Monterrey, << mohn tehr RAY >> (pop. 1,142,952; met. area pop. 5,341,171), is one of Mexico’s largest cities. Monterrey lies in a fertile valley near the Texas border. The Pan American Highway links Monterrey with Laredo, Texas, 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast. Monterrey is known for its iron and steel foundries, and for its breweries. Hundreds of factories produce textiles, cement, and other products. A natural gas pipeline between Texas and Monterrey aided the city’s industrial growth. Monterrey has old Spanish-style buildings and many modern structures. The nearby Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education attracts many U.S. students. Spanish settlers founded Monterrey about 1560. It was incorporated as a city in 1596.
