Office of Border Health
New Mexico Department of Health - Division of Policy and Performance
Office of Border Health
The United States-Mexico border region is defined as the area of land being 100 kilometers (62.5 miles) north and south of the international boundary (La Paz Agreement). It stretches approximately 2000 miles from the southern tip of Texas to California. The population for this expanse of land is estimated to be approximately 12 million inhabitants. This population is expected to double by the year 2025. The combined population of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California is 61,637,146 (2000 Census). The estimated combined population of the six Mexican border states in 1990 was 12,246,991. Two of the ten fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States - Laredo and McAllen - are located on the Texas-Mexico border. Additionally, there are 154 Native American tribes totaling 881,070 Native Americans living in the 4 U.S. border states. In the actual border region, there are approximately 25 Native American Nations.
This is a dynamic region that is medically underserved with a population that has pressing health and social conditions, higher uninsured rates, high rates of migration, inequitable health conditions and a high rate of poverty. The border area comprises:
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