Rio Grande border disputes
Encyclopedia
The Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte)
has changed course several times in recorded history, leading to a number of border disputes, both international (involving Mexico
and the United States
) and between individual U.S. state
s:
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
has changed course several times in recorded history, leading to a number of border disputes, both international (involving Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) and between individual U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s:
- The Country Club DisputeCountry Club DisputeThe Country Club Area is a suburb of El Paso, Texas. It was the object of a lengthy border dispute between Texas and New Mexico.-Origins:As part of the Compromise of 1850, Texas gave up its claim to portions of present-day New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma in exchange for...
was a dispute between TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The U.S. Supreme Court ended this dispute in 1927.
- The Chamizal was a disputed parcel of land between El Paso, TexasEl Paso, TexasEl Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. This dispute was resolved by treaty in 1963.
- The Ojinaga CutOjinaga CutThe Ojinaga Cut was a parcel of land between Ojinaga, Chihuahua, and Presidio, Texas, that gave rise to an international border dispute between the United States and Mexico when the Rio Grande changed course....
was a disputed parcel of land between Presidio, TexasPresidio, TexasPresidio is a city in Presidio County, Texas, United States. It stands on the Rio Grande , on the opposite side of the U.S.-Mexico border from Ojinaga, Chihuahua. The population was 4,167 at the 2000 census....
, and Ojinaga, Chihuahua. This dispute was resolved by treaty in 1970.
- The Horcon Tract was a parcel of land that included the city of Rio Rico, TexasRio Rico, TexasRio Rico is a city near the Rio Grande in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas; it and the surrounding land were part of the US state of Texas that was ceded by the United States to Mexico in 1970...
, which was accidentally placed under Mexican administration because of an irrigation change. This issue, which was technically not a dispute since both sides were in agreement about its legal status, was resolved by treaty ceding the land to Mexico in 1970, but the official handover did not take place until 1977.