Baja California Sur

Baja California Sur, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur, is a state in Mexico. It became a state on October 8, 1974, making it the 31st and last state to join the country. Before that, the area was called the El Territorio Sur de Baja California, meaning "South Territory of Lower California."

This state is the least crowded in Mexico and the second least populated. It covers a big area of 73,909 km², which is about 3.57% of all of Mexico's land. Baja California Sur takes up the southern half of the Baja California Peninsula, south of the 28th parallel. It also includes the uninhabited Rocas Alijos in the Pacific Ocean.

Baja California Sur is bordered to the north by the state of Baja California, to the west by the Pacific Ocean, and to the east by the Gulf of California. Across the Gulf of California, it shares maritime borders with Sonora and Sinaloa.

Famous tourist spots in the state include Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. The biggest city and capital of Baja California Sur is La Paz.

Etymology

Main articles: La Paz, Baja California Sur § History; and Etymology of California

The first European to land in Baja California was a sailor named Fortún Ximénez. He had a big problem with his captain and some other people, which caused trouble. Ximénez and his crew had conflicts with local people because they were taking large pearls and acting badly. This led to fights, and Ximénez was killed. The remaining sailors sailed until they reached Jalisco, where they told a wrong story—that the land they found was an island.

Later, a writer made fun of Hernán Cortés by calling the area "California," after a made-up island in a story at the time. This name stuck and was used for the peninsula and parts of what we now call the U.S. state of California.

In 1888, leaders split the peninsula into two parts for managing mining. The southern part was called El Territorio Sur de Baja California. Finally, on October 8, 1974, it became the state of Baja California Sur.

History

Pre-Columbian era

Archaeologists have found signs of people living in the area as far back as 40,000 years ago. They discovered bones and old paintings in caves and rock shelters. These early people were hunters and gatherers, and they left behind beautiful rock paintings. Some of these paintings are very large, with figures reaching up to 4 metres tall. The most famous paintings are found in a place called the Great Mural Rock Art.

When the Spanish arrived much later, they met four main groups of people: the Pericúes, Guaycuras, Monquis, and Cochimí. These groups fished and made pottery but did not grow crops or use metal tools.

Colonial era

Main article: Province of Las Californias

See also: Baja California Territory

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Spanish map of La Paz in 1632 written by Spanish captain Nicolás de Cardona after his expedition of 1614

Former 18th century mission bell tower of Cathedral of La Paz, Baja California Sur

The first Europeans to arrive were led by Fortún Ximénez in 1533. After a violent clash, they left the area. In 1535, Hernán Cortés sailed into the Gulf of California, which he named the Sea of Cortés, and landed near what is now La Paz. He did not stay long.

In 1697, Jesuit missionaries arrived and set up the first permanent mission. They worked with local people and built many missions across the area. Later, other religious groups took over these missions.

19th century

See also: Mexican–American War and Battle of La Paz

By the early 1800s, the missions were no longer as powerful, and many closed. The area was mostly used for ranching. The southern part of the peninsula stayed peaceful during Mexico’s fight for independence.

In 1822, the capital was moved to La Paz, where it remains today. The United States tried to take the area during the Mexican–American War but was not successful. Later, a group led by William Walker briefly took control of La Paz but were pushed out by Mexican forces.

20th century to present

The area was divided into two parts in 1888. In 1974, the southern part became an official state of Mexico, with La Paz as its capital. Since then, more areas have become official municipalities.

Geography

The state of Baja California Sur is found on the southern part of the narrow Baja California Peninsula, located in northwest Mexico. This peninsula separated from the mainland about two million years ago due to tectonic activity.

It stretches about 750 kilometres (470 miles) long and averages 100 kilometres (60 miles) wide, covering 73,909 square kilometres (28,536 square miles). The land is mostly mountains and coastal plains. The main mountain range is called the Sierra de la Giganta, with its highest peak, Sierra de la Laguna, reaching 2,080 metres (6,824 feet). The coastal areas are wider on the Pacific side.

The climate is dry, with temperatures between 18–22 °C (64.4–71.6 °F). Rainfall is scarce and unpredictable. Lower areas are hot and dry, while the Los Cabos region gets more moisture from Pacific hurricanes. Most water flows in seasonal streams during rainstorms.

The state has an extensive coastline of 2,230 kilometres (1,386 miles), making up 22% of Mexico's total coastline. It includes many islands and bays such as Sebastian Vizcaino, Magdalena, and La Paz. The area is home to unique plants like the tall cardón cactus and animals such as whales, seals, and sea turtles. Baja California Sur also protects large areas of nature, including national parks and reserves.

Demographics

Most people in Baja California Sur are mestizos, making up 59% of the population, with 40% being white and 1% indigenous. In 2010, about 86% of people lived in cities. By the 2020 Census, around 3.3% of the population identified as Black, Afro-Mexican, or of African descent.

Largest cities

People over 15 years old have averaged 9.6 years of schooling, which is a bit more than the national average. The state has a low illiteracy rate of 3%, better than the national rate. Some places to learn more include the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, Instituto Tecnologico de La Paz, and several other schools and research centers.

Government and politics

See also: Municipalities of Baja California Sur

The state of Baja California Sur is divided into five areas called municipalities. These areas help organize the government and services for the people living there. Each municipality has its own main town and borders other municipalities or natural features like the ocean.

Baja California Sur works together with other places through groups like the Commission of the Californias. This group helps the U.S. state of California and the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur share ideas and support each other.

Economy

Baja California Sur's economy is mainly based on tourism, fishing, salt production, and mining. Tourism is very important because of beautiful natural spots like grey whales and famous rock formations. People visit places like Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo for activities such as fishing, golf, and water sports.

Other parts of the economy include mining for materials like copper, gold, and salt, as well as farming and raising animals. The state also makes crafts from shells and leather, and has areas for technology and film production.

Transportation

Baja California Sur has many roads, ports, and airports to help people travel. As of 2011, there were 5,651 kilometers of highways, eleven ports (five of which are for international travel), and four airports that serve international visitors. The two biggest airports are Los Cabos International Airport and Manuel Márquez de León International Airport.

The main road on the peninsula is Mexican Federal Highway 1. It starts at Cabo San Lucas in the south and goes all the way to the United States-Mexico border at San Ysidro. There is also Mexican Federal Highway 19 between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz, and a toll road called Mexican Federal Highway 1D from Los Cabos International Airport to Cabo San Lucas. If you want to travel from the east coast of the peninsula to the mainland, you can take a ferry. Most ferries go to Mazatlán in Sinaloa, and the trip takes about 13 hours.

Media

Baja California Sur has several newspapers. Some of these newspapers include El Peninsular, El Periódico, El Sudcaliforniano, and Tribuna de los Cabos.

Culture

Three indigenous cultures still exist in Baja California Sur: the Cochimí, the Guaycura, and the Pericú. Traditional music is often played by small groups using an accordion and two guitars. These groups are called "cochi" and they play different styles of music like corridos, waltzes, polkas, and mazurkas, as well as norteño.

Because Baja California Sur has a long coastline, many local dishes feature seafood, including types of fish and manta rays that are not commonly eaten elsewhere in Mexico. Local cooks often use oregano and a special herb called damiana to add flavor to their food. Traditional meals such as machaca and fried clams are usually served with flour tortillas.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows the state's link to the ocean. It has pictures of silver fish and a silver shell on a blue background, with a crown on top. This design was used for the old Province of Las Californias, which included areas that are now Baja California Sur, Baja California, California in the United States, and part of Arizona.

Notable people

Julián Abitia was a governor of Baja California Sur and later became the governor of Quintana Roo.