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Location of Agua Prieta within Sonora

Agua Prieta is a town and municipality in the northeastern corner of the Mexican state of Sonora ( 31°19′52.64″N, 109°33′43.2″W). It stands on the U.S.–Mexico border, adjacent to the town of Douglas, Arizona, USA. The municipality covers an area of 3,631.65 km² (1,402.2 sq mi). In the 2005 census the town had a population of 68,402 people, making it the seventh-largest community in the state, and a literacy rate of 96.3%. 89% of the homes in the city have electricity, 94% have running water, and 86% are connected to the sewer system. The city's most important economic activities, in descending order, are industry, commerce, and farming. The municipality's population was 70,303 at the 2005 census.

Agua Prieta began growing at the end of the 19th century as railroads were built between Douglas, Arizona, and Nacozari, Sonora, to transport minerals. As a result, the first settlers of the town were those employed by the U.S. mining company Phelps Dodge Corporation, which was based in Douglas, Arizona. The town was founded in 1899 as the Commissary of Fronteras, but did not become an independent municipality with its current name until August 28, 1916. Rodolfo L. Márquez was the new municipality's first president. It rose to the status of villa (town) on May 8, 1933, and it was officially placed in the category of city relatively recently, on November 11, 1942.

A graphical timeline is available here:

Timeline of the Mexican Revolution

Agua Prieta played an important role in the Mexican Revolution. Plutarco Elías Calles and Lázaro Cárdenas, two future presidents of Mexico, both lived in the town during its early years. In 1916, Pancho Villa made a night attack on Agua Prieta that was repelled by the forces of Álvaro Obregón, assisted by large searchlights powered by American electricity. In 1920, the Plan de Agua Prieta was signed in a curiosity shop near the international border, which called for the repeal of the government headed by Venustiano Carranza. The army headed by Álvaro Obregón eventually deposed Carranza.

• Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
• Sonora Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México.

• (Spanish) Gobierno Municipal de Agua Prieta Official website

• Agua Prieta is at coordinates 31°19′53″N 109°33′43″W / 31.33129, -109.56200Coordinates: 31°19′53″N 109°33′43″W / 31.33129, -109.56200