Durango

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the state in Mexico. For the capital city of that state, see Durango, Durango.
For other uses, see Durango (disambiguation).
State of Durango
Flag of State of Durango
Flag		 Coat of arms of State of Durango
Coat of arms
Location within Mexico
Location within Mexico
Country Flag of Mexico Mexico
Capital Durango
Municipalities 39
Government
 - Governor Ismael Hernández Deras (PRI)
 - Federal Deputies PRI: 3
PAN: 1
 - Federal Senators PAN: 2
PRI: 1
Area
Ranked 4th
 - Total 123,181 km² (47,560.4 sq mi)
Population (2005)
 - Total 1,509,117(Ranked 23th)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 - Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
HDI (2004) 0.7910 - medium
Ranked 15th
ISO 3166-2 MX-DUR
Postal abbr. Dgo.
Website: Durango State Government

Durango (pronounced [duˈɾaŋgo]) is one of the constituent states of Mexico. Its population of the 2005 census was approximately 1,509,117 people. It has Mexico's second-lowest population density (after Baja California Sur). The city of Durango is the state's capital. Most of the state is heavily mountainous and a good part forested, the Sierra Madre Occidental occupies the western and central part of the state. This mountain range contains a good supply of minerals, including the silver that encouraged Spanish occupation of the territory after it was discovered. These mines extend north into Chihuahua and south into the state of Zacatecas. Vast desert basins in the Laguna District are irrigated by the Nazas River. Major crops grown in the area include cotton, wheat, corn, alfalfa, beans, sorghum and other vegetables.

Durango is famous for its scorpions. Mexicans generally refer to the people of Durango as Alacrán de Durango (A scorpion from Durango)[citation needed]. The demonym for the natives of Durango is Duranguenses.

The major occupations in Durango are farming, lumbering and ranching.

Francisco de Ibarra, the first to colonize Durango, settled this part of the vast northern province of Nueva Vizcaya in 1563, when he founded the capital city and named it Durango for his native town Durango, Biscay, Spain. The foundation was just one in his larger program of initiating settlements throughout the province. This was a late colonization for the Spanish, due mostly to heavy resistance by the indigenous population. From first contact to modern times, the indigenous peoples have attempted to gain some autonomy, address grievances, and maintain traditional land ownership.

Spanish colonists became highly attracted to the Durango area for its mining and grazing prospects. In 1823, shortly after Mexican War of Independence's victory over Spain, Durango earned the right to become a separate state.

Contents

[edit] Municipalities

Durango is divided into 39 municipalities (municipios). See municipalities of Durango.

[edit] Major communities

[edit] References in Popular Culture

  • Punk rock band The Ramones often opened their live act with a song called "Durango 95".
  • Actor John Candy suffered a fatal heart attack in Durango, while filming his final motion picture Wagons East.
  • In the book The House of the Scorpion, Mateo Alacran (referred to as "El Patrón"), a drug lord, was born in Durango, as was Celia. The last name he adapted, "Alacran," is a reference to the term Alacran de Durango.
  • The film Dragonball by James Wong will be filmed in this state.

The 1948 film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, starring Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston and Tim Holt was set in the state of Durango.

[edit] Famous Duranguenses

[edit] References


[edit] External links

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Political divisions of Mexico

Coordinates: 24°56′05″N, 104°54′43″W