McAllen, city (1990 pop. 84,021), Hidalgo co., extreme S Tex., on the Rio Grande; inc. 1911. It is a port of entry and a packing and processing center for the citrus fruit, truck crops, and other produce of the lower Rio Grande valley. The growing city has oil refineries and light manufacturing industries. It is also a winter resort, and is known as the City of Palms, since 40 varieties of that tree flourish there. McAllen, connected by bridge with Reynosa, Mexico, and by a toll road with the more distant but prosperous Monterrey, saw a 50% increase in population from 1970 to 1990.
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