- Municipalities of Nuevo León
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The Mexican state of Nuevo León is divided into 51 municipalities, which take their names from their municipal seats.
Nuevo León State within Mexico
The most populous one is Monterrey, which also serves as the capital of the state. Outside the Monterrey Metropolitan Area (which consists of Apodaca, Escobedo, Guadalupe, San Nicolás de los Garza, San Pedro Garza García and Santa Catarina) the municipalities tend to be scarcely populated. Aside from Cadereyta Jiménez, Juárez, Linares and Montemorelos, no other municipality surpasses 50,000 inhabitants.
The largest municipality by area is Galeana. One of the smallest ones, Hualahuises, is an enclave of Linares.
Each municipality is headed by a mayor (in Spanish: presidente municipal or alcalde) with a three-year term. Mayors can serve several non-consecutive terms.
INEGI code Municipality Municipal seat Formed Origin and older names Etymology Population Area Density Map
001 Abasolo Abasolo 1826 Founded as the Hacienda of Eguía de Viudas in 1648, renamed as Abasolo in 1826 Mariano Abasolo (1780–1819) a Mexican revolutionist during the War of Independence 2,746 44 5.22 
002 Agualeguas Agualeguas 1793 Originally founded by Friar Diego Vázquez as a Spanish mission named Santa Teresa de Alamillo, in 1675 changed its name to San Nicolás Gualeguas Mission, then it was renamed Agualeguas in 1793 Its current name comes from the now extinct Gualeguas, a native American nomadic tribe, which scarcely inhabited this area before the Spanish settlement 3,537 1,034 5.55 
003 Allende Allende 1850 Previously known as Rancho del Reparo (Bucking Ranch) formed in 1825 Ignacio Allende (January 21, 1769–June 26, 1811) a captain of the Spanish Army who came to sympathize with the Mexican independence movement 29,568 186 177 
004 Anáhuac Anáhuac 1933 Merged on May 5, 1933, it is the youngest municipality of the state, prior to 1933, most of its area was part of the Lampazos and Vallecillo municipalities in Nuevo León, the rest was bought by the governor of Nuevo León, Bernardo Reyes from the Juárez municipality in the state of Coahuila in order to expand Nuevo León's border with Texas and to compete with the bordering Mexican states of Coahuila and Tamaulipas in the Import / Export market It is named after the region which comprises the "Valle de México" or "Meseta de Anáhuac" 17,983 4,303 4.20 
005 Apodaca Apodaca 1871 Founded by the Portuguese settler Gaspar Castaño de Sosa as the Hacienda of San Francisco in 1585 Salvador de Apodaca, a former bishop of the city of Linares, Nuevo León 418,784 250 1675 
006 Aramberri Aramberri 1877 Founded as the Santa María de los Angeles de Río Blanco Mission by the Spanish friar Lorenzo Cantú in 1648, later known as Villa de Río Blanco from 1660 to 1877 José Silvestre Aramberri, a general from this municipality who fought in the War of Reform 14,692 2,809 5.38 
007 Bustamante Bustamante 1832 Prior to 1832, was known as San Miguel de Aguayo, founded in 1686 Anastasio Bustamante, a president of Mexico, who was during its presidency when Bustamante was renamed 3,326 558 5.92 
008 Cadereyta Jiménez Cadereyta Jiménez 1825 Initially founded as Villa de Cadereyta in 1637, later known as Villa de San Juan Bautista de Cadereyta (1692) In honor of the marquis of Cadereyta, Spain Lope Díez de Armendáriz, marqués de Cadereyta, also viceroy of the New Spain. Mariano Jiménez, precursor of the independence in Nuevo León 73,746 1,153 62.16 
009 El Carmen El Carmen 1852 Founded in 1614 by Bernabé de las Casas as Hacienda de Chipinque, which was part of the administrative area of Valle de las Salinas, created as a municipality in 1852 El Carmen, in honor of Nuestra señora del Carmén, (Our Lady of Mount Carmel) 6,996 101 37.33 
010 Cerralvo Cerralvo 1626 The Villa of San Gregorio de Cerralvo, The oldest municipality of the state as it was the first Spanish settlement in Nuevo León which took place in 1582 in what is now Cerralvo, Originally it was the first capital of the state In honor of the marquis of Cerralvo, Spain and fifteenth Viceroy of New Spain Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio, marqués de Cerralvo, (1565–1652), 9,343 880 8.6 
011 China China 1812 Initially formed in 1719 as a ranch named San Felipe de Jesús of China, renamed simply as China in 1812, prior to 1868 included the Rancho El Toro (Bull's ranch) and Rancho del Zacate (Grass Ranch) which are now General Bravo and Doctor Coss municipalities Saint Philip of Jesus, (1572–1597), a Mexican Catholic missionary in China and Japan, who became one of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan 10,697 4,092 2.92 
012 Ciénega de Flores Ciénega de Flores 1863 Formed as the Hacienda of Ciénega de Flores, prior to 1634, the area was part of the Valle del Carrizal Cienega, a Spanish word for "boggy", and Flores, the surname of an early rancher of the area 14,268 171 42.94 
013 Doctor Arroyo Doctor Arroyo 1828 Previously known as Valle de la Purísima Concepción Dr. José Francisco Arroyo, a doctor, theologist, and the first delegate of the Nuevo León's state congress 33,269 5,420 7.24 
014 Doctor Coss Doctor Coss 1882 Formed in 1740 as the Rancho del Zacate. prior to 1882, the area was part of what is now China, Nuevo León Dr. José María Coss, a distinguished member of the insurgent Congress 1,639 712 2.92 
015 Doctor González Doctor González 1883 Prior to 1883, the area was known as Hacienda de Ramos which was part of the Valle de las Salinas Dr. José Eleuterio González, a doctor, philanthropist, writer and governor of Nuevo León in 1870 3,092 628 4.53 
016 Galeana Galeana 1678 Initially founded as San Pablo de Labradores Mission, and later known as The Valle of San Pablo de Galeana Hermenegildo Galeana, a soldier of the insurgent army during the Mexican War of independence 38,930 7,154 5.52 
017 García García 1851 Founded as Pesquería Grande in 1583 Joaquín García, governor of Nuevo León (1829–1833) and (1837–1839) 51,658 913 33 
018 General Bravo General Bravo 1863 Formed as Rancho del Toro in 1790, Prior to 1863, the area was part of what is now China, Nuevo León municipality Nicolás Bravo Rueda, a Mexican president and general 5,385 1,999 2.79 
019 General Escobedo General Escobedo 1868 Prior to 1868, was known in 1624 as Hacienda of Topo de los Ayala Mariano Escobedo (1826–1902), a New Leonese army general, and governor of Nuevo León (1865 and 1866) 299,364 207 513.86 
020 General Terán General Terán 1851 The area was part of Valle de la Mota which was founded in 1746 Manuel Mier y Terán, a general of the Mexican war of independence 14,022 2,477 6.27 
021 General Treviño General Treviño 1868 Originally formed as Rancho del Puntiagudo (Sharp's Ranch) in 1688 Jerónimo Treviño, a general who participated in the War of reform and against the French intervention in Mexico 1,476 356 4.33 
022 General Zaragoza General Zaragoza 1866 Founded in 1626 as San José de Río Blanco Mission by Friar Lorenzo Cantú, then in 1660 became part of what is now Aramberri, Nuevo León until 1866 Ignacio Zaragoza, a Texan general of the Mexican army during the Battle of Puebla 5,733 1,289 5.03 
023 General Zuazua General Zuazua 1863 Founded as the Hacienda of Santa Helena in 1660 Juan Zuazua (1821–1860), a New Leonese general of the War of Reform and the Mexican-American War 6,985 194 48.5 
024 Guadalupe Guadalupe 1825 Originally founded in 1714 as a Spanish mission named Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Mission Its name comes from the name of the early Spanish mission in the area, (Our lady of Guadalupe Mission), in honour of the Virgin of Guadalupe 691,931 118 4,429 
025 Hidalgo Hidalgo 1828 Initially founded by the Spanish Canarian settler Bernabé de las casas as Hacienda de En medio (1611), subsequently renamed as El pueblito, and later San Nicolás Hidalgo Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (1753–1811), the priest who raised the call for Mexico's independence from Spain 11,668 109 53 
026 Higueras Higueras 1863 Founded in 1714 as Santa Teresa de las Higueras by the Spanish settler Diego González Higueras, the Spanish word for the Common fig tree, which is abundant throughout the area 1,427 669 2.28 
027 Hualahuises Hualahuises 1715 Founded in 1646 as the Mission of San Cristóbal de los Hualahuises by the Spanish settler Martín de Zavala, but it was almost unpopulated until 1715, in 1908 the area around the municipality was annexed into the Linares municipality, thus making it an enclave of that municipality Hualahuises, a native American tribe which inhabited the area before the Spanish settlement in 1646 6,631 165 26.4 
028 Iturbide Iturbide 1850 Prior to 1850 was known as Hacienda de los San Pedros Agustin de Iturbide (September 27, 1783–July 19, 1824), One of the national liberators of the Mexico's independence from Spain, and the first emperor of Mexico from 1822 to 1823 3,533 700 4.84 
029 Juárez Juárez 1868 Originally founded in 1604 as Hacienda de San José Don Benito Juárez García, a former president of Mexico 144,380 275 100.84 
030 Lampazos de Naranjo Lampazos de Naranjo 1877 Initially founded as the Mission of Nuestra señora de la Punta de Lampazos by Friar Diego de Salazar in 1698, later created as municipality in 1877 Lampazos was named in honor of the plant that grows in this area Xanthosoma Robustum, the Naranjo part was named in honor to the New Leonese general Francisco Naranjo who was from this municipality 5,305 4,020 1.32 
031 Linares Linares 1712 Previously known as San Felipe de Linares, founded in 1712 Its name honours Fernando de Alencastre, a viceroy and duke of Linares, Spain 71,061 2,322 25.8 
032 Los Aldamas Los Aldamas 1820 Founded as a Mission, later named Villa de Hoyos, renamed Santa María de los Aldamas and finally created as municipality and renamed as Los Aldamas in 1820 In honour of the brothers, Juan and Ignacio Aldamas, initiators of the independence of Mexico along with Miguel Hidalgo 1,675 645 5 
033 Los Herreras Los Herreras 1874 Formed as Rancho de la Manteca around 1760, officially created as a municipality in 1870 In honor of the New Leonese brothers, José Martín Herrera and the colonel Rafael Herrera, who participated in the Battle of San Bernabé 2,795 550 7.68 
034 Los Ramones Los Ramones 1912 Prior to 1847 the area was part of the Cerralvo municipality and the area was known as Rancho del Capadero, later annexed to the Cadereyta municipality and was known as Valle de San José de los Ramones, and was officially created as a separate municipality until 1912 In honor of the brothers Juan Ignacio Ramón and Buenaventura Ramón, notable precursors of the Mexican independence movement 6,538 1,156 5 
035 Marín Marín 1804 Initially formed in 1684 as a ranch named Rancho de San Antonio de los Martinez, renamed as Villa de San Carlos de Marín in 1804 and subsequently known as Marin Primo Feliciano Marín de Porras, a bishop of the New kingdom of León and honor chaplain of the Spain's king 4,719 157 26 
036 Melchor Ocampo Melchor Ocampo 1924 Formed as a ranch named Charco Redondo in 1702 Melchor Ocampo, Foreign Secretary during the War of Reform 1,052 262 7 
037 Mier y Noriega Mier y Noriega 1849 Founded around 1715 by Spanish settlers as Hacienda de San Antonio de Medina Friar Servando Teresa de Mier, (October 18, 1765–December 3, 1827), a Roman Catholic priest from Monterrey and a famous preacher and politician in New Spain, also one of the most prominent figures of Nuevo León during the independence movement of New Spain 7,047 981 6 
038 Mina Mina 1851 Founded in 1608 by the Spanish Canarian settler Bernabé de las Casas as the Hacienda de San Francisco de Cañas, also known as "Valle de San Francisco de las Cañas" and San Francisco de las Cañas which was an administrative area of the Valle de las Salinas, it was declared as a municipality in 1851 Francisco Javier Mina, (December 15, 1789–November 11, 1817), a Spanish lawyer and army officer who sympathized with the Mexican independence from Spain, convinced by Friar Servando Teresa de Mier that it was possible to fight the absolute monarchy of Ferdinand VII in his own colonies. 5,384 3,915 1.28 
039 Montemorelos Montemorelos 1825 Prior to 1825, the area was part of the Valle de San Mateo del Pilón established in 1701, which was previously founded in 1653 by the Spanish Captain Alonso de León Composed of the words Monte (mountain), and Morelos, a precursor of the independene of Mexico from Spain 53,854 1,700 30.9 
040 Monterrey Monterrey 1596 Founded in its first attempt in 1577 by Alberto del Canto as Santa Lucía, founded again by Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva in 1582 as San Luis rey de Francia but it still was unpopulated, and was finally declared founded with success on September 20, 1596 by Diego de Montemayor as Nuestra Señora de Monterrey The city is named Monterrey in honor of the Count and Countess of Monterrey, Spain, also viceroy of New Spain Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo and his wife 1,133,814 781 2461 
041 Parás Parás 1851 Previously formed as a ranch called Rancho del Huizachal de los Canales, created as a municipality in 1851 José María Parás y Ballesteros, First governor of Nuevo León as a Mexican state 992 1,008 1 
042 Pesquería Pesquería 1844 Founded in 1699 as Hacienda del Espíritu Santo, later known as Hacienda of Pesquería Chica Pesquería in Spanish means 'fishery', it was named so because of the Pesquería River, which cross the area 3,075 346 27 
043 Rayones Rayones 1851 Merged in 1851 as Rayones, prior to 1851, the municipal seat was a ranch named San Miguel del Tasajal, which was part of the Valle del Pilón now Montemorelos In honor of the brothers, Ramón, Ignacio and Francisco Rayón, who fought in the Mexican war of Independence 905.20 844 2.88 
044 Sabinas Hidalgo Sabinas Hidalgo 1826 Initially founded in 1693 as Valle de Santiago de las Sabinas, created as a municipality in 1826 Sabinas, the Spanish word for "Junipers", coniferous plants abundant in the area 32,040 1,393 19.4 
045 Salinas Victoria Salinas Victoria 1826 Initially founded by the Portuguese settler Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva as "Villa de Cueva" in 1586, subsequently known as Valle de Salinas, which was the administrative area's seat of the Valle de las Salinas, one of the five original administrative areas of the New kingdom of León "Salinas" (Spanish for salt marshes) was chosen because the lands present saline characteristics. "Victoria" after the first presidentof Mexico Guadalupe Victoria. 27,848 1,609 19.4 
046 San Nicolás de los Garza San Nicolás de los Garza 1830 Founded in 1596 when the lands were transfer by Diego de Montemayor (who successfully had founded Monterrey), to Diego Díaz de Berlanga and his wife Mariana. It was known as San Nicolás de los Garza, created as a municipality in 1830 In honor of Saint Nicholas, and the last part in honor of the Garza surname of Pedro de la Garza, an early Spanish settler and rancher of the area 496,878 57 5,724 
047 San Pedro Garza García San Pedro Garza García 1882 The lands were passed in November, 20 1596 to Diego de Montemayor's son, Diego de Montemayor el mozo, the area was called San Pedro de los Nogales in 1725, later known as the Valle de San Pedro, and created as a municipality in 1882 "San Pedro", in honor of Saint Peter, and "Garza Garcia", in honor of the governor of Nuevo León, Genaro Garza García 125,978 86.8 1,815 
048 Santa Catarina Santa Catarina 1864 Founded in November, 20 1596 by the Spanish captain Lucas García as the Hacienda de Santa Catarina, later known as Valle de Santa Catarina, created as a municipality in 1864 In honor of Saint Catherine, as it was founded on the eve of Saint Catherine's day (November 24) 227,026 927 230 
049 Santiago Santiago 1831 Founded in 1648 as Valle de Santiago del Huajuco by Diego Rodríguez de Montemayor (Diego de Montemayor's grandson) "Santiago", a Spanish name version of the apostle James, son of Alphaeus 37,886 732 48.2 
050 Vallecillo Vallecillo 1825 Founded in 1768 as Real de San Carlos de Vallecillo In honor of El Vallecillo, a Spanish municipality located in the province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain 2,169 1,823 1.16 
051 Villaldama Villaldama 1826 Founded in 1690 as Boca de Leones or Real Boca de Leones, created as a municipality in 1826 with the name of Villaldama Juan Aldama, one of the precursors of the independence of Mexico 4,247 1,436 4.87 
External links
- Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México: Nuevo León (Spanish)
- INEGI: Population of Nuevo León by municipality (2000) (Spanish).
State of Nuevo LeónTopics Architecture · Climate · Cuisine · Culture · Demographics · Economy · Education · Geography · Government · History · Literature · Politics · Sports · New Leonese · Transportation · Tourist Attractions
Municipalities/
townsAbasolo · Agualeguas · Allende · Anáhuac · Apodaca · Aramberri · Bustamante · Cadereyta Jiménez · El Carmen · Cerralvo · China · Ciénega de Flores · Doctor Arroyo · Doctor Coss · Doctor González · Galeana · García · General Bravo · General Escobedo · General Terán · General Treviño · General Zaragoza · General Zuazua · Guadalupe · Hidalgo · Higueras · Hualahuises · Iturbide · Juárez · Lampazos de Naranjo · Linares · Los Aldama · Los Herrera · Los Ramones · Marín · Melchor Ocampo · Mier y Noriega · Mina · Montemorelos · Monterrey · Parás · Pesquería · Rayones · Sabinas Hidalgo · Salinas Victoria · San Nicolás de los Garza · San Pedro Garza García · Santa Catarina · Santiago · Vallecillo · Villaldama
Regions of Nuevo León Monterrey metropolitan area · Peripheral Region · Northern Nuevo León · Salinas Valley · Citrícola Region · Pilón Valley · Southern Nuevo León · Río Blanco Valley
Municipalities of Mexico by stateAguascalientes • Baja California • Baja California Sur • Campeche • Chiapas • Chihuahua • Coahuila • Colima • Durango • Guanajuato • Guerrero • Hidalgo • Jalisco • México • Michoacán • Morelos • Nayarit • Nuevo León • Oaxaca • Puebla • Querétaro • Quintana Roo • San Luis Potosí • Sinaloa • Sonora • Tabasco • Tamaulipas • Tlaxcala • Veracruz • Yucatán • ZacatecasCategories:- Municipalities of Nuevo León
- Lists of municipalities of Mexico
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