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Southwestern United States

 

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Southwestern United States


 
 

The Southwestern area of the United States could be defined as the states south, or for the most part west of the Mississippi RiverMississippi River

The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning 'great river' , is the longest river in the U...
, with the qualification of a certain northern limit, such as the 37, or 38, or 39, or 40 degree north line.

The population density of the region is less than three people per square mile. The Southwest is also more ethnically varied than neighboring regions, with significant European AmericanEuropean American

A European American, or a Euro-American, is a person who resides in the United States and is either the descendant of...
, Mexican AmericanMexican American

The ethnonym Mexican American is the usual term of self description for people with strong ties to both the United States of...
, Asian AmericanAsian American Overview

An Asian American is generally defined as a person of Asian ancestry who was born in or is an immigrant to the United States...
, and American IndianNative Americans in the United States Summary

American Indian and Alaskan NativesU.S....
 populations.

The Southwest contains many large cities and metropolitan areas of the country, despite the low population density of the region as a whole. PhoenixPhoenix, Arizona

Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona in the Southwestern United States....
, Los AngelesLos Ángeles

Los ?ngeles is the capital of the province of Biob?o, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII in the center-so...
, Dallas, San Antonio, San DiegoSan Diego, California

San Diego is a coastal Southern California city located in the southwestern corner of the continental United States....
 and Houston all rank among the top ten most populous cities in the country. Fort Worth and AustinAustin, Texas

Austin is the state capital of Texas and the county seat of Travis County....
 are in the top 20 . Many of the states in this region, such as NevadaNevada Overview

Nevada is a state located in the western United States, best known for its widespread legalization of gambling and gaming in...
, New MexicoNew Mexico

New Mexico is a southwestern state in the United States of America....
 and ArizonaArizona

Arizona is a U.S. state located in the Southwestern United States....
, have witnessed some of the highest population growth in the United States. Urban areas in this region, like Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the state of Nevada, United States, and a major vacation, shopping, entertainment, a...
, Albuquerque, PhoenixPhoenix, Arizona

Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona in the Southwestern United States....
 and El PasoEl Paso Summary

El Paso is the name of several places....
 are some of the fastest growing cities in the country.

Cuisine

Tex-Mex cuisineTex-Mex cuisine

Tex-Mex is a term used to describe Americanized Mexican food....
 was popularized in Texas, and has spread to many other areas, both in Texas and in other nearby western states. New Mexican cuisineNew Mexican cuisine Overview

New Mexican food is a type of regional cuisine originating in the US state of New Mexico; it is a subset of Mexican-American...
, includes a notable focus on its respective regional emphasis on chile spice, more particularly the famous "Hatch Green Chile". Arizona's very popular Arizona-Sonoran cuisine, holds its own meld of northern Mexican states' love of heavy sauces, as well as that regional respect for chile heat. And, the San Francisco burritoSan Francisco burrito

In San Francisco, California, the Mexican-American burrito has become a city specialty, as the New York-based writer Calvin ...
 and "Fresh MexFresh Mex

Fresh Mex is a term for a a type of American food which offers food products influenced by the cuisines of Mexico....
" or Baja CaliforniaBaja California

Baja California is the northernmost state of Mexico....
-style of Mexican food is also commonly associated with the Southwest.

Louisiana

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