The former territory was admitted to statehood as Baja California on Dec. 31, 1951. In 1974, its name was changed to Baja California Norte to distinguish it from the state of Baja California Sur. Baja California Norte occupies the northern half of the peninsula of Lower California. The western half of the state is a desertlike region.
Barren mountains rise along the eastern side.
Its two largest cities are Mexicali, which is the state capital, and Tijuana. How to cite this article.