city, southern Sonora estado (state), northwestern Mexico. Lying along the Gulf of California coastal plain near the Mayo River, Navojoa is the commercial and manufacturing centre for a large area in which population and production have grown markedly since the 1950s with the development of irrigation for agriculture. Cotton, corn (maize), dates, truck crops, and chick-peas are the principal crops; cattle and poultry are also raised. Major highways and railroads from Mexicali and Heroica Nogales to Mexico City pass through Navojoa, which also has air connections with Mexico City and the largest cities of northwestern Mexico. Pop. (2005 prelim.) urban agglom., 144,598.