Welcome To El Paso SAFeDATA

El Paso is the seat of El Paso County in the U.S. state of Texas and part of the US Southwest. According to the 2006 U.S. Census populus estimates, the city had a populus of 609,415. It is the sixth-largest city in Texas and the 21st-largest city in the US, as well as the 7th quicklyest growing large city in the nation from 2000-2006 . Its metropolitan area covers all of El Paso County, a portion of Hudspeth County and part of southern Dona Ana County, New Mexico. The metropolitan area has a populus of 736,310.

It stands on the Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte), across the border from Ciudad Juárez.

El Paso del Norte (the present day Ciudad Juárez), was founded on the south bank of the Río Bravo del Norte, (Rio Grande) in 1659 by Spanish conquistadors. Being a grassland then, agriculture flourished and vineyards and fruits constituted the bulk of the regional production. The Spanish Crown and the local authorities of El Paso del Norte had made several land concessions to bring agricultural production to the Nern bank of the river in present day El Paso. However, the Apaches dissuaded production and settlers to cross the river. The water provided a natural defense against them.

In 1680, after the successful Pueblo Revolt that decimated the Spanish colonies in Nern New Mexico, El Paso became the base for Spanish governance of the territory of New Mexico. From El Paso, the Spaniards led by Diego de Vargas, grouped once again to recolonize the precious Spanish territory that was centered in Santa Fe and stretched from Socorro (New Mexico) to the areas that included Taos.

El Paso is located at , it was possible to celebrate New Year`s twice in the same evening by travelling a very short distance across the state and into another country. Both cities are now on Mountain Time.

The city`s elevation is 3,800 feet (1140 m) above sea level. The rustic North Franklin Peak towers at 7,192 feet above sea level and is the highest peak in the city. The peak can be seen from 60 miles in all directions. Additionally, this mountain range is home to the famous natural red-clay formation, the Thunderbird, from which the local Coronado High School gets its mascot`s name. According to the US Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 250.5 sq miles (648.9 km²).