Discover the 8 largest cities in Mexico – Tale Of Travels

Mexico is the third largest country in Latin America after Brazil and Argentina. It is the 13th largest compared to countries in the world. Did you know that despite the amount of land in the country, 4/5 of the country’s population live in urban areas? Some of the most populous cities are not necessarily the largest by area. So you can imagine that the population density is quite high in many cities in Mexico. Cities are often compared by their population, but let’s look at how some Mexican cities compare by landmass. Let’s discover the 8 largest cities in Mexico.

8) Leon: 471 million

Leon is a city in central Mexico about 4 1/2 hours northwest of Mexico City. At 471 square miles, it is larger than New York City, which measures 303 square miles. If you compare population sizes, you will find that New York has a much larger population than Leon. As of the 2020 census, New York has a population of 8.38 million and Leon has a population of 1.58 million. The city is known for its leather production, especially fine leather shoes. The Sierra de Lobos Nature Reserve is north of downtown Leon, where there are hiking trails and you can find mesquite lizards, peregrine falcons, and Mexican long-nosed bats.

Leon is known for its leather production, especially fine leather shoes.

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7) Mexico City: 573 km²

Mexico City is larger than New York City in size and population! In fact, it is one of the most populous cities in the world. Mexico City is 573 km² and is located in south-central Mexico, making it a prime location for the United States to the north and Central America to the south. Mexico City’s rich history dates back to 1325 when it was founded by the Mexicans and originally called Tenochtitlan. Now it’s a mix of people from all over the country and the world. The 2020 census put the population of Mexico City at 9,209,944, making for a very densely populated city. For nature lovers, there are places to visit to get back to nature, such as the Mercado de Jamaica (Jamaica Flower Market) and the Chapultepec Zoo, which is one of the few zoos that has giant pandas!

Mexico City’s rich history dates back to 1325 when it was founded by the Mexicans and originally called Tenochtitlan

Aberu.Go/Shutterstock.com

6) Acapulco: 726 km²

The resort town of Acapulco is located on a semi-circular bay on the Pacific Ocean. It became a popular international vacation spot in the 1950s and 1960s and continues to attract tourists from around the world. While there has been some concern about the decline in tourism to Acapulco due to some security and crime issues, people still come for the nightlife and sunny beaches. The city is 726 km² and has a population of 658,609 with millions more visitors each year, especially during the summer months. For animal lovers visit the small zoo, Zoo and Papagayo Park (Parque Papagayo). This city park features walking trails, an artificial lake, and green spaces right in the heart of the city. You can see parrots up close and iguanas, crocodiles, chimpanzees and a lion.

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Acapulco
With 726 km² and 658,609 inhabitants and millions of visitors per year, sunny Acapulco is one of the largest cities in Mexico.

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5) Cancun: 764 km²

Another great vacation spot in Mexico is Mexico’s fifth largest city at 764 km². Cancun is known for its resorts, snorkeling and diving, and its unique Mayan ruins. Many of the hotels are all-inclusive resorts, making it easy for visitors to relax and enjoy their vacation without having to make as many decisions. Cancun is located on the Yucatán Peninsula and on the Caribbean Sea with white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. If you go snorkeling you will be rewarded with colorful coral reefs, bright blue and yellow queen angelfish, green sea turtles and maybe a pod of dolphins passing by.

cancun
Cancun is known for its resorts, snorkeling and diving, and its unique Mayan ruins.

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4) Reynosa: 1,219 km²

Now let’s look at the largest cities in Mexico that are more than 1,000 square miles. For reference, the US state of Rhode Island has an area of ​​1,214 km², which is very similar to the city of Reynosa at 1,219 km². Reynosa is a US border town right on the Texas border. It is about 90 miles west of South Padre Island, TX and sits on the south bank of the Rio Grande River. With 691,557 inhabitants, it is the most populous city in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

As a border city with the US, several US cities have manufacturing facilities in the city, including Panasonic and LG. 15 minutes from downtown is Laguna la Escondida (The Hidden Lagoon) with the Reynosa Cultural Park. The lagoon area is a site for migratory birds from Canada and the United States that pass during their migrations. A variety of turtles can also be found in the lagoon area.

Reynosa
With 691,557 inhabitants, Reynosa is the largest city in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

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3) Matamoros: 1,562 km²

In the same state of Tamaulipas, about an hour east of Reynosa, lies the 1,562 km² city of Matamoros. It also borders the US, directly across from Brownsville, TX. Matamoros is just a short drive from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico where you can visit Playa Baghdad and Playa Costa Azul. Here you can try your hand at surf fishing for flounder, redfish, speckled trout or even a small bull shark. The city of Matamoros takes its name from war hero Mariano Matamoros, a key player in the Mexican War of Independence of 1810-1821.

Matamoros
The city of Matamoros takes its name from war hero Mariano Matamoros, a key player in the Mexican War of Independence of 1810-1821.

Roberto Galan/Shutterstock.com

2) Minatitlan: 1,592 km²

The second largest city in Mexico by landmass is Minatitlan, just slightly larger than Matamoros at 1,592 km². Minatitlan is located all the way along the coast of Matamoros in the state of Veracruz. It is approximately 7 hours southeast of Mexico City near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. While not on the coast, Minatitlan is only 30 minutes from Coatzacoalcos, a port town on the Gulf and Coatzacoalcos River. The river flows through the south side of Minatitlan with Parque Central Independencia north of it. Here you will find a small park with shops and restaurants as well as green areas where you may see a variety of iguanas (big and small) lounging in the park. Although Minatitlan ranks second in landmass, it is the 98th most populous city with only 149,162 people.

minatilan
Minatitlan is located all the way along the coast of Matamoros in the state of Veracruz.

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1) Durango: 3,877 km²

Mexico’s largest city by area is Durango, covering 3,877 square miles. Durango is the capital of the state of Durango in north-central Mexico, 10-11 hours northwest of Mexico City. It is 3 hours from the popular seaside town of Mazatlan on the Pacific Coast. At 3,877 square miles, it is larger than any other US city by area, with the largest US city being Sitka, Alaska at 2,870 km². In terms of population, Durango is the 31st most populous city in Mexico with 616,068 residents.

The city is known for its cathedral and Plaza de Armas, a historic cathedral that stands in the city’s main square. Not far from downtown Durango is El Tecuan Ecological Garden where you will find hiking trails, fishing, camping and a variety of wildlife. The park is home to moose, coyotes, foxes and wolves in the desert-like habitat of northern Mexico. A welcome respite from downtown life in Mexico’s largest city

durango
At 3,877 square miles, Durango is larger by area than any other city in the United States and is Mexico’s largest city by area.

Jesus Gutierrez G/Shutterstock.com

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