El Paso, Texas April, 1998 The cities of Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas can be seen in this near-vertical looking view. El Paso is located in far west Texas on the Rio Grande, which separates the United States to the east and Mexico to the west. The city is situated in the Chihuahuan Desert, one of the largest desert areas in the world. Fort Bliss Army Base, defense-related businesses, educational institutions, retail and wholesale trades, and agriculture account for the city’s economic base. Near the center of the image, the runway of El Paso International Airport is discernible. Northwest or right of the airport are the north-south trending Franklin Mountains