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Place Name
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Laredo
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Place Status (Type)
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city
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Capital Of
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Webb County
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Population
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122,899 (1990)
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Location
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Webb County, Texas (TX), United States, North America
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Latitude
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27°31'N
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Longitude
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99°29'W
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Laredo
, city (1990 pop.
122,899),  Webb co., S Texas,
130 mi/209 km WSW of Corpus Christi, on the
Rio Grande; 27°31'N 99°29'W. It is a port of entry on the
U.S.-Mexico border, with a thriving export-import trade and a tourist
industry. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Laredo became one of the
fastest growing U.S. cities. It is a wholesale and retail center for a
large area on both sides of the Rio Grande. Important to its economy
are cattle ranching, irrigated farming (vegetables; cotton; sorghum),
oil production, and mining and smelting. A wide variety of prods. are
manufactured, such as clothing, military supplies, candles, fabricated
steel prods., and leather goods. Laredo has close economic ties with
its large sister city in Mex., Nuevo Laredo (“New
Laredo,” 1990 pop. 350,000; founded 1775), with which it is linked by
2 internatl. bridges. Laredo, a blend of Span., Mex., and Amer.
frontier influences, grew as a post on the road to San Antonio and
other Texas cities. After the Texas Revolution its ownership remained
in doubt until the S boundary of Texas was established by the
Mex.-Amer. War; during that period the city was the capital of the
“Republic of the Rio Grande” (the capitol bldg., erected in 1755,
still stands). Laredo's growth was aided by the arrival of the RR
(1880s), the development of irrigated farming, the discovery of oil and
natural gas, and the opening (1936) of a highway to Mexico city. Laredo
Internatl. Airport to E. The former army post Fort McIntosh was founded
in 1849 and intermittently rebuilt and used until 1946. Texas A and M
Internatl. Univ. and Laredo Jr. Col. are on grounds of fort. An
extension center of the Texas Arts and Industries Univ. is also there.
Casa Blanca L. and L. Casa Blanca State Park to E. Founded 1755, inc.
1852.
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