Chiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west. To the east Chiapas borders Guatemala, and to the south the Pacific Ocean. Chiapas covers 28,653 sq miles and has a population of 4,293,459 people. In g ...
Chiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west. To the east Chiapas borders Guatemala, and to the south the Pacific Ocean. Chiapas covers 28,653 sq miles and has a population of 4,293,459 people. In general Chiapas has a humid, tropical climate. In the north, in the area bordering Tabasco, rainfall can average more than 120 in per year. Rainfall decreases moving towards the Pacific Ocean, but it is still abundant enough to allow the farming of bananas and many other tropical crops. On the several mountain ranges running along the center of Chiapas, climate can be quite temperate and foggy, allowing the development of cloud forests like those of the Reserva de la Biosfera el Triunfo, home to a handful of quetzals and horned guans. The geology of Chiapas is varied, ranging from a central valley surrounded by plateaus to the Sierra Madre range in the south. Much of the state is covered by forest. Its average temperature is 68º F.
The state capital city is Tuxtla Gutiérrez; other cities and towns in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las Casas, Comitán, and Tapachula. Chiapas is home to the ancient Maya ruins of Palenque, Yaxchilan, Bonampak, Chinkultic, and Tonina. Most people in Chiapas are poor, rural small farmers. About one quarter of the population were of full or predominant Maya descent, and in rural areas many did not speak Spanish. The state's economy is oriented toward agriculture; the production of lumber is also important. More than half of Chiapas' economically active population is employed in agriculture, fishing, and forestry—the highest level in Mexico. Chiapas exports coffee, chocolate, cotton, fish, and bananas, although much of the farming is at a subsistence level. Large amounts of corn and beans are produced for in-state consumption.Chiapas' thickly wooded jungles, mountains and valleys, coupled together with its traditional cultures and indigenous roots have kept its look, feel and style very distinct from the rest of Mexico. Although there are some cities, symbols and events here which reveal the area’s colonial heritage. Away from the larger towns, Spanish is a second language as people here have stayed true to their indigenous cultures and tongue. You’ll see a lot of indigenous people going about their everyday life, often wearing their traditional dress.
Many argue that the natural beauty of this area has no parallel in Mexico. Deep green forested valleys; awesome waterfalls and high mountains with deep canyons and gorges; a colossal wealth of flora, fauna and wildlife, and glorious lakes certainly make this area one of Mexico’s most unspoilt and scenically awsome natural habitats. This list is what I have seen in my state, most of it within an hour or two of my home.
