Click to enlarge.	Map Legend.

Physical Features: Southernmost county in rich Rio Grande Valley soils; flat landscape; semitropical climate; Loma Alta Lake.

Economy: Agribusiness, tourism, seafood processing, shipping, manufacturing, government/services.

History: Coahuiltecan tribal area. Spanish land grants date to 1781. County created from Nueces County, 1848; named for Capt. Ewen Cameron of Mier Expedition.

Race/Ethnicity: (In percent) Anglo, 9.3; Black, 0.8; Hispanic, 89.4; Asian, 0.8; Other, 0.7; Two or more races, 0.5.

Vital Statistics, annual: Births, 7,253; deaths, 2,684; marriages, 2,201; divorces, 872.

Recreation: South Padre Island: year-round resort; fishing, hunting, water sports; historical sites, Palo Alto visitors center; gateway to Mexico, state parks; wildlife refuge; recreational vehicle center.

Minerals: Natural gas, oil.

Agriculture: Cotton, grain sorghums, vegetables. Ranked second in sugar cane acreage. Wholesale nursery plants raised. Small feedlot and cow-calf operations. Some 112,000 acres irrigated, mostly cotton and grain sorghums. Market value $160.4 million. Ranked third in value of aquaculture.

BROWNSVILLE (184,568) county seat; international trade, varied industries, shipping, tourism; college, hospitals, crippled children health center; Gladys Porter Zoo, historic Fort Brown; University of Texas–Rio Grande Valley, Texas Southmost College.

Harlingen (65,815) health care, government/services, tourism; hospitals; college extension campuses; nature center; birding festival in November.

San Benito (24,542) retail center, tourism, agriculture; hospital; museums, arts center, historic buildings; recreation facilities, including walking/jogging trail; ResacaFest on July 4.

South Padre Island (2,804) beaches, tourism/convention center, real estate and construction; birding/nature center, Sandcastle Days in October, Spring Break in March.

Other towns include: Bayview (403); Bluetown (357); Cameron Park (7,395); Combes (3,019); Encantada-Ranchito El Calaboz (2,247); Indian Lake (687); La Feria (7,877); Laguna Heights (4,102); Laguna Vista (3,414); Laureles (3,786); Los Fresnos (5,938) Little Graceland Museum, Butterfly Farm, library; Los Indios (1,106); Olmito (1,243); Palm Valley (1,273).

Also, Port Isabel (5,122) tourist center, fishing, museums, old lighthouse, Shrimp Cook-Off in November; Primera (4,910); Rancho Viejo (2,576); Rangerville (335); Rio Hondo (2,473); Santa Maria (754); Santa Rosa (2,931).

Laguna Madre separates South Padre Island, in the distance, from Port Isabel. Photo by Robert Plocheck.