ABSTRACT
The Monterrey metropolitan area (MMA), with approximately 4 million inhabitants, is the third most populous urban area in Mexico. It constitutes an industrial and economic hub of great national importance, particularly for the manufacturing sector, and it is also a significant pole of attraction for foreign direct investment. The MMA embraces the capital of the state of Nuevo León and is home to most of the state government institutions as well as various regional offices of the federal government. Its educational, medical and cultural facilities extend their influence across the entire north-eastern portion of the country, and even beyond.
