U.S.-Mexico Border
USA Environmental Protection Agency U.S.-Mexico Border 2012 Map
The U.S.-Mexico border region is shared by two nations, ten states (four in the U.S. and six in Mexico), and 64 municipalities (39 in Mexico and 25 in the U.S.). There are 26 U.S. federally recognized Native American tribes in the border region, which range from 9 to 17,000 members.
EPA description of the Border Region
The U.S.-Mexico border region is home to 12 million people, extends more than 2,000 miles (3,100 kilometers) from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. As a result of the 1983 La Paz Agreement (PDF) (16pp, 94K) on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in the Border Area both the U.S. and Mexico determined that the “border region” would extend 62.5 miles (100 kilometers) on each side of the international border. The diverse area includes large deserts, numerous mountain ranges, rivers, wetlands, large estuaries, and shared aquifers.
Ninety percent of the border population resides in 14 paired, inter-dependent sister cities. These “sister-cities” are metropolitan areas in both countries. Rapid population growth in urban areas has lead to unplanned development, greater demand for land and energy, increased traffic congestion and waste generation, overburdened or unavailable waste treatment and disposal facilities, and more frequent chemical emergencies. Residents in rural areas suffer from exposure to airborne dust, pesticide exposure, inadequate water supply and waste treatment facilities. Projected population growth rates in the border region exceed anticipated U.S. average growth rates (in some cases by more than 40 percent) for each country. By 2020 the population is expected to reach 19.4 million.
Border residents suffer disproportionately from many environmental health problems, including water-borne diseases and respiratory problems. Source: EPA Border 2012 Project Website.
The Global ARC has several projects underway on the San Diego-Tijuana City-Region—the largest twin city along the length of the border.
- Enviornmental health in vulnerable communities exposed to pollution, Go to Project Page
- TV documentary that interconnects watershed management and environmental public health, Go to Project Page
- Planning and Decision Support Systems, Go to Project Page