Ambos Nogales

urban complex, North America

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June 18, 2026

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Ambos Nogales refers to the twin cities of Nogales, Arizona, in the United States, and Heroica Nogales, Sonora, in Mexico. These cities are divided by International Avenue and function as a single urban complex. The area is a significant port of entry and a hub for international commerce, particularly driven by maquiladoras, which are factories involved in border trade.1

The city of Nogales, Arizona, was founded in 1880 and named for the black walnut trees (nogal) in the area. It became a crucial rail connection between the U.S. and Mexico when the Southern Pacific Railroad laid tracks there. The Mexican city of Nogales serves as a transportation and warehouse center for agricultural products and is a commercial hub for regional livestock and mining. Both cities are popular shopping and entertainment destinations for visitors from across the border.12

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Nogales
…communities are together known as Ambos Nogales (Spanish: “Both Nogales”). The city was founded in 1880 by a San Francisco merchant, Jacob Isaacson, and called Isaactown. Isaacson built a trading post there, and two years later the Southern Pacific Railroad laid a track there, making the first rail connection between…
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…communities are together known as Ambos Nogales (Spanish: “Both Nogales”). The city was founded in 1880 by a San Francisco merchant, Jacob Isaacson, and called Isaactown. Isaacson built a trading post there, and two years later the Southern Pacific Railroad laid a track there, making the first rail connection between…
Read More