Final answer:
Mexico is the country with Sonora as its 2nd largest state, which lies within the biodiverse and challenging terrain of the Sonoran Desert along the US-Mexico border.
Step-by-step explanation:
The country that has Sonora as its 2nd largest state is Mexico. Mexico is the 8th largest country in the world and spans from the southern border of the United States down to Central America, bordered by Guatemala and Belize. Sonora, part of the nation’s diverse landscape, shares a border with the United States and is situated within the arid expanse of the Sonoran Desert.
This region is significant for many reasons, including the challenging natural border it creates, evidenced by the vast deserts such as the Sonoran Desert and the Chihuahuan Desert that complicate border control and contribute to issues like illegal immigration.
Moreover, Mexico's biodiversity is consistently noted, with Sonoran surroundings contributing to the country's standing as fourth worldwide in terms of biodiversity - home to countless species, especially reptiles, mammals, and a variety of flora.
The state of Sonora plays a crucial role in Mexico's environmental and socioeconomic landscape, especially considering its proximity to the United States.