View source for Torreón

{{Short description|City in the Mexican state of Coahuila}}
{{About|the city in Mexico|other uses|Torreon (disambiguation)}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2014}}
{{expand Spanish|topic=geo|date=December 2024}} 
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|name                   = Torreón, Coahuila
|settlement_type        = [[City]]
|other_name             =
|native_name            = 
|nickname               = La Ciudad de los Grandes Esfuerzos (The City of the Big Efforts)
|motto                  = 
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline          = Collage de Torreón.jpg
|imagesize              = 
|image_caption          = '''From top to bottom from left to right:''' the Alameda Ignacio Zaragoza, the Cristo de las Noas, the Puerta de Torreón, the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza de Armas in the Historic Center
|image_flag             = Bandera de Torreón, Coahuila.svg
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|image_shield           = Escudo de Torreón.svg
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|pushpin_map            = Mexico Coahuila#Mexico <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
|pushpin_label_position = above
|pushpin_mapsize        = 
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location in Mexico
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = {{flag|Mexico}}
|subdivision_type1      = [[Administrative divisions of Mexico|State]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Coahuila]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[Municipalities of Mexico|Municipality]]
|subdivision_name2      = [[Torreón Municipality|Torreón]]
|subdivision_type3      = 
|subdivision_name3      = 
|subdivision_type4      = 
|subdivision_name4      =
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes   =
|government_type        =
|leader_title           = Mayor
|leader_name            = [[Roman Alberto Cepeda]] (Institutional Revolution Party PRI) (2022–2024)
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|established_title      = Established
|established_date       = September 25, 1893
|established_title2     = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2      = 
|established_title3     = Declared city:
|established_date3      = September 15, 1907
<!-- Area    --------------------->
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|area_land_km2            = 140 <!--See table @ Template:Infobox settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
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<!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of               = 
|population_note                = 
|population_total               = 735340 (2<span>0</span>21)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://population.city/mexico/torreon/#:~:text=Answer%3A%20Torre%C3%B3n%20(Torreon)%2C,would%20be%3A%20735%20340|title=Torreón · Population|website=population.city}}</ref>
|population_density_km2         = 5200
|population_density_sq_mi       =
|population_metro               = 1,497,734 (2<span>0</span>15) <ref name="inegi.org.mx">{{cite web|url=http://www.cuentame.inegi.org.mx/monografias/informacion/coah/poblacion/default.aspx?tema=me|title=Número de habitantes. Coahuila de Zaragoza|website=www.cuentame.inegi.org.mx}}</ref>
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|population_blank1_title        = Ethnicities
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|population_blank2_title        = Religions
|population_blank2              =
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| demographics_type1       = [[GDP|GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values)]]
| demographics1_footnotes  = 
| demographics1_title1     = Year
| demographics1_info1      = 2023
| demographics1_title2     = Total (Metro)
| demographics1_info2      = $54.9&nbsp;billion<ref name="TelluBase">{{cite web|url=https://tellusant.com/repo/tb/tellubase_factsheet_mex.pdf|publisher=Tellusant|title=TelluBase—Mexico Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)| access-date = 2024-01-11}}</ref>
| demographics1_title3     = Per capita
| demographics1_info3     = $30,800
<!-- General information  --------------->
|timezone               = [[Central Standard Time|CST]]
|utc_offset             = −6
|coordinates            = {{coord|25|32|31|N|103|24|30|W|region:MX|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes    = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_m            = 1120
|elevation_ft           =
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|postal_code_type       = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
|postal_code            = 27000
|area_code              = 871
|blank_name             =
|blank_info             =
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|website                = [http://www.torreon.gob.mx Official site]
|footnotes              = 
}}

'''Torreón''' ({{IPA|es|toreˈon|-|ES-pe - Torreón.ogg}}) is a city and seat of [[Torreón Municipality]] in the [[Mexico|Mexican]] [[States of Mexico|state]] of [[Coahuila]]. The city's population is 720,848 inhabitants, making it the second largest city in the state of [[Coahuila]]. Torreón is part of the [[Comarca Lagunera]] metropolitan area.

The area was originally a center for ranching. With irrigation, the city became an important center for farming and the processing of cotton. The city's economy is based on the metals, livestock, agriculture industries, the textile, metallurgical, chemical, commerce and industries. It is one of the youngest cities in Mexico, having celebrated its centenary in 2007. It is popularly nicknamed "The City of Great Efforts" because despite all the adverse environmental conditions, it managed to flourish as a city due to its prosperous industry and commerce. 

Torreón is served by [[Francisco Sarabia International Airport]], an airport with flights to several cities in [[Mexico]] and the [[United States]].

==History==
According to archaeological findings, the area of Torreón was populated around the 10th millennium BC.

[[File:Único y último torreón en Torreón, capital del estado de Coahuila..jpg|thumb|One of the few remaining towers (Torreones) in the city.]]

The first Spanish mission arrived in 1566, led by Fr. Pedro Espinareda. However, the city developed only in the independent Mexican era, around a ''Torreón'' ("Big Tower") built to monitor Río Nazas's floods, in conjunction with the creation of a railroad connecting to the US border city of [[El Paso]], which gave an economic boom to the city and therefore a population boom as well. The population grew from 200 in 1892 to 34,000 in 1910. Torreón received city status in 1907.

During the [[Mexican Revolution]] (1910–1920), the city was taken more than once; the most prominent character ever to take the city was the revolutionary general [[Pancho Villa]]. It was also the location of the 1911 [[Torreón massacre]], where 303 Chinese immigrants were killed by the revolutionaries over a ten-hour period.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Jacques |first=Leo M. Dambourges |date=Autumn 1974 |title=The Chinese Massacre in Torreon (Coahuila) in 1911 |jstor=40168453 |journal=[[Arizona and the West]] |publisher=[[University of Arizona Press]] |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=233–246 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/16/mexico-chinese-massacre-centenary-torreon Mexico faces up to uneasy anniversary of Chinese massacre], theguardian.com, 16 May 2021</ref> During the revolution, Torreón was also the site of an important convention that led to a deal between the rebellious armies. The city is {{convert|56|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} southwest of historic [[San Pedro de las Colonias]], where some of the Mexican Revolution battles occurred.

After the Mexican Revolution, the city continued to develop economically; during the first years of the 20th century, the primary industry of the city was farming, although other industries later formed or were established in the area.

On September 15, 2007, Torreón celebrated its first 100 years as a chartered city. It held a series of cultural events from September 15, 2006, to September 15, 2007, culminating on the day that the city turned 100 years old.

== Geography ==

Torreón is near the southwest border of the state of Coahuila, within the [[Comarca Lagunera|Laguna]] region of the state. The border is delineated by the [[Río Nazas|Nazas River]] that separates it from Gómez Palacio, Durango. The municipality covers {{convert|1947.7|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on}}, including much of the rural area south of the city. The city's elevation is {{convert|1120|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}}, which is low for the Mexican interior. The terrain where the urban area is spread is generally flat, with somewhat prominent relief formations (up to {{convert|1600|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} south and southwest of the city, thus visible at well-nigh any given point in the city. Higher mountains, over {{convert|3000|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, are on the southern, mostly uninhabited section of the Municipality, the most prominent being El Picacho.
===Climate===
The city features a [[desert]] climate (in the [[Köppen climate classification]] ''BWh''). Rainfall is scarce but more prominent in the summer, whilst temperatures are very hot by day and cool at night, although the [[urban heat island]] effect causes temperatures on summer nights to be considerably warmer than nearby areas. Flora and fauna are those common to [[semidesert]] habitats.


{{Weather box
| location = Torreón (1951–2010)
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| temperature colour = 
| Jan record high C = 35.0
| Feb record high C = 35.0
| Mar record high C = 40.6
| Apr record high C = 41.2
| May record high C = 42.2
| Jun record high C = 45.6
| Jul record high C = 43.5
| Aug record high C = 39.2
| Sep record high C = 38.4
| Oct record high C = 36.0
| Nov record high C = 34.8
| Dec record high C = 34.5
| year record high C = 43.0
| Jan high C = 22.3
| Feb high C = 25.3
| Mar high C = 26.0
| Apr high C = 32.5
| May high C = 35.3
| Jun high C = 35.4
| Jul high C = 34.3
| Aug high C = 33.7
| Sep high C = 31.8
| Oct high C = 29.5
| Nov high C = 26.1
| Dec high C = 22.8
| year high C = 29.6
| Jan mean C = 14.5
| Feb mean C = 17.0
| Mar mean C = 19.0
| Apr mean C = 24.1
| May mean C = 27.2
| Jun mean C = 28.1
| Jul mean C = 27.4
| Aug mean C = 27.0
| Sep mean C = 25.2
| Oct mean C = 22.4
| Nov mean C = 18.2
| Dec mean C = 15.1
| year mean C = 22.1
| Jan low C = 6.8
| Feb low C = 8.6
| Mar low C = 11.9
| Apr low C = 15.6
| May low C = 19.0
| Jun low C = 20.8
| Jul low C = 20.5
| Aug low C = 20.3
| Sep low C = 18.6
| Oct low C = 15.2
| Nov low C = 10.3
| Dec low C = 7.4
| year low C = 14.6
| Jan record low C = -7.0
| Feb record low C = -5.0
| Mar record low C = -5.5
| Apr record low C = 1.8
| May record low C = 4.0
| Jun record low C = 10.0
| Jul record low C = 11.0
| Aug record low C = 10.0
| Sep record low C = 7.5
| Oct record low C = -5.0
| Nov record low C = -18.8
| Dec record low C = -20.0
| year record low C = -20.0
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 20.1
| Feb precipitation mm = 6.5
| Mar precipitation mm = 6.5
| Apr precipitation mm = 14.1
| May precipitation mm = 18.8
| Jun precipitation mm = 34.9
| Jul precipitation mm = 24.2
| Aug precipitation mm = 26.5
| Sep precipitation mm = 18.1
| Oct precipitation mm = 11.8
| Nov precipitation mm = 7.9
| Dec precipitation mm = 16.3
| year precipitation mm = 205.8
| Jan humidity = 55
| Feb humidity = 46
| Mar humidity = 39
| Apr humidity = 39
| May humidity = 42
| Jun humidity = 50
| Jul humidity = 53
| Aug humidity = 54
| Sep humidity = 57
| Oct humidity = 55
| Nov humidity = 53
| Dec humidity = 56
| year humidity = 50
| unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 2.5
| Feb precipitation days = 1.1
| Mar precipitation days = 0.7
| Apr precipitation days = 1.7
| May precipitation days = 3.3
| Jun precipitation days = 4.3
| Jul precipitation days = 5.7
| Aug precipitation days = 5.0
| Sep precipitation days = 4.7
| Oct precipitation days = 2.7
| Nov precipitation days = 1.5
| Dec precipitation days = 1.8
| year precipitation days = 34.9
| Jan sun = 176
| Feb sun = 176
| Mar sun = 227
| Apr sun = 239
| May sun = 271
| Jun sun = 286
| Jul sun = 293
| Aug sun = 264
| Sep sun = 211
| Oct sun = 237
| Nov sun = 214
| Dec sun = 176
| year sun = 
| source 1 = Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (humidity 1981–2000)<ref name=SMN1>{{cite web
 |url=http://smn.cna.gob.mx/climatologia/Normales5110/NORMAL05040.TXT
 |title=NORMALES CLIMATOLÓGICAS 1951–2010
 |publisher=Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
 |language=es
 |access-date=February 19, 2013
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422232331/http://smn.cna.gob.mx/climatologia/Normales5110/NORMAL05040.TXT
 |archive-date=April 22, 2014
}}</ref><ref name=SMN2>{{cite web
| url = http://smn.cna.gob.mx/observatorios/historica/torreon.pdf
| title = NORMALES CLIMATOLÓGICAS 1981–2000
| publisher = Comision Nacional Del Agua
| language = es
| access-date = February 19, 2013
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140502003122/http://smn.cna.gob.mx/observatorios/historica/torreon.pdf
| archive-date = May 2, 2014
}}</ref>
| source 2 = Ogimet (sun 1981–2010)<ref name=ogimet>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gclimat?lang=en&mode=0&ind=76382&ord=DIR&year=2018&mes=12&months=12
| title = CLIMAT summary for 76382: Torreon, Coah. (Mexico) – Section 2: Monthly Normals
| work = CLIMAT monthly weather summaries
| publisher = Ogimet
| access-date = 20 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?ind=76382&ano=2021&mes=12&day=28&hora=12&min=0&ndays=30|title= 76382: Torreon, Coah. (Mexico)|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= 27 December 2021|website=ogimet.com |publisher=[[OGIMET]] |access-date= 28 December 2021|quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?ind=76382&ano=2022&mes=3&day=30&hora=12&min=0&ndays=30|title= 76382: Torreon, Coah. (Mexico)|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= 29 March 2022|website=ogimet.com |publisher=OGIMET |access-date= 30 March 2022|quote=}}</ref>
| date = December 2011
| source = 
}}

== Main sights ==

[[File:Canal de la Perla Torreon Coah.jpg|thumb|El Canal de la Perla.]]''[[Cristo de las Noas]]'', at {{convert|21.80|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}, is the third tallest statue of Christ in [[Latin America]], only smaller than the statue of ''[[Christ the Redeemer (statue)|Christ The Redeemer]]'' in [[Brazil]] and ''[[Cristo de la Concordia]]'' in [[Cochabamba]], [[Bolivia]]. Situated on the top of a hill, this image of Jesus with extended arms symbolises protection for the inhabitants of Torreon.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.traveltorreon.com/english/cristo-de-las-noas.php|title=Cristo de las Noas|author=Travel Torreón|access-date=28 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717093557/http://www.traveltorreon.com/english/cristo-de-las-noas.php|archive-date=2011-07-17|url-status=dead}}</ref> The hilltop has a Catholic church and offers a view of the entire city.<ref>{{Dead link|date=July 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.torreon.gob.mx/english/the_city/turism/museos/cerrodelasnoas_english.php |title=Cristo de las Noas |access-date=2007-09-17 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070814040914/http://www.torreon.gob.mx/english/the_city/turism/museos/cerrodelasnoas_english.php |archive-date = August 14, 2007}}</ref>

There are also several shopping centers in the city, including Galerias Laguna, Plaza Cuatro Caminos, and Intermall.

The "Canal de la Perla" (the Pearl Watercourse), an underground watercourse built in the 19th century to drive the Nazas' river water to the fields near the city, was re-discovered in 2003 and re-opened in 2014. It now passes under the oldest part of the city and it can be visited and walked through. It is also used for cultural and artistic exhibitions.

In 2006, the "Museo Arocena" (Arocena Museum) that holds art collections from the pre-Hispanic times to the present, was opened; it also has a section dedicated to Mexico's and Torreón's history. There are also temporal expositions, conferences, book fairs, movies, and activities for children.

==Economy==
The area was originally a center for ranching. With irrigation the city became an important center for support for farming and processing of cotton. In the middle of the 20th century, it became an industrial city. The city has industries in textiles, clothing and metals processing. Some important industries and companies that have business here, like [[Peñoles]], an important Mexican mining group, and [[Deere & Company|Motores John Deere]], Lala, an important dairy products company, Yura Corporation, stores like Soriana, Cimaco, Extra, among others.

== Education ==
[[File:Edificio_D_Ibero_Torreón.jpg|right|thumb|Building at the Iberoamerican University]]
Torreón and the surrounding ''comarca'' are served by several public and private universities. Some of the most recognized institutions in the area are:

* [[Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro]] (Unidad Laguna (UAAAN))
* [[Autonomous University of Coahuila]] (Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila (UAdeC))
* [[Universidad Autónoma de la Laguna]]
* [[Autonomous University of the Northeast]] (Universidad Autónoma del Noreste (UANE))
* [[Iberoamerican University Torreón]] (Universidad Iberoamericana Torreón (Ibero))

* [[Valley of Mexico University]] (Universidad del Valle de México (UVM))
* [[Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education]] (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM))
* [[La Laguna Institute of Technology]] ([[:es:Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna|Instituto Tecnológico de la Laguna]])
* [[TecMilenio University]] (Universidad TecMilenio)
* [[Torreon Institute of Technology]] (Instituto Tecnológico de Torreón)
* [[Torreon Technological University]] (Universidad Tecnológica de Torreón)
* [[Universidad La Salle México]] (ULSA), Laguna

== Sports ==
[[File:Un partido de Santos Laguna vs. Gimnasia de La Plata.jpg|thumb|[[Estadio Corona]].]]
Torreón has a [[association football|football]] team in the [[Liga MX]] named [[Santos Laguna]]. The team won championships in 1996, 2001, 2008, 2012, 2015, and 2018. It used to play in [[Estadio Corona]], until 2009 when it moved to the [[Territorio Santos Modelo]] to meet the growing demands of its fan base.

The city is also home to a [[baseball]] team called "[[Vaqueros Laguna]]" (Laguna Cowboys) of the [[Mexican League]]. They play at [[Estadio Revolución]].

Torreón's professional basketball team, [[Jefes de Fuerza Lagunera]], play in the Municipal Auditorium, which seats approximately 3,000 people. They are members of the LNBP ([[Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional]]) which is considered to be the top basketball league in Mexico.

Former [[NFL]] placekicker and [[Super Bowl XXI]] champion, [[Raul Allegre]], is a Torreón native.

== Events ==

=== Cotton and Grape Fair ===
The main annual festival in Torreón is the Cotton and Grape Fair (Feria del Algodón y La Uva) which takes place in September. It contains cultural events, music, food and amusement rides.

=== Independence Day===
It takes place on September 15 and 16. There are celebrations all around the city, but the most important is the one celebrated in the Plaza Mayor. People wear traditional Mexican clothes, eat traditional dishes and "Antojitos". At night the city mayor makes the traditional celebration of "El Grito". The next day (September 16) there is a parade on the Morelos Avenue.

==Twin towns – sister cities==
*{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Reynosa]], Mexico
*{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Culiacan]], Mexico
*{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Hermosillo]], Mexico
*{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Chihuahua, Chihuahua|Chihuahua]], Mexico
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], United States
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]], United States

==Notable people==
*[[Carlos Acevedo]], footballer
*[[Raul Allegre]], former NFL Placekicker
*[[William Andrew Archer]], American botanist
*[[Bandido (wrestler)|Bandido]], professional wrestler
*[[Mariana Bayón]], winner of the first cycle of ''Mexico's Next Top Model''
*[[Demián Bichir]], actor
*[[Odiseo Bichir]], actor
*[[Black Warrior (wrestler)|Black Warrior]], wrestler
*[[Ronaldo Cisneros]], footballer
*[[Carlos Ferro (Mexican actor)|Carlos Ferro]], actor
*[[Enrique González Olvera]], sports journalist and presenter
*[[Raúl Méndez]], actor
*[[Ricardo Montalbán]], actor
*[[Pablo Montero]], singer
*[[Oribe Peralta]], footballer
*[[Pilar Rioja]], dancer 
*[[Carmen Salinas]], actress
*[[Jorge Sánchez (footballer, born 1997)|Jorge Sánchez]], footballer
*[[Alberto Vázquez (singer)|Alberto Vázquez]], singer
*[[Sergio Villarreal Barragán]], Mexican [[drug lord]] and former leader of [[Beltrán-Leyva Cartel]]
*[[Dr. Wagner Jr.]], wrestler
*[[Humberto Zurita]], actor

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Torreón}}
{{Portal|Mexico}}
* [http://www.torreon.gob.mx Ayuntamiento de Torreón] official website
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081006153709/http://www.investintorreon.com.mx/ Economic Development Laguna de Coahuila] official website
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?q=torreon+mexico&ll=25.538724,-103.407612&spn=0.094467,0.205805&t=k&hl=en Google maps satellite photo of the city]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070328224939/http://www.inegi.gob.mx/est/contenidos/espanol/sistemas/conteo2005/localidad/iter/ Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005] INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070203230546/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/wb2/ELOCAL/EMM_coahuila Coahuila] Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México
 
{{Comarca Lagunera metropolitan area}}
{{Coahuila}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torreon}}
[[Category:Torreón| ]]
[[Category:Populated places in Coahuila]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1893]]
[[Category:1893 establishments in Mexico]]
[[Category:Municipality seats in Coahuila]]