Baja California

Baja California, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California, is a state in Mexico. It is the northwesternmost of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of Baja California. It covers an area of 70,113 km² and makes up the northern half of the Baja California peninsula, north of the 28th parallel, including the oceanic Guadalupe Island.

The state is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, Sonora and the northern Gulf of California to the east, the United States to the north, and Baja California Sur to the south. As of 2020, Baja California has an estimated population of 3,769,020 people. Over 75% of the people live in Mexicali, the state's capital city, Ensenada, or Tijuana, the state's largest city.

Baja California's geography changes a lot across the state. It has beaches, forests, and deserts. The Sierra de Baja California mountain range runs through the middle of the state and changes the weather. In the northwest, the weather is semi-dry and Mediterranean. In the narrow center, the weather is more humid, and you can find valleys like the Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico's major wine-producing area. To the east of the mountains, the Sonoran Desert covers much of the land. In the south, the weather becomes drier and leads to the Vizcaíno Desert. The state also includes many islands off its shores, such as Guadalupe Island, the westernmost point of Mexico.

History

Prehistory and Spanish colonial era

The first people lived on the peninsula at least 11,000 years ago. Two main groups were there: the Cochimí in the south and several groups from the Yuman language family in the north, like the Kiliwa, Paipai, Kumeyaay, Cocopa, and Quechan. These groups lived different ways. The Cochimí moved around a lot, but those on Cedros Island fished and worked the sea. Others, like the Kiliwa and Paipai, lived in areas with more water and stayed in one place more often. Some groups, such as the Cocopa and Quechan, farmed near the Colorado River.

Other people, the Guachimis, came from the north and painted pictures in caves in the Sierra de Guadalupe. Not much is known about them except that they lived there between 100 BC and 1300 AD.

Europeans arrived in 1539 when Francisco de Ulloa explored the east coast and part of the west coast. Later explorers followed. In 1697, Jesuits started a mission at Loreto. They built more missions over the years. After the Jesuits left in 1768, other groups took over, building more missions up north.

In 1804, Spain split California into two parts: Alta (Upper) and Baja (Lower) California.

Post-independence, 1821–present

Early republic

After Mexico won independence, leaders wanted less control by the church. After a war between Mexico and the United States, the U.S. took over parts of California. Baja California kept areas such as Tijuana, Mexicali, and Tecate. In 1853, a man named William Walker tried to take over La Paz but was pushed out by Mexico.

Era of Porfirio Díaz

When Porfirio Díaz became leader in 1876, he worked to grow and improve Mexico. During his time, different groups tried to change the government, and there were conflicts over control of cities like Mexicali and Tijuana.

Postrevolutionary Mexico

• 1931: Baja California was split into northern and southern parts.
• 1952: The northern part became a state of Mexico, named Baja California.
• 1974: The southern part became a state too, called Baja California Sur.
• 1989: Ernesto Ruffo Appel became the first governor from a different party than the one that had ruled for many years.

Geography

Baja California is part of a region called the Californias in North America. It has many different landscapes in a small area. The middle of the state has mountain ranges like the Sierra de Juárez and Sierra de San Pedro Mártir. These mountains have forests similar to those in Southern California. The highest point is Picacho del Diablo. Valleys between the mountains, such as Valle de Guadalupe and Valle de Ojos Negros, grow fruits and grapes. The mountains continue to the Gulf of California, where they become wider.

The northwest coast has a pleasant climate because of winds from the Pacific Ocean and the cold California Current. Rain from the north does not reach far south, so the southern areas are drier. South of the El Rosario River, the land turns into a desert. This desert has many plants that grow because of coastal fog.

To the east, the Sonoran Desert enters from California and Sonora. The Mexicali Valley, which is below sea level, can get very hot. With water from the Colorado River, this area has become a major farming region. Laguna Salada, a salty lake below sea level, is near Mexicali. There are also many islands along the Pacific coast, such as Guadalupe Island, home to large groups of sea lions.

Baja California gets much of its water from the Colorado River. In the past, the river flowed into the Gulf of California, but now less water reaches the gulf because of needs in the American Southwest. The Tijuana area uses water from the Tijuana River. Rural areas depend on wells, dams, and oases. Water is a big issue for the state.

Climate

Baja California has different climates. The northwest corner has a Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and rainy winters. This area includes Tijuana to San Quintín and nearby valleys. The cold California Current creates fog along the coast.

Higher up in the mountains, the climate becomes cooler. Summers are cool, and winters can be cold with snow. The mountains get more rain than the coastal areas or the deserts. The eastern side of the mountains is very dry. The Sonoran Desert part of Baja California has hot summers and mild winters. The Mexicali Valley often has temperatures above 47 °C (116.6 °F) in summer.

Further south along the Pacific coast, the climate changes from Mediterranean to desert, but it is milder than along the Gulf of California. Some oases exist in the desert where small towns are located.

Flora and fauna

Common trees in the higher areas include Jeffrey pine, sugar pine, and pinon pine. There are also many reptiles, like the western fence lizard. The fish genus Bajacalifornia is named after the Baja California peninsula.

Wildlife refuges like Constitution 1857 National Park and Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park have many plants and animals. These parks have coniferous trees and many types of animals, including mule deer, bighorn sheep, cougars, bobcats, ringtail cats, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, and bats. Birds such as bald eagles, golden eagles, falcons, woodpeckers, black vultures, crows, and ducks also live there.

2010 earthquakes

Main article: 2010 Baja California earthquake

On April 4, 2010, a strong earthquake hit the Mexicali Valley. The quake was felt as far away as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson. Several smaller quakes followed the main one.

Government

Baja California has seven municipalities. These are areas with their own local governments. The municipalities are Ensenada, Mexicali, Tecate, Tijuana, Rosarito, San Quintín and San Felipe.

The state is part of the Commission of the Californias. This group helps both the U.S. state of California and the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur.

Politics

State elections

In Baja California, people vote every two years to choose important leaders. These leaders include the state governor, representatives in the state congress, and mayors of towns. Some leaders are chosen by getting the most votes in their area. Others are chosen based on how many votes their party gets.

In 2019, Jaime Bonilla Valdez from the Morena party became the governor. In 2021, Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda from Morena became the first woman to be governor. In 2024, Morena gained another seat in the state congress.

Federal elections

In 2018, Andrés Manuel López Obrador from the Morena party won the most votes in Baja California for the presidency. In 2021, most representatives from Baja California in the national congress were from Morena. The next big elections for Mexico are coming up soon.

Demographics

Baja California has people from many different backgrounds. There are Europeans, people from East and Southeast Asia like the Filipinos, and many others. Cities such as Mexicali, Tijuana, and Ensenada have many people from southern Mexico, Central and South America, the United States, and Canada. Some Americans live in coastal towns like Ensenada because homes there are affordable.

Education

Further information: Category:Universities and colleges in Baja California

Baja California has good schools and many chances to learn. Almost all children aged six to fourteen go to elementary school, and many teens finish high school. The state has many universities where students can study subjects like science, computers, and energy.

The government helps students and workers learn new skills so they can get good jobs. There are many places to study, including special schools for advanced learning and research.

Economy

Baja California is an important part of Mexico's economy. In 2005, its economy made up 3.3% of all of Mexico's work and money.

Many jobs in Baja California come from making things to sell to other countries. In 2005, over 284,000 people worked in this type of job. There are more than 900 companies in Baja California that help protect and support these jobs.

In 2021, Baja California created many new jobs—about 57,550 new ones. Most of these new jobs were in cities like Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada, Playas de Rosarito, and Tecate. Jobs grew the most in areas like making things, moving goods, talking and sharing information, selling things, and building.

As of November 2021, Baja California had the most people with jobs in northern Mexico.

Baja California also gets a lot of money from other countries wanting to build or invest there. In 2021, it was third in all of Mexico for this kind of money. Most of this money comes from the United States, especially for building natural gas pipelines and making cars and trucks.

Foreigners can buy land in Mexico through a special bank trust called a Fideicomiso. This trust gives them all the rights of owning the land, and they can sell, inherit, lease, or transfer it anytime. This law was made to help bring in tourists and make land buying safer for foreigners.

Transport

Highways

The main road here is Mexican Federal Highway 1, or the Transpeninsular Highway. It was finished in 1973. It runs from Tijuana for 713 kilometers (436 miles) through places like Ensenada and El Rosario to reach Baja California Sur at Guerrero Negro.

There are also several other highways. One is Mexican Federal Highway 1D, a toll road from Ensenada to the US border at Tijuana. Mexican Federal Highway 2 goes from Tijuana to Sonora. Mexican Federal Highway 3 has two parts, one from the US border at Tecate to near Ensenada and another from Ensenada to near San Felipe. Mexican Federal Highway 5 runs from Mexicali to San Felipe on the east coast, and Mexican Federal Highway 12 goes from Highway 1 to Bahía de los Ángeles on the east coast.

Railroads

Ferromex in Mexicali connects with Union Pacific's former Southern Pacific Railroad line at Calexio and goes east to Sonora. The Baja California Railroad runs from the US border at San Ysidro through Tecate.

Airports

International airports in this state include Tijuana International Airport and Mexicali International Airport. Many travelers also use San Diego International Airport, which is located 34 kilometers (21 miles) northwest of Tijuana and can be reached by the Cross Border Xpress.

Waterways

There are deep water ports at Ensenada, which is a major naval base, and at Isla de Cedros.

Media

Baja California has several newspapers. Some of these papers are El Centinela, El informador de Baja California, El Mexicano (edición Tijuana), El Mexicano Segunda Edición, El Sol de Tijuana, El Vigía, Esto de las Californias, Frontera, La Crónica de Baja California, La Voz de la Frontera, and Semanario Zeta. These papers share news and stories from the area.