Del Rio is located where US 90 and US 277 meet in Val Verde County, near Amistad International Reservoir and the United States/Mexico border.
The county seat, Del Rio sits at the confluence of the Rio Grande River and San Felipe Creek, 154 miles west of San Antonio.
Ranching and agriculture have always been an integral part of the economic scene of Del Rio. During the late nineteenth century sheep and goat raisers found the scrub terrain to be an ideal place for their livestock. For many years Del Rio served as a focal point for the wool and mohair industry.
The binational and bicultural population of Del Rio grew from fifty in 1880 to 2,000 by 1890. Thereafter, changes were slow until the 1970s, when the population grew by 40.8 percent. In 1990 Del Rio had a population of 30,705.
