Durango

Durango is one of the 32 states in Mexico. It is in the northwest part of the country.

The capital city of Durango is called Victoria de Durango. This city is named after Guadalupe Victoria, the first President of Mexico.

Durango has a rich history and culture, with many interesting things to see and learn about.

Geography

Durango covers 123,451.2 km², which is about 6.3% of all of Mexico. It is the fourth largest state and is in the northwest part of the Central Mexican Plateau. It meets the Sierra Madre Occidental, which has the highest peaks in the state. The average elevation is 1,775 meters above sea level.

Durango is landlocked and borders Chihuahua, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Nayarit, and Sinaloa. It has 39 municipalities. The Sierra Madre Occidental blocks moisture from the Pacific Ocean, affecting the climate. Most of the state is mountainous and forested, with efforts to replant native trees. Many rivers start in Durango and flow into other states or the Pacific Ocean.

The state has four main ecological regions: La Quebrada, the Sierra, the Valleys, and the Semi-desert. The Semi-desert in the northeast is dry and flat, with plants like cacti and shrubs. The Valleys region in the center is good for farming. The Sierra region in the west has pine and oak forests, and the Quebradas area in the far west has deep ravines and rainforests with many animals.

Economy

Durango is mostly a rural area where farming is very important. People grow crops like corn, beans, chilli peppers, apples, and sorghum. They also grow fruits such as apples and pears in some areas, and raise cattle, sheep, and goats.

In the past, cotton was a big crop in one part of Durango, but now other crops like alfalfa, wheat, and grapes are grown there too. Mining used to bring people to Durango a long time ago, and it is still important today. Durango produces gold, silver, iron, and mercury.

Durango has also been a popular place for making movies, especially old Western-style films, because of its scenery and natural lighting. Many famous actors have worked there, and some old movie sets are still around and can be visited.

Tourism is growing, with people visiting historic sites, old movie locations, and natural areas. The state also has unique souvenirs made from scorpions, which many people enjoy buying as keepsakes.

Media

Durango has several newspapers, including Contacto Hoy, Diario de Durango, El Siglo de Durango, El Sol de Durango, and Victoria de Durango. These newspapers share news and stories with the people of Durango.

Demographics

Durango is a state in Mexico. It has 1,832,650 people living there. This is the second-smallest number of people of all the states in Mexico.

Culture

Durango is a rural area with many small towns and villages. The three biggest cities—Durango, Gomez Palacio, and Lerdo—hold most of the people. The rest live in many smaller places.

Durango has a rich history, with stories of old battles and mining. It is sometimes called the “Land of the Movies” because many old Western films were made there.

The state has many groups of native people, including the Tepehuans, Huichols, Tarahumaras, and Mexicaneros. Each group has its own traditions and languages.

People in Durango make many handmade items, like pottery, baskets, and clothes. They also enjoy special foods, such as caldillo duranguense (a tasty beef soup) and gorditas (a type of corn pocket).

The state has many festivals and celebrations, including the Durango State Fair. Traditional music and dancing are still enjoyed by many people.

History

Conquest and colonial period

Durango is located on a path that connected central Mexico to the northwest. Before the Spanish arrived, the area was home to groups like the Huichols, Coras, Tepehuanos, and Tarahumaras. These people lived in settled communities, but their spread was limited by attacks from nomadic tribes. The eastern part of the region was controlled by Chichimecas, especially the Zacatecos and Caxcanes, along with tribes from the Laguna region.

Durango became the center of a colonial area called Nuevo Vizcaya, which included parts of what are now Durango, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Arizona. The first Spaniard to arrive was José de Angulo in 1532. Later, Ginés Vázques de Mercado reached the area in 1552 and named it the Guadiana Valley after a place in Spain. The city of Durango was named after a city in Spain.

The Spanish were interested in the area again after silver was discovered in nearby Zacatecas in 1546. Francisco de Ibarra led expeditions here from 1554 to 1567. He established the city of Durango on July 8, 1563, to serve as the capital of Nueva Vizcaya, close to new mines and the road connecting Mexico City to the north.

During this time, many towns were founded, including mining centers and missions. The first hospital and school opened in the late 1500s. Spanish missionaries, including Franciscans and Jesuits, set up missions to bring their influence to the area. In 1620, a new archdiocese was created in Durango.

The city faced resistance from local people who did not want Spanish rule. There were many uprisings, and it took time for the Spanish to fully control the area. By the late 1600s, Durango began to grow again as mines produced more goods. The city became a cultural center with music and architecture reflecting its colonial past.

19th century

During Mexico's War of Independence, the area that is now Durango split into new states. Mining was not doing well at first, but later, iron was discovered, leading to new industries. Education began to develop with the first public schools opening in the 1800s.

The northeast part of Durango had trouble developing because of attacks by Apaches and later Comanches. These attacks continued until the 1880s. Cotton farming became important in the mid-1800s, especially around the Nazcas River, and helped the local economy. Textile mills were built but later faced challenges.

The civil war between liberals and conservatives saw Durango change hands several times. In the late 1800s, railroads and telegraph lines reached Durango, helping industries grow. Agriculture and livestock also increased with the end of Comanche attacks and better transportation links.

20th century to the present

In the early 1900s, foreign companies owned much of Durango's land, especially areas rich in mining and timber. Durango was an active area during the Mexican Revolution, with many leaders coming from here. The war caused economic problems and loss of property.

After the revolution, land was redistributed, though large farms remained. New educational institutions opened in the mid-1900s. Durango faced challenges with rebellions over land and education in the 1920s and 1930s.

The city's center was damaged during the revolution, leading to growth outside the original city. New neighborhoods developed near railroads. Population growth increased in the 1960s and 1970s due to people moving from rural areas and drought conditions.

Infrastructure projects, such as industrial parks and highways, were built to support development. The Pan American Highway passed through Durango, and later improvements connected it better to other cities. The Baluarte Bridge, one of the highest suspension bridges in the world, was built to improve travel.