Los Algodones is a city in Mexicali Municipality, Baja California. Located on the United States-Mexico border, Los Algodones is south of Andrade, California and west of Yuma, Arizona. It reported a population of 5,474 as of the 2010 Mexican census. Los Algodones is popularly referred to as "Molar City", due to the large number of dentists in the city that cater to Americans seeking affordable dental care outside of the United States.[1]
Los Algodones, Baja California | |
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City | |
![]() View down Calle Dos | |
![]() ![]() Los Algodones Location in Mexico | |
Coordinates: 32°42′55″N 114°43′44″W | |
Country | Mexico |
State | Baja California |
Municipality | Municipality of Mexicali |
Elevation | 108 ft (33 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 5,474 |
The Spanish-language name Los Algodones translates into English as "the cotton plants". The origin of the name is unknown.[2]
Los Algodones is the northernmost town in Mexico, and at its northeastern tip is the northernmost point in the state of Baja California, and in Latin America.
From the U.S. side, Los Algodones is most easily reached via Interstate 8 and south a short distance (3.33 Km / 2.07 mi) along State Route 186/Andrade Road to the international border at Andrade, California. From Andrade, visitors park their vehicles and walk across the border, or they can drive across.
The exact geographical location is 32°42′55″N 114°43′44″W at an elevation of 110 feet/33.5 m above mean sea level.
Climate data for Los Algodones (Presa Morelos) 1951–2010 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 31.0 (87.8) |
34.0 (93.2) |
45.0 (113.0) |
48.0 (118.4) |
47.0 (116.6) |
49.0 (120.2) |
50.0 (122.0) |
48.0 (118.4) |
48.0 (118.4) |
45.0 (113.0) |
43.5 (110.3) |
32.0 (89.6) |
50.0 (122.0) |
Average high °C (°F) | 20.3 (68.5) |
22.9 (73.2) |
26.2 (79.2) |
29.7 (85.5) |
34.8 (94.6) |
39.0 (102.2) |
41.4 (106.5) |
41.0 (105.8) |
38.1 (100.6) |
32.5 (90.5) |
25.4 (77.7) |
20.3 (68.5) |
31.0 (87.8) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 13.1 (55.6) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.8 (64.0) |
20.9 (69.6) |
25.6 (78.1) |
29.7 (85.5) |
33.1 (91.6) |
32.9 (91.2) |
29.8 (85.6) |
23.8 (74.8) |
17.4 (63.3) |
13.0 (55.4) |
22.7 (72.9) |
Average low °C (°F) | 5.8 (42.4) |
7.1 (44.8) |
9.4 (48.9) |
12.2 (54.0) |
16.4 (61.5) |
20.3 (68.5) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.9 (76.8) |
21.5 (70.7) |
15.1 (59.2) |
9.4 (48.9) |
5.8 (42.4) |
14.4 (57.9) |
Record low °C (°F) | −4.0 (24.8) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
0.1 (32.2) |
2.0 (35.6) |
7.0 (44.6) |
11.0 (51.8) |
13.0 (55.4) |
17.0 (62.6) |
2.0 (35.6) |
1.0 (33.8) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 8.7 (0.34) |
6.0 (0.24) |
4.7 (0.19) |
2.0 (0.08) |
0.5 (0.02) |
0.3 (0.01) |
3.3 (0.13) |
8.9 (0.35) |
5.5 (0.22) |
5.7 (0.22) |
4.9 (0.19) |
12.3 (0.48) |
62.8 (2.47) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 12.3 |
Source: Servicio Meteorologico Nacional[3][4] |
Situated near the borders of both southeastern California and southwestern Arizona, Los Algodones has become a popular tourist attraction in recent years due in part to inexpensive shopping and restaurants as well as inexpensive medical care and prescription medicines. The warm, dry climate of the area attracts a number of older tourists from across the United States and Canada who settle during the winter in the nearby towns of Yuma, Arizona and Winterhaven, California. Organized day trips from the Coachella Valley are popular among seniors as well.
The popularity of both inexpensive prescriptions and medical care catering to Canadian and U.S. senior citizens has prompted a virtual explosion of pharmacies, opticians and dental offices since the 1980s.[5][6] They have largely displaced many of the open-air shops and restaurants immediately across the border, and have effectively shifted the town's focus from tourism to medicine. Los Algodones has approximately 600 dentists who service uninsured Canadian and American health tourists who save 40 to 60 percent on dental services.[7] Nevertheless, a number of shops and restaurants remain, and Los Algodones capitalizes on the tourist trade with frequent fiestas throughout the year, most notably around the Christmas season.
Transportes Miguel Siga, a private bus company, provides service between Mexicali and Los Algodones.[8] Yuma County Area Transit provides service from Andrade to Yuma.
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