Southwestern United States
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The Southwest could be defined as the states west, or for the most part west, of the mississippi river, with the qualification of a certain northern limit, such as the 37, or 38, or 39, or 40 degree north line.
The Southwestern United States, commonly referred to as the Southwest, is a region of the western United States. The USGS does not define regions so regional definitions vary from source to source.[1] The Southwest always includes New Mexico and Arizona, but often takes in western Texas, the southern portions of Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, western Oklahoma,[citation needed] and southern California.
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 American, Mexican American, and American Indian populations.
The Southwest contains many large cities and metropolitan areas of the country, despite the low population density of the region as a whole. Phoenix, LA, Dallas, San Antonio, San Diego and Houston all rank among the top ten most populous cities in the country[2]. Fort Worth and Austin are in the top 20 [2]. Many of the states in this region, such as Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona, have witnessed some of the highest population growth in the United States. Urban areas in this region, like Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Phoenix are some of the fastest growing cities in the country.
Tex-Mex cuisine was popularized in Texas[3], and has spread to many other areas, both in Texas and in other nearby western states. New Mexican cuisine, includes a notable focus on its respective regional emphasis on chile spice. 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 burrito and "Fresh Mex" or Baja California-style of Mexican food is also commonly associated with the Southwest.
[edit] Notes
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| Northeast | New England · Mid-Atlantic · East Coast · Atlantic Northeast |  |
| Midwest | E North Central · W North Central · Upper Midwest · Great Lakes · Great Plains | |
| South | South Atlantic · E South Central · (W) South Central · Southeast · Upland South · Deep South · Gulf Coast | |
| West | Pacific/West Coast · Mountain · Northwest · Southwest · Pacific Northwest · Great Basin | |
| Other | North · East · Central · Coastal · International Border | |
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