[13] Archaeological remains, such as cave paintings and carved stones, enabled historians to identify four main indigenous groups that inhabited the state: the Coahuiltecans to the west, Alazapas to the north, the "Borrados" to the east, and the Guachichiles to the south.

Predominantly reliant on hunting and gathering, many peoples traveled in small bands, establishing temporary settlements known as rancherías, which typically housed one or two families.

[14] Due to their nomadic lifestyle, the communities never laid claim to land permanently, and they did not develop political hierarchies similar to the ones found in Mesoamerican societies.

Life for the early inhabitants was marked by poverty, with agriculture and livestock farming being the primary occupations, focused solely on self-consumption.

[13] Evangelization served as a key instrument of Spanish colonization and cultural assimilation, with numerous friars arriving in the New Kingdom of León during the 17th and 18th centuries to convert the natives.

Some attribute this to the region's stronger ties to Spain and its high proportion of people of white or criollo ancestry, constituting 63% of the population according to the Revillagigedo census of 1790.

[23] The council of Monterrey, which was the capital and biggest city of the New Kingdom of León, remained loyal to Spain until Joaquín de Arredondo, the commandant of the Eastern Internal Provinces,[24] endorsed the Plan of Iguala on 3 July 1821.

[25][26]After Mexican independence, Fray Servando Teresa de Mier represented the New Kingdom of León in the national constituent congress.

By 24 September, a truce was brokered between the opposing generals, stipulating a two-month armistice and the withdrawal of Mexican forces from the city in exchange for its surrender.

In 1855, Santiago Vidaurri seized control of the Nuevo León government in order to aid in the execution of the Plan of Ayutla, later supplying military assistance to the Liberals during the Reform War.

[34] Revenues increased further during the American Civil War, as the Confederacy traded cotton through Nuevo León and Coahuila due to the Union blockade of their ports.

In 1865, the empire dissolved Mexico's federal structure, reorganizing Nuevo León as a department,[38] with the territory regaining its statehood upon the republic's restoration in 1867.

Reyes suppressed small insurrections and banditry in multiple municipalities while also starting infrastructure projects, such as the State Penitentiary, the construction of the Government Palace, and the renovation of numerous plazas and markets.

In October 1913, Carrancista forces initially succeeded in seizing key locations such as the Obispado and a barracks, but faced strong Federal resistance while advancing towards the city center, retreating the next day.

In April 1914, after a prolonged conflict, Carrancistas captured the city center, installing Antonio Villarreal, a radical liberal, as governor, who implemented controversial measures like expelling foreign priests, demolishing temples, and destroying religious images.

In 1994, the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement cemented Nuevo León's position as a manufacturing hub with an export-oriented economy, capitalizing on its close proximity to the United States to export goods.

By the late 2010s and 2020s, the state was experiencing a nearshoring boom,[45] characterized by significant foreign investment from automotive companies like Kia and Tesla.

[46] However, due to the rapid industrialization and urbanization, the state faced environmental concerns, such as poor air quality and water shortages, the latter caused by droughts.

As summer progresses, the climate transitions into a wet season, primarily observed in August and September, marked by increased rainfall.

The Monterrey metropolitan area, which is the most populous and dense region in the state, is made up of twelve municipalities: Monterrey, Apodaca, Guadalupe, General Escobedo, Juárez, San Nicolás de los Garza, García, Santa Catarina, San Pedro Garza García, Cadereyta Jiménez, Salinas Victoria, and Santiago.

The aim is for students to preserve their pre-Hispanic heritage while learning Spanish and English, leading to the implementation of bilingual-indigenous education programs for members of native communities.

Notably, as of 2024, six alumni have served as governor of Nuevo León, while others have become accomplished athletes, including Olympic medalists like Raúl González and Mariana Avitia.The state is also home to one of the most important private universities in Latin America, the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM).

[80] Most of the state's agricultural industry is found outside of the Monterrey metropolitan area, in the Citrícola region, which comprises the municipalities of Allende, General Terán, Hualahuises, Linares, Montemorelos, and Rayones.

[81] Additionally, the region also produces corn, beans, wheat, alfalfa, barley, potatoes, sorghum, avocados, apples, and lemons.

The legislative branch consists of the unicameral Congress of Nuevo León, which is composed of 42 deputies, with 26 elected through first-past-the-post voting and 16 through proportional representation.

Nuevo León's judicial branch serves two main functions: overseeing civil, family, criminal, and labor cases, and ensuring compliance with the constitution and federal laws.

It is home to the Sultanes de Monterrey, a professional baseball team with the longest history in the Mexican League, who have won ten championships since their founding in 1939.

Monterrey (popularly known as the Rayados), who have won the Liga MX on 5 occasions, in addition to 5 Concacaf Champions Leagues -three of them consecutively-, and 3 Cups for a total of 13 championships.

The Clásico Regiomontano is considered one of the most anticipated matches of the season, and this is due to the already deep-rooted rivalry between Tigres and Monterrey for the honor of being the best team in the State or the luxurious squads with which they count.

The Autonomous University of Nuevo León, with the Auténticos Tigres, and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, with the Borregos Salvajes, are precursors of this sport in the country.