras Negras
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Mexico | ||
| State | Coahuila | ||
| Municipality | Piedras Negras | ||
| Established | 15 June 1850 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Jose Manuel Maldonado (PRI) 2010 Oscar López Elizondo(PRI) 2010-2013 | ||
| Area | |||
| • City | 914.2 km2 (353 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 223 m (732 ft) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • City | 150,178 | ||
| • Density | 164.3/km2 (425.5/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 150,178 | ||
| • Metro | 202,948 | ||
| Demonym | Nigropetense | ||
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) | ||
| Postal code | 26000 | ||
| Area code(s) | 878 | ||
| Airport | Piedras Negras Int. Airport | ||
| Website | piedrasnegras.gob.mx | ||
Piedras Negras is a city and seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Coahuila. It stands at the northeastern edge of Coahuila on the U.S.-Mexico border, across the Río Bravo (Rio Grande) from Eagle Pass in the U.S. state of Texas. In the 2010 census the city had a population of 150,178 people, which accounted for 98.28 percent of its municipality's total population of 152,806. The municipality's area is relatively small, but does include some outlying minor localities not located inside the city limits. The Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras area is connected by the Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras International Bridge, Camino Real International Bridge, and the Eagle Pass Union Pacific International Railroad Bridge.
The city was founded in 1849. It was renamed Ciudad Porfirio Díaz in 1888, in homage to President Porfirio Díaz, but reverted to its original name following the Mexican Revolution.
In Spanish Piedras Negras translates to "black stones" – a reference to the coal deposits that exist in the area. Across the river, coal was formerly mined on the US side at Dolchburg, near Eagle Pass. This mine closed around 1905, after a fire. Mexico currently operates two large coal-fired power plants named "José López Portillo" and "Carbón 2" located 30 miles (48 km) south of Piedras Negras.
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On 15 June 1850, a group of 34 men (commanded by Andrés Zapata, Gaspar Salazar and Antonio Ramírez) met with Colonel Juan Manuel Maldonado to give the news that they had created a pass point at Piedras Negras, to the right of the Rio Grande, south of Fort Duncan; and having given it the name of: Nueva Villa de Herrera. Later on it would be renamed Villa de Piedras Negras. In Otto Schober's "Breve historia de Piedras Negras," the local historian points out that the 34 men in in question were repatriates (Mexican Americans) that arrived on June 15, 1850 in what was then called "Colonia Militar de Guerrero en Piedras Negras."[1]
Due to the discovery of huge deposits of coal at the region, in 1881 a railroad track was begun, finishing in 1883. With this construction, the regional economy flourished and on 1 December 1888, it was granted the status of city; this time with the name of Ciudad Porfirio Díaz. After the fall of Diaz in 1911, the city reverted back to Piedras Negras, Coahuila.
In the Northern Region of Coahuila there are approximately 300,000 inhabitants. According to the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Data Processing (INEGI), in 2005 the population of the municipio of Piedras Negras was of 143,915 inhabitants; this is equal to 5.77% of the population of Coahuila. 17% of the population of Piedras Negras came from other states, 3% are foreigners, and the rest are native-born in Coahuila. Piedras Negras has a high population growth due in part by its status as a border city fueled by US bound exports from several factories and also by persons who hope to cross the border into the United States. It is estimated that in a couple of years it will become the third most populated city of the state of Coahuila, surpassing Monclova. Nowadays Piedras Negras has more than 200,000 inhabitants.
The climate of the region is semi-arid and hot. During summer the temperatures often surpass 45°C. The hottest months are May through September with a daily average (mean) temperature between 79°F (26°C) and 88°F (31°C).
The high temperatures recorded in Piedras Negras have earned it recognition as one of the hottest cities in the country.[2]
Highest precipitation months are May, June and September with an average monthly downfall in excess of 3.1 inches (80 mm) but that is highly sporadic lending to frequent drought conditions. The period of lowest precipitation is between December through March, with a monthly average of 1.2 inches (30 mm).
| Climate data for Piedras Negras | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 64 (18) |
69 (21) |
77 (25) |
83 (28) |
88 (31) |
94 (34) |
95 (35) |
96 (36) |
91 (33) |
83 (28) |
72 (22) |
64 (18) |
81 (27) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 41 (5) |
44 (7) |
49 (9) |
56 (13) |
63 (17) |
69 (21) |
71 (22) |
71 (22) |
66 (19) |
57 (14) |
48 (9) |
41 (5) |
56 (13) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 0.4 (10) |
1 (25) |
0.8 (20) |
1.9 (48) |
3 (76) |
2.2 (56) |
1.9 (48) |
2.2 (56) |
3.9 (99) |
2.3 (58) |
1.8 (46) |
0.9 (23) |
22.4 (569) |
| Source: SAGARPA. Estadísticas Climatológicas Básicas del Estado de Coahuila (1961–2003)[3]'' | |||||||||||||
This region generates a large amount of the national production of coal, one of the most economically important non-metallic minerals in the state.
Piedras Negras' main tourist attractions are:
Piedras Negras has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International: