Like most metropolitan areas on the .–Mexico border, Paso del Norte, comprised principally of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and El Paso, Texas, has experienced exceptionally rapid population and economic growth during the last several decades. 1 Between 1990 and 2000, Ciudad Juárez’s population grew by about 50% (from million to million), while El Paso’s population grew by about 16% (from million to million), rates approximately twice those for Mexico and the United States (Desarrollo Econόmico de Ciudad Juárez 2002, Economist 2001). The maquiladora industry is partly responsible for the region’s growth. Ciudad Juárez is home.
