Chihuahua

Chihuahua (pronunciation (?·i)), officially Free and Sovereign State of Chihuahua, is one of the thirty-one states that, together with Mexico City, make up Mexico. Its capital is the homonymous city and its most populous city is Ciudad Juárez.

It is located in the northwestern region of the country, bordering to the north with the states of New Mexico and Texas (United States) (where most of this extensive border is delimited by the Rio Grande), and borders with other states of Mexico, to the east with Coahuila, to the south with Durango, to the southwest with Sinaloa and to the west with Sonora. With 247,455 km² it is the largest state and with 13.77 inhabitants/km², the third least densely populated, ahead of Durango and Baja California Sur, the least densely populated. It was founded on July 6, 1824. It is divided into 67 municipalities.

Its capital is Chihuahua. Other important towns are Ciudad Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, Delicias, Parral, Nuevo Casas Grandes, Camargo, Jiménez, Ojinaga, Meoqui, Aldama, Guachochi and Madera.

Toponymy

The origin of the word Chihuahua is widely discussed by historians and linguists. There are five known meanings, for which it is stated that this name comes from languages such as Nahuatl and Rarámuri, from which it is translated as "place where the waters of the rivers meet" or "place of factories", or old regional languages, such as concho. One of the best known possible origins is the Nahuatl Xicahua, which means "dry and sandy place", but there is no universal agreement on this hypothesis.

History

Punta Clovis of the Lithic period in Mexico.

The first evidence of culture in the state are the sites of Samalayuca and Rancho Colorado in the northwest of the state, where arrowheads with peculiar characteristics have been found that allow them to be dated to the Paleoindian period approximately between 1000 and 7000 BC. C.

There is evidence that the settlers of this part of the Americas continued only as hunter-gatherers until at least 2000 B.C. C. This stage is characterized by the beginnings of the domestication of maize. Shortly after 2000 B.C. C. pumpkin crops are identified. Early sites with irrigated terrace agriculture include Cerro Juanaqueña in northern Chihuahua, (approximately 1300-1100 BCE). The beginning of ceramics appears between 1 and 400.

Great Houses and hunter-gatherers

The Mogollón region (green). Paquimé and Lent Casas were some of their locations.

Pachyme Lechuza vase at the Stanford Museum.

North and the Sierra de Chihuahua (300-1300): During the Pre-Columbian era, the territory of Chihuahua was occupied by different cultures, some reaching certain urban and commercial development. Notable from this period are the Casas Grandes Culture (300 BC – 1400), related to the Anasazi and Mogollon Cultures established further north. The same culture left several samples in the state such as Cuarenta Casas and Paquimé itself. Evidence suggests that they engaged in trade, agriculture, and hunting. The original Builders of these establishments were not those found by the Spanish in the XVI century. The decline of the main Mogollon centers (of which the Paquimé Culture was a part) began in the XIII century, before the paquimense heyday. By the 15th century some groups that inhabited the cities associated with the Paquimé Culture took refuge in the Sierra Madre Occidental, others fled to the north, where they joined the Anasazi. It is assumed that the current Taracahíta groups (Yaquis, Mayos, Ópatas, Tarahumaras) are apparently descendants of the Mogollones. (See Oasisamerica).

Eastern Chihuahua (300-1300): during the same period, a little to the west of Texas and east of Chihuahua, the Jornado-Mogollón hunted bison (or buffalo), leaving rock paintings north of the Rio Grande in Hueco Tanks, Texas. However, they never developed a culture as advanced as the neighboring Cultura de Paquimé. By 1300 they had already disappeared. Apparently the sums and tame found by European explorers were their descendants. Other occupants did not leave such impressive footprints but some cave paintings in some places in the state.

The South (300-1300): This area is classified as part of Aridoamerica, where the Chichimeca tribes are the occupants of the place, they evolved into the current Tepehuanes. They were hunters, gatherers and farmers.

Collapse of 1300

Sometime between 1300 and 1400, the northernmost Anasazi and Mogollon cultures collapsed in the area of present-day Arizona and New Mexico. There is no clear explanation of what happened, however at the end of that stage the Anasazi sites were abandoned and most of the Mogollon settlements in Chihuahua and New Mexico were occupied by ethnic groups other than the builders of these sites. It is believed that the current Pueblo Indians, including the Tiguas, are their descendants (from the Anasazi). The descendants of the Pueblo Indians preserved the semi-urban culture and built new settlements, such as the Tigua, which still remain in the El Paso, Texas area, and welcomed the Spanish when they arrived in the region. The Mogollón seem to have migrated to the southwest and center of Chihuahua, without having fully preserved their complex culture. At the same time, various tribal groups of hunter-gatherers occupied the eastern half of the state, mainly the Conchos, Toboso or Túbares and other minor ones (sumas, meek, jumanos, pescado, Coahuiltecas, julimes, guazapares, chínipas, cocoyomes, chonchos, Huites, Janos, Jococames, Jovas, Temoris, Xiximes). While in the central area and the Sierra Madre Occidental it is believed that the main group after the Paquimé Culture (mogollón) evolved into that of the Tarahumaras and other ethnic groups now outside the state (pimas and yaquis). Some, such as the Tepehuans and Pimas, also had significant populations, all apparently being societies with very isolated communities, and not as developed as the extremely aggressive construction companies of the Northwest.

Apaches in the CenturyXVIII (WA - West Apaches, N - Navajos, Ch - Chiricahuas, M - Mezcaleros, J - Jicarillas, L - Lipanos, Pl - Apache de las Praderas).

Contact with the Spanish

It is very revealing that most of the expeditions headed towards New Mexico did so more on the Sonora side than on Durango and Chihuahua. The terrain and hostility of the region's early occupants may have been the reason, but the Sonoras were no friendlier. The fact is that the ethnic groups of the place were difficult to contact and very distributed in the territory. To the south of present-day Chihuahua were the Tepehuanes. In the region of Santa Bárbara and to the north in the valley of the Río Conchos, the conchería (the conchos themselves and the sumas and jumanos, at first those who established contact). groups (and others that were not distinguished by a clear name, since at various times the same groups were named in different or similar ways to those assigned by other explorers), were what the Spaniards called people from the ranches, since their population was It was widely distributed without their houses being necessarily contiguous, but separated by great distances (some kilometers in some cases). This is still the case with the Tarahumara. The estimate of the indigenous population of Nueva Vizcaya is 350,000 inhabitants. But it is only an estimate, and it includes present-day Chihuahua and Durango.

Tepehuans

The Tepehuanes were initially located in the Santa Bárbara area. These extended throughout the current state of Durango and the south of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Possessors of an incipient agriculture of squash, corn, beans, chili and cotton. Apparently in constant war with the Tarahumara whom they enslaved, and also dominated the acaxees of the sierra between Durango and Sinaloa. With a complex religious structure, they practiced polygamy and apparently cannibalism. They were ruled by caciques, nowadays called indigenous governors.

Conchos

More precisely, the conchería, which included the conchos, but also the groups in the valleys of the Conchos, Florido and San Pedro rivers, and further north of the confluence with the Río Bravo. It included the chinarras, chisos and tapacolmes. They were also people from ranches, who rarely lived in adjacent settlements. Rabbit, rat, bison, deer, and pronghorn hunters. They lived in areas of the municipalities further north.

Rarámuris

Tarahumara craftsmanship in Chihuahua.

The Rarámuris occupied the area north of Santa Catarina, to the south of the Sierra Madre Occidental. They already had some degree of agricultural development and were also hunter-gatherers. At that time (as today), they were the typical example of gente de la ranchería. In the bordering areas with the Tepehuanes, they apparently remained in a certain degree of conflict, and in some cases they were enslaved by them. Each ranchería or region was governed by a cacique.

Tobosos

The Toboso seem to have been part of the Chichimeca groups, living further east of the Río Conchos, up to the area known as the Bolsón de Mapimí, they are also one of the largest indigenous groups in Chihuahua.

Other Groups

Spanish Explorations

It is generally accepted that the first European to reach the Chihuahua area was Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca between 1528 and 1536, who was shipwrecked in Florida with the expedition of Pánfilo de Narváez, reached the coast of Louisiana and was immediately enslaved by the indigenous people of the area. He later fled to the East, crossed the Rio Grande and entered the desert east of Chihuahua. There he had contact with conchos and Tarahumara, who guided him towards the route of the Sea of Cortés.

At the same time, Nuño de Guzmán's expedition (1529-1531) laid the foundations for colonization from the South, conquering the current spaces of Michoacán, Sinaloa, Jalisco, and Zacatecas. At first the colonization was directed from Mexico City. However, in 1549 the Royal Audience of Nueva Galicia was created in the town of Santiago de Galicia de Compostela de Indias and in 1560 it was transferred to the city of Guadalajara, for which reason it changed its name to the Royal Audience of Guadalajara. From there the efforts to conquer the north of Mexico would be directed. The main explorations were those of:

• Francisco de Ibarra in 1562 and 1566 (in the course of which he met Paquimé or Big houses and founded Durango in 1563, base of subsequent explorations from the south. One of his soldiers (Rodrigo de Río de Loza) founded Santa Barbara in 1564. During this initial period, this area is known as the New Vizcaya including the territory of Durango. It's from Durango where the first scans start. The goal of the scouts was the mythical gold cities of Cíbola and Quivira, a myth reinforced by the stories of Fray Agustín Rodríguez. (Although the first permanent establishment occurred in 1564 in Santa Barbara, recently historian Héctor Arras seems to have documentation suggesting an earlier establishment in Parral by Franciscan missionaries, there is however no consensus on this, even among historians.)
• Several Franciscan missionaries, some of whom founded Valle de San Bartolomé (now Valle de Allende) in 1569, coming from the coast of Sinaloa and others from Durango, among them the first missionary in the region seems to have been Fray Agustín Rodríguez who preached to the indigenous in the state in 1581 (see ref. 1581).
• Francisco Sánchez «El Chamuscado» in 1581. Who went out looking for the Seven Gold Cities by instigation of Fray Agustín Rodríguez, leaving Santa Barbara and died shortly before returning there in 1582. The original purpose of this expedition was evangelization by the Franciscans.
• Antonio de Espejo in November 10, 1582. Coming out of Allende Valley, then San Bartolomé to explore New Mexico.
• Gaspar Castaño de Sosa 1595, which followed the river Bravo since the current Monclova, although it is more likely that it has headed north by the Pecos River.
• Antonio Gutiérrez de Umaña and Francisco Leyba de Bonilla (1590).^{[chuckles]required]} From Santa Barbara to explore New Mexico. 1594 An unauthorized expedition to the North, it is possible to pass through the river Bravo, reach New Mexico and the current Arkansas and Kansas. Nearly all this expedition is known by a surviving Nahuatl who related the end of history, the indigenous was found in 1598 by members of the Oñate expedition, a refugee among the indigenous people in New Mexico.
• Vicente de Zaldívar in 1588. To find a more direct way to Paso del Norte from Santa Barbara, in preparation for the Oñate expedition. The previous expeditions had followed the Conchos River to La Junta with the Bravo River and hence the latter to the north.
• Juan de Oñate in April 1598, crossing the Rio Bravo in Paso del Norte, creating the Camino Real at the founding of Santa Juana in New Mexico and going back to Mexico City. He was carrying 30 families with him to colonize New Mexico.
• Marquis de Rubí with Nicolás de la Fora and José Urrutia in 1766 to define the northern borders.

Epidemic of 1586

This caused the evacuation of the northernmost town of Nueva Vizcaya between 1586 and 1588.

Work of the missionaries

• The first to arrive in the state are, as mentioned, the Franciscan missionaries, who had arrived in New Spain since the beginning of the conquest in 1524. From Valle de San Bartolomé in 1574, they began the evangelization of the indigenous population, being the first seem to have specialized in the conchos and chinarras, following mainly the areas communicated by the first routes (Camino Real de Tierra Adentro) between New Mexico and Durango.

In 1604 they founded the San Francisco de Conchos Mission (with Atotonilco as a visiting town), in 1607 the Tizonazo Mission, close to the Indé Mission (the latter in Durango). It is not clear why, despite having contact for decades with the Tarahumara, they did not have much success evangelizing them.

• The Jesuit missionaries were distributed through the center and southwest of the current territory. Beginning in 1591 from Sinaloa, they founded missions among the Tepehuanes: Mission of Santiago Papasquiaro in 1599, Mission of Santa Catalina, Mission of El Zape, Mission of Guanaceví, all in the current Durango, thus advancing among the Tarahumaras. Soon the competition between both orders began a de facto cast. This was reaffirmed with conflicts like that of 1677 in Yepómera, where conchos and tarahumaras lived on both banks of the river. The leaders of both orders in the region (provincial), who assigned the Jesuits the Sierra Madre to Yepómera, and to the east to the San Pedro River and the San Lorenzo River. Left the part flat for the Franciscans. The Jesuits first dedicated themselves to establishing a relationship of trust with the inhabitants, learning their languages, and forming the social hierarchy among the Tarahumaras: I'm sorry.- Governor, kapitani- Capitán, jenerari-general, biskari-Fiscales. This structure still remains.

The first Jesuit missionary among the Tarahumara was Father Joan Font, in 1604. He founded the Mission of San Pablo de Tepehuanes (Balleza). The intention was to eliminate the conflict between Tepehuanes and Tarahumaras. However, it was abandoned with the start of the First Tepehuana Rebellion in 1616. At the end of this, San Miguel de las Bocas was founded in 1630, the first among the Tarahumara. Then Mission San Felipe in 1639 and Mission San Ignacio. All expansion came to a halt with the Tarahumara Rebellion of 1646, the Guazapares Rebellion of 1632, and the Rebellion of the Seven Nations Confederation in 1644.

Much later, around 1748, the mission towns of Santa Inés de Chínipas, Santa Teresa de Guazapares, San Javier Cerocahui, and Purísima Concepción de Tubares were established. All these foundations were interrupted by the various rebellions. The reason for the continuous rebellions is not clear, but a possible cause is the beginning of the reduction process, which gave rise to the establishment of towns. From their founding, the viceregal civil authority of New Spain immediately exercised much greater power over the Indians.

Rebellion of 1680

• In 1680 the settlers of Santa Fe, New Mexico took refuge in Paso del Norte, fleeing the indigenous people who had taken the city, staying there for twelve years until the expedition of Diego de Vargas reconquered the area in 1692.

General Command of the Internal Provinces

The north of New Spain was considered a very rich but badly administered place, for this reason, the King of Spain Carlos III created the general command of the internal provinces, which was nothing more than a territory governed by a captain general. At that time the new Biscay separated from the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The gender captaincy was created in 1763, at first it occupied the then municipalities of Nueva California, Vieja California, Sonora and Sinaloa, Nueva Vizcaya, Nuevo León, Coahuila, Santander, and the territories of New Mexico and Texas. Its first capital was Arizpe, in the municipality of Sonora and Sinaloa, but later it was moved to the town of San Felipe el Real de Chihuahua, in the municipality of Nueva Vizcaya. The captaincy of the internal provinces lasted until 1813, when by orders of Viceroy José María Calleja the command was annexed again to New Spain.

Internal State of the North

Map of Chihuahua in Mexico of 1824.

Shortly after independence, the federalists rose up against Iturbide. Chihuahua joined the fight, after a minor incident at Janos. In Durango, measures were initially taken against the movement, but on March 5, 1823, the troops declared themselves in favor of it, as well as the majority of the people. Commander General Cordero resigned, as did Brigadier General I. del Corral, civil and military governor in Durango, whereupon the provincial council declared Juan Navarro as mayor, and Gaspar de Ochoa, colonel of the garrison, as his successor. as commander instead of Lamb.

Apache Rebellions and Raids

See Apache Attacks on Mexico for a detailed description of attacks against and by Apaches during the 19th century, the Chihuahua's main problem during that century.

Geography

Extreme geographic coordinates

North 31°48', South 25°38' north latitude; east 103°18', west 109°07' west longitude.

Territorial percentage

The state of Chihuahua represents 13% of the country's surface. Being thus the largest state of the Mexican Republic.

Limits

Northwest: New Mexico United States	North: New Mexico, Texas United States	Northeast: Texas United States
West: Sonora Mexico Mexico		This: Coahuila Mexico Mexico
Southwest: Sinaloa Mexico Mexico	South: Durango Mexico Mexico	Sureste: Durango Mexico Mexico

Orography

The state of Chihuahua is made up of three large regions called Sierra, Llanura or Meseta and Desierto, which follow one another from west to east in the form of large bands. This gives the climate and geography vastly contrasting conditions and gives the state its most familiar images: its vast deserts, mountains, canyons, and forests.

Saw

The Sierra de Chihuahua is made up of the northernmost area of the Sierra Madre Occidental, which in the territory reaches its highest point in Cerro Mohinora, with 3,333 masl. It covers a third of the surface of the state and is a very rugged area of large mountains and ravines or canyons even larger than the Colorado Canyon in the United States, it is covered with thick coniferous forests, except for the bottom of the ravines, which Due to the low altitude they have a tropical climate and vegetation during the summer and a temperate climate during the winter. The temperatures at the bottom of the canyons can exceed 40 °C in summer and very rarely drop below 0 °C in winter, while in the upper parts the climate is semi-cold with maximums that rarely exceed 30 °C in summer and that can drop below -20 °C in winter. The average annual rainfall in this area varies between 750-900 mm per year, grouped mainly in the months of May to September. In the months of November to March it is usual for snowfalls to be recorded that vary in intensity depending on the altitude. It is an area of great timber and mining wealth, inhabited by the indigenous groups of the state, which are one of its main tourist attractions. In the Sierra are the Copper Canyon and the Basaseachi Waterfall, both nationally and world famous tourist places.

Plain

The plateau is a transition zone between the mountains and the desert. It is the northernmost extension of the Mexican Plateau that begins from El Bajío. It is a steppe where its vegetation depends on seasonal rains. During this season, grasses, fodder and small shrubs green up, which are consumed during droughts. Rainfall is less than in the mountains, registering 400 mm of rain on average per year, grouped in the summer months (July, August and September). The temperatures are extreme, being able to reach 40 °C in the summer and even reaching -15 °C in the winter, snowfall is sporadic from November to March. Rainfed agriculture is carried out in this area, but there are also important irrigation agriculture developments, with the help of rivers and dams. It is crossed by several mountains, although its terrain is mostly flat. On the plateau is the main agricultural and livestock area of the state, as well as the settlement of the majority of the population and its main cities.

Desert

Dunes de Samalayuca a few kilometres south of Ciudad Juárez.

The desert constitutes one third of the Chihuahuan territory. It is the prolongation in the state of Bolsón de Mapimí and is part of the great North American biome called the Chihuahuan Desert for being mostly in state territory and which extends both to the neighboring state of Coahuila and to the north, to the United States. It is a large endorheic basin where the water currents have no outlet and are consumed by evaporation. Its territory is mostly flat, although it has low-altitude mountains that cross it, almost all of them in a north-south direction. The climate of this area is very dry, rainfall rarely exceeds 250 mm per year, temperatures reach over 40 °C during the summer and in winter there is usually frost, although not as intense as in the mountain area, the fall of snow also occurs in this region although it is less frequent. Villa Ahumada had the lowest temperature recorded in Chihuahua, -30.4 °C in January 1962. The Samaluyca dunes are a great attraction in this area, located south of Ciudad Juárez. It is the only region of Mexico where you can enjoy this attraction, since this immense sandy area covers more than 150 km².

Hydrography

Original rivers of Chihuahua, before irrigation projects.

The state of Chihuahua is located in the center of the continent, surrounded by large mountain ranges that separate it from the coasts and humid areas, for which the climate is mostly dry and with little rainfall, which significantly influences the hydrography. Being in a Mediterranean situation, it crosses the Continental Divide of the Americas through its territory, and for this reason there are rivers both from the Gulf of Mexico and from the Pacific. In addition, there is a third slope, particularly in northern Mexico, made up of the closed basins of the desert called the Interior and Lower Slope.

Slope of the Gulf of Mexico

It is the main river in the state, it drains more than half of the surface and the two main rivers of the state belong to it: the Rio Grande del Norte, which marks the border with Texas, and the Rio Conchos, a tributary of the Rio Grande and the largest mighty river in the territory of Chihuahua. It is also the largest tributary of the Rio Grande from the Mexican territory. The Conchos River is the backbone of this spring. All the currents from the center and south of the state discharge into it, including the Chuvíscar River, Sacramento River, Florido River, San Pedro River, Parral River, Valle de Allende River and Santa Isabel River.

Slope of the Pacific Ocean

The currents that originate at the top of the Sierra Madre Occidental and rush to the west of the continental divide correspond to this slope, making the state of Chihuahua the source of large rivers that cross neighboring states such as the Yaqui River, the Mayo River and the Fuerte River, which in the state territory are called the Papigochi River, the Candameña River and the Verde River respectively.

Internal Slope

It is the smallest of the three and is formed by the particular characteristics of the Chihuahuan geography. In all of Mexico there are only five important rivers that drain into interior basins, and of them, three are in the state of Chihuahua, they are; the Casas Grandes River, the Santa María River and the Santa Clara River. They all end in seasonal lagoons located in the desert in the north of the state, they are mostly seasonal rivers and during the seasons of higher temperatures they remain dry. At present its waters have been dammed and used for irrigation, which has led to the disappearance of its current and the extinction of the lagoons into which they flowed.

Flora and fauna

Chihuahua is distinguished by its arctic-type fauna, which is practically the same fauna as the rest of North America. Thus, in this northern Mexican state you can find animals such as the black bear, coyote, bald eagle, white-tailed deer, American bison, Canadian mouflon or pronghorn, among others. The Mexican wolf almost disappeared in the state of Chihuahua during the 20th century, although luckily local wildlife protection groups managed to reproduce and reintroduce the Mexican wolf to its natural habitat in agreements with ranchers and state authorities. The puma, or mountain lion seems to frequent the pine-oak ranges. In the high forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental there is a rare species of fir, called Abies durangensis, which grows in the municipalities adjacent to Sinaloa and Durango. A rumor that could be a light of hope could be the still existence of the Mexican silver bear or Mexican gray bear, a subspecies of gray bear which was believed to be extinct but has come to believe that it could still be alive in the mountainous region of the Sierra. mother where it is believed that it has been sighted in places such as the hill of the bell and in Santa Clara and El Nido, to which it can only be hoped that this will become true in favor of the Mexican fauna and the state. In Mexico, the largest slaughter of bison in various historical periods was carried out until their extinction in the national territory. In 2002, the United States government donated hatchlings and some juveniles to the Mexican government for reintroduction into the wild in the Santa Helena Canyon and Boquillas del Carmen Nature Reserves, located on the southern banks of the Rio Grande and the border grasslands with New Mexico in the municipality of Janos. El Uno biosphere. The establishment of fences to delimit international divisions or in small properties has slowed the interregional natural migrations of this species.

Flora and fauna of Chihuahua
Ursus americanus	Felis concolor	Tamiasciurus	Bison bison	Aquila chrysaetos
Meleagris gallopavo	Crotalus durissus	American antilocapra	Canis lupus baileyi	Ovis canadensis
Acer saccharinum	Opuntia ficus-indica	Echinocactus grusonii	Cylindropuntia imbricata	Pinus ponderosaa

Demographics

According to the Population and Housing Census carried out by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) with a census date of March 27, 2020, the total population of the state of Chihuahua is 3,741,869 inhabitants, which which gives it the 11th place among the federal entities of Mexico by population. Of this population total, 1,853,822 are men and 1,888,047 are women. The annual growth rate for the entity during the period 2005-2010 was 1.0%. The median age of the population is 29 years.

In the period from 2000 to 2005, an estimated 49,722 people emigrated to the United States. The state had an immigration of 82,000 people between 2000 and 2005 from Veracruz (17.6%) United States (16.2%), Durango (13.2%), Coahuila (8%) and Chiapas (4.5%). It is believed that most of them went to Ciudad Juárez, where there is a significant population of immigrants from Central and South America who are not normally counted in the Federal Censuses for fear of being deported. The reason for the population movement towards the state, particularly towards Ciudad Juárez, is due to the labor difficulties in the states of origin of the migrants, on the other hand, Ciudad Juárez has an important offer of employment, particularly in the maquiladora sector, as well Even many people arrive in the state with the intention of seeking to cross into the United States, many failing to do so remain in the border strip, where many finally settle permanently.

However, the population of Chihuahua is distributed in a very uneven way throughout the territory, being one of the states with the least population density, being in 2020 of 15.1 inhabitants per km², of the 3,741,869 inhabitants, almost two thirds parts, 2,072,129, live only in the municipalities of Juárez and Chihuahua.

After Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua, only three other populations exceed one hundred thousand inhabitants, and they are Cuauhtémoc with 135,586, Delicias with 128,548 inhabitants and Parral with 113,843 inhabitants.

Ethnic groups

The main ethnic groups of the state of Chihuahua.

Indigenous Groups of Chihuahua 2000 (INEGI).

• Indigenous peoples:
  • Tarahumaras: they are the main indigenous ethnic group in the state, they are called themselves as Rarámuri which means "foot runner" in his native language, which refers to his particular ability to run great distances. They live in broad sectors of the Sierra Madre Occidental, where the name of Sierra Tarahumara is locally given, however, emigration for mainly economic reasons has led to important settlements in other parts of the state, mainly the cities of Chihuahua and Ciudad Juárez.

The exact meaning of the word "Rarámuri" is discussed at present, as when talking to members of that cultural group, many deny that it means "Pie corridor" and say that it means "people", in contrast to the word "chabochi" that refers to the mestizos and the white man.

According to the religious beliefs of that group, Onorúame (God), created the Raramuri by giving a male clay figure three soplidos to give him life, soplidos that represent the three souls that in their belief possess the men and giving four soplidos to a female clay figure, providing him four souls (one more than men, for the woman possesses the possibility of parir). Onorúame's brother pretended to imitate him by making ashes figurines, but when he breathed to give them life, he only did it once creating the "chabochis" (mestizos and Caucasians), which within his beliefs only possess a soul.

This is why many believe that the word "chabochi" refers to "the sons of the devil", but its exact meaning is diluted, because many Raramuris say it only means "the bearded in the face" (referring to beards).

• Tepehuanes from the north: so-called to differentiate them from the Tepehuanes that inhabit the south of the state of Durango, with which they have important differences, they themselves give the name of odame, they are the second ethnic group of the state and live mainly in the municipality of Guadalupe and Calvo, being their main Baborigame settlement.

• Guarijíos: ethnic group mainly differentiated by its language, there are currently some settlements only in the municipalities of Chínipas and Uruachi.

• Pimas: they are the smallest indigenous group in the state, their main settlements are in Temósachi, in some communities such as El kipor, La Dura, in the municipality of Maicoba state of Sonora, they are called O'odham to differentiate them from the Tohono O'odham pymas in Arizona. They differ mainly in the variant than their language.

• European Immigration

Mennonite girl in Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua.

• Mennonites: of 100,000 Mennonites of German origin living in Mexico, about 90 000 are established in Chihuahua; they are the largest non-indigenous ethnic group in the State. They belong to an endogamic community, very religious, of Germanic origin, that emigrated from the Canadian province of Manitoba after losing its privileges in the midst of a Germanophobic campaign during the First World War and after being invited to Mexico by the government of Alvaro Obregón that covered the expenses of transfer. They are Mennonites, followers of the beliefs of Menno Simons, a leader of the pacifist wing of the anabaptist movement during the Protestant Reform. In 1922, immigration began with the arrival of 3 000 people (which were established entirely in Chihuahua), and by 1927 10 000 had already been established in Mexico, distributed among the states of Chihuahua, Durango, Campeche and Zacatecas.

Practically the entire population (98 per cent) deals with agricultural work, highlighting the production of cereals, fruit and vegetables. They also dominate the conserving of fruits and vegetables and the intoxication of cold, salty and smoked meats.

• Mormons: they are the lowest non-indigenous ethnic group in the state. They belong to an endogamic religious community that emigrated from Utah in the United States.

Religion

Population of five years or more, according to the religion they profess in the state of Chihuahua:

• Catholic - 2,356,617 (63.0 %)
• Distinct Catholic - 356,940 (9.5 %)
• Not specific - 45.685 (1.2 %)
• No religion - 221,007 (5.9 %)

Main Cities (2020)

86.5% of the population of the state of Chihuahua lives in urban centers, which makes it one of the most urbanized.

Most populated municipalities (2020)

The 10 most populous municipalities (2020)
Position	Municipality	Shield	Municipal head	Population
1	Juárez		Ciudad Juárez	1 512 450
2	Chihuahua		Chihuahua	937 674
3	Cuauhtémoc		Cuauhtémoc	180 638
4	Delights		Delights	150 506
5	Hidalgo del Parral		Parral	116 662
6	New Big Houses		New Big Houses	65 753
7	Camargo		Santa Rosalía de Camargo	42 019
8	Jiménez		Jiménez	35 087
9	Aldama		Juan Aldama	26 047
10	Meoqui		Pedro Meoqui	23 140

Methods of communication

Aerial

The State of Chihuahua has three international airports:

• International Airport General Roberto Fierro Villalobos (Chihua, Chihuahua)
• International Airport Abraham González (Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua)
• International Airport of Creel (Bocoyna, Chihuahua)

Economy

According to the study 'Competitiveness of Mexican cities 2007', carried out by the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE), Chihuahua occupies the second position in the list of the most competitive cities in the country.

In 1973, a group of local industrialists created the civil organization Desarrollo Económico del Estado de Chihuahua (DESEC), which began to formulate concrete strategies for the 3 levels of government to facilitate the installation of more companies in the city.

The first transnational company that arrived in Chihuahua was Ford Motor Company, which opened one of the most modern engine assembly plants of the moment.

Other firms followed, such as:

• Honeywell
• Lexmark
• Lear Electric Systems
• Goodyear

As a result of foreign investment, Parques Industriales de Chihuahua was created, which offers first-rate facilities to the most demanding companies.

A basic tool for the economic takeoff of Chihuahua was the State Economic Development Law, designed so that in each region, in accordance with its characteristics, specific conditions and facilities are implemented so that companies can establish themselves in the shortest time possible.

An example of foreign investment in the entity is Compañía Minera Dolores.

This company, a subsidiary of the Canadian mining company Minefinders, has invested close to 250 million dollars in the Municipality of Madera, where the Dolores Mine is located, and where it will extract gold and silver over the next 15 years.

Specifically, in the Ejido Huizopa, more than 500 direct and indirect jobs have been created; In addition, various economic, social and environmental programs have been created in its favor. Under the protection of the Dolores Mine, companies of the residents and ejidatarios are also being formed that will provide various services to the mine.

The Dolores Mine began the commercial production stage in February 2009, where important infrastructure works are also being generated, such as roads, electric power and bridges, among others.

In Chihuahua there are more than 60 Canadian mining companies that generate jobs in the state and in turn attract investment to the region and the country.

• The state of Chihuahua is the fifth national economy with a per capita income of $12,284.00.
• Ciudad Juárez is considered the best city to invest in the country.
• The city of Chihuahua is the first with the highest rate of social competitiveness in Mexico.

Although according to the UN in its analysis of Municipal Human Development of 2003, the Municipality ranks 27th among those with the highest income.

• First place in Personnel occupied by the export manufacturing industry in Mexico.
• First place as a value added generator in the export manufacturing industry in Mexico.
• Second place in receipt of foreign manufacturing investment.
• First manufacturing exporter from Mexico.
• Second place in maquiladora establishments.
• The city of Chihuahua has the second place in quality of life in the country. [1] (breakable link available on the Internet Archive; see history, first version and last).
• Ciudad Juárez occupies the ninth quality of life in the country.^{[chuckles]required]}

Industrial Groups

Industrial development in the State of Chihuahua is based on Industrial Groups. There are six industrial groups, which generate more than 300,000 jobs, in 406 plants established in the State. There are four new areas of opportunity within the industrial technological development that the entity where the workforce is more qualified is acquiring.

The six industrial Groups are the following:

• Electronics and Telecommunications
• Automotive and Autoparts
• Clothing
• Agriculture and Food
• Forestry and Furniture
• Construction and Mining Materials

The four areas of opportunity are as follows:

• Aerospace
• Appliances
• Information technologies
• Biotechnology

The manufacturing industry in this entity reports 9917 economic units, among which are: plants for the manufacture of mechanical structures, tanks and boilers; manufacture, repair and/or assembly of electrical machinery, equipment and accessories as well as scattered throughout neighborhoods and localities: tortilla shops, blacksmith shops and printing houses.

Maquiladora Industry

The Maquiladora Industry has 425 plants in 25 industrial parks, which represent 12.47% of the maquiladora plants in Mexico, and in which 294,026 people are employed, 24.35% of the maquiladora jobs in Mexico.

Chihuahuan agriculture excels in the production of oats, potatoes and wheat, although few lands have water for irrigation. Among the most important irrigated crops are wheat, cotton, corn, sorghum, peanuts, soybeans, alfalfa, green chile, and oats.

In the rainfed lands, crops of corn, beans, potatoes and oats stand out. The state of Chihuahua is famous for the fruits it produces; The most abundant harvest is apple, which is produced in more than 30 varieties, the most prominent being the "red delicious". Watermelon and melon also represent a very significant part of the production. Chihuahua beef is famous throughout the country. This fame has been achieved thanks to the large extensions of grasslands and bushes with which the animals feed. Likewise, the production of milk is important since various types of cheese are made with it. Pigs, goats and sheep are also raised, although their production is not as important as that of cattle. One of the most important economic resources in the state is forestry.

Among the handicraft industry in Chihuahua we find woolen textiles, saddlery, basketry, woodwork, toys and musical instruments.

The total economically active population is 1,235,900 divided into 812,166 men and 423,734 women.

Development Indicators

Marginalization Index

• Place 7 in the Margination Index for the year 2000 -87.22
• Place 9 in the Margination Index for 2005 - 7,71946

Tourism

The tourist activity of the state represents 7.1% of the state GDP, above the mining activity. Tourism employs around 100,000 people and involves more than 15,000 economic units that received 8 million visitors in 2019.

Due to its territorial extension, the state is divided into 7 tourist regions: - Juarez - Parral, the Route of Villa - Chihuahua and surroundings - Desert Zone - Archaeological area - Pearls of the Conchos - Copper Canyon

Culture

Gastronomy

Chihuahua has an exquisite variety of regional dishes and food, most of them made from beef, since quality cattle are raised here, such as the famous white-faced (Hereford) Brangus, Angus, and Charolais; among others. The finest delicious cuts are served in restaurants accompanied by baked potato and grilled onion.

Due to the extreme climates of the region, the first settlers found it necessary to take advantage of the short harvest periods to preserve and store food. And that is why within the Chihuahuan gastronomic uses and customs is dehydrating, drying grains, vegetables, fruits and even meats.

Among its most traditional dishes are chile colorado with dried meat, machaca a la mexicana or with egg, chile with asadero, chili past with meat or cheese, flour tortillas, harinillas (bread made from corn), the traditional charcoal-roasted meat or the American-style cuts of meat, as well as the delicious discada, orejones de frutas (dried fruits), dried apricots of zucchini with cheese, ranchero cheese, Mennonita cheese, asadero, Camargo chorizo, as well as You can also enjoy delicious fresh fish dishes from state dams such as: bear broth (catfish broth with vegetables), fried mojarra or delicious rainbow trout with coriander or mustard or desserts such as pie de walnut and apple.

Another typical dish are the burritos, which have transcended borders. They are prepared with flour tortillas and stuffed with beef or pork, beans or chile con queso. Among other stews, with a unique flavor that can only be found here. The burritos of Villa Ahumada stand out, which are quite a tradition.

From Cuauhtemoc. What has given the most fame are the peculiar products of the Mennonite fields, it has been their cheese and other dairy products such as butter and cream. This Mennonite cheese, also called Chihuahua cheese, has achieved an important place in national and international consumption.

In addition, Chihuahua smells like apples, tastes like apples, and offers visitors the best apples in Mexico. In the fertile valleys irrigated by the Papigochi River, spring bursts into thousands of flowers that are later transformed into exquisite apples, giving rise to delicious dishes, among which apple pie stands out.

Sports

Chihuahua has a soccer team in the First Division of Mexico: Fútbol Club Juárez in Ciudad Juárez and two in the Second Division of Mexico: the Indios de la UACJ in Ciudad Juárez and the Club Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua in Chihuahua (Chihuahua). The state previously had professional baseball and basketball teams: the Dorados de Chihuahua and the Indios de Ciudad Juárez (baseball). It also has a team in the National Professional Basketball League, the Indios de Ciudad Juárez (basketball).

Currently it has the Chihuahua State Baseball League with 10 teams: Indios de Ciudad Juárez (baseball), Dorados de Chihuahua, Algodoneros de Delicias, Faraones de Nuevo Casas Grandes, Manzaneros de Cuauhtémoc, Mazorqueros de Camargo, Mineros de Parral, Reds from Jiménez, Soles from Ojinaga and Venados de Madera.

In basketball, it also has the Chihuahua State Basketball League.

The state hosted the Tour of Chihuahua, a qualifying cycling race for the UCI America Tour. In 2012, El Dorado Speedway was inaugurated, an oval circuit that hosts races of the NASCAR Toyota Series.

International relations

Consulates

The city of Chihuahua has Consulates from 2 countries.

• United States (General Consulate)
• Spain (General Consulate)

Geographic location

Northwest: New Mexico	North: New Mexico	Northeast: Texas
West: Sonora		This: Coahuila
Southwest: Sinaloa	South: Durango	Sureste: Durango