It has its capital city at Saltillo which is a cultural and industrial city as well whereas other cities such as Torreon, Monclova and Piedras Negras play an important role in the economic and social life of the state. Coahuila has been significant to the economy of Mexico especially in the steel manufacturing, cars manufacture and energy resources.
History
The early forms of the region's name included Cuagüila and Cuauila deriving from local languages. Interpretations of the meaning vary including “flying serpent,” “place of many trees,” or “place where serpents creep.” The official name is Coahuila de Zaragoza which is in honor of General Ignacio Zaragoza. The Spanish started exploring the northern regions of Mexico several years after conquering Tenochtitlan. The first outpost in the region was called Minas de la Trinidad, established in 1577. Afterward, in 1586, Saltillo was founded which became a part of the Nueva Vizcaya province in New Spain. It later on would form a part of Nueva Extremadura. Among the early settlers were Tlaxcalan families that established the self-governing community alongside Saltillo called San Esteban de Nueva Tlaxcala. The area became part of Mexico's new nation, and they gained independence later on. Mexico then merged the region with Texas and Nuevo León to form the state of Coahuila y Tejas which was established under the 1824 Constitution. Coahuila and Tejas were unified in 1824, but once Texas seceded in 1836, Nuevo León split. Monclova was the capital between 1833 through 1835.
In 1840, the area was part of the (again short-lived) Republic of the Rio Grande. In the mid-19th century, The Sánchez Navarro family was one of Mexico's largest landed families with more than 6.7 million ha to their name -the single biggest private landholders in America. Every ten years from the 1840s through the 1850s, Comanches increased their raids. Nuevo León was annexed to the state of Nuevo Léon by Santiago Vidaurri on February 19, 1856 only to regain its independence in 1868. Torreón came under attack by Francisco Villa in the Mexican Revolution. On April 4, floodwaters killed more than thirty people and forced thousands from their homes in Piedras Negras. More recently, the state shocked conservative Mexico when in 2007 it became the first one to legally recognize same-sex civil unions under a different name: The Pacto Civil de Solidaridad.
Culture
The culture of Coahuila is a rich representation of indigenous culture, Spanish colonial culture and north Mexican culture. All this culminates into its music, art, food, and festivals, and everyday life. The state lies across the U.S. border and has incorporated the perspective of the modern world without having to lose its past.
The sarape de Saltillo happens to be one of the most recognizable cultural artifacts of the area. They are colorful woven shawls that are highly patterned with a connotation of being associated with Mexican craftsmanship. Textile patterns and style of weaving are also an inheritance that get transmitted through generations and continued till nowadays in workshops and artisan markets, particularly in Saltillo. These fabrics portray native symbology as well as techniques which were inspired by Spanish culture.
Music and dance also help to form the local identity. The state is also fond of the Norteo music, which involves the use of the accordion and bajo sexto. It has connections with the European polka and the German musical culture which were brought in by immigrants and merged with Mexican music. There are folk dances including la polka norteña and el redován which are performed at special events of the region and the fairs.
The cooking styles in the region are simple and rustic and are ranch-based. Coahuila is famous due to the beef, goat, and cheese and such food items as carne asada, cabrito (roast kid goat), and asado de puerco. The flour tortillas are more common in this northern state as compared to corn, and they are frequently served alongside all meals. Another area that is outstanding is production of wine. Coahuila has some of the oldest vineyards in the Americas, such as the Casa Madero in Parras de la Fuente which is of 16th-century origin. Today, the wines of the region have obtained recognition at the national and international levels.
Community events and religious events are a major part of state life. Catholic tradition introduced by the colonization is being widely celebrated, particularly during the Holy Week and the Day of the Dead.
Coahuila is also appreciative of education and literature. It has its capital referred to as Saltillo, which has a number of museums, cultural institutions as well as universities that have encouraged local history, paleontology and arts. Historic buildings and monuments, murals, and sculptures are also evident in its cities and include such names as Ignacio Zaragoza and Francisco I. Madero, which both have ties with the area.
The culture of Coahuila has been influenced by the close proximity of its borders as well. The movement of good, media, and people between the U.S and Mexico manifests itself in language, fashion, and music. Most of the families have connections across the border and this gives a bicultural environment specifically in the cities such as Piedras Negras.
Language
Coahuila is largely Spanish made with the use of Spanish being the first and foremost language to almost all its inhabitants. The state has one of the lowest diversity levels in Mexico, in terms of indigenous languages since only a small percentage of the population speaks an indigenous language.
Of state residents aged 3 and up, only around 6,233 people, according to the 2010 census, claimed to be speaking an indigenous language. The widespread ones most often spoken were Nahuatl, Kikapu, Mazahua, Zapotec, Mixtec, Maya and Otomi.
The area used to be inhabited by various indigenous languages of which some of them are dead to date. Among the most prominent was Southern Coahuila Nahuatl whose use was especially by the Tlaxcalan settlers in the Saltillo area. This language still lingered until the mid 20th century yet it slowly died down in favor of Spanish occupation out of school education and socially. The language is no longer used, but its legacy can be seen in the local dialect of Spanish language in loanwords and phrases.
The Coahuiltecan peoples were also another significant indigenous population that were natives of the area. As early as the 18 th century, their languages, possibly of an earlier unclassified language group, disappeared. There are very limited written documents in these languages today; in fact, what is left today are historical documents left behind by missionaries and explorers. Attempts to record and even resuscitate elements of these languages are minimal and on an ongoing basis.
There are a few (in isolated communities in the state of Coahuila and beyond) individuals who speak Lipan Apache.
Geography
Coahuila is the third largest state in Mexico and stretches about 151,600 square kilometers. It borders the United States along Rio Grande on a 318-mile long border. Internally, it borders the states of Nuevo Leones on the eastern border, the states of San Luis Potos and Zacatecas on the south-eastern border, Durango on the south-western border and Chihuahua on its western border.
The state is characterised by having the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range, which runs through Coahuila in the northwest to southeast directions and occupies over two-thirds of its land. The most elevated peak is the Cerro de la Viga also called Cerrito San Rafael that touches 3,712 meters. The others are Sierra del Carmen and Sierra del Burro that run toward the U.S. border and are also crucial. The hilly regions have pine forest and oak and lower regions change into desert scrub.
East of the mountains the terrain descends to the Rio Grande; rivers like the Salado and Sabinas pass through mainly semi-arid shrublands. To the west is the Mexican Plateau, in which is located the Chihuahuan Desert and the Bolsón de Mapimí, a dry basin fed by the rivers such as the Nazas and the Aguanaval, any of which gives agriculture support and urban life in the Laguna Region,Torreón.
It is also where there exists two major biosphere reserves, such as, Maderas del Carmen, a national park of desert and woodland close to the border and on the other hand, there is Cuatro Ciénegas, which is a special valley having its springs and wetlands and also has its endemic species. It is in the west of Monclova.
The weather is predominantly dry to semi-arid with lowland being very hot and drier than mountains, which have a more moderate climate. The agricultural sector is facilitated by irrigation especially in production of crops such as cotton, grapes and timber is supplied by forests in the highlands.
| Country | Mexico |
| State | Coahuila |
| Capital | Saltillo |
| Area | 151,595 km2 (58,531 sq mi) |
| Population | 3,146,771 |
FAQs
Q.1: What is the climate?
In Coahuila, the climate is arid and semi arid. The land is mainly covered by deserts but there are cooler, temperate areas in the mountains.
Q.2: Which are big cities in Coahuila?
Saltillo, Torreon, Monclova, Piedras Negras and Parras are some of the major cities.
Q.3: Is it safe for tourists?
Although it is necessary to be careful of some border areas, much of Coahuila, particularly Saltillo, Parras, and Torreon is tourist-friendly and safe under normal safety measures.
Last Updated on: November 13, 2025
