A geographical context for demographic research on the northern border zone

Before commencing a demographic study of the northern border zone of Mexico, it is essential to define the geographical sphere that will be the object of measurement and analysis. In this article, the authors propose that the geographical context of the border be defined by taking the Mexican municipalities contiguous to the US as the unit of analysis. In order to substantiate this proposal, they discuss the comparative advantages of favoring municipalities over states as the units for analysis; they point out the heterogeneity of the levels of development observable in the border zone; and they delve deeply into an examination of demographic phenomena.