Mexico and Michoacán, is one of the chief gold producing regions in the country. Other important districts are Sultepec, Zacualpan, and Temascaltepec. In addition to agriculture and mining there are a number of textile factories, corn and flour mills, breweries, tanneries, and electric light and power plants in the state. Principal Cities: Toluca, population 38,000, the capital and chief city, is an agricultural and manufacturing city of much importance. Other cities of some note, aside from the mining camps already listed, are Amecameca, lying at the foot of Popocatepetl; Guadalupe Hidalgo, made famous by the treaty between the United States and Mexico in 1848; Otumba, Tenancingo, and Texcoco. Transportation: With the exception of the southwest corner, the state of Mexico is adequately served by the railway lines that radiate from the City of Mexico. Area: 22,621 square miles. MICHOACAN Population: 1,003,491 (average density 43.3). Location: A Pacific Coast state bounded on the north by Jalisco, Guanajuato, and a corner of Querétaro; on the west by the state of Mexico; on the south by Guerrero; on the southwest by the Pacific; and on the west by Colima and a part of Jalisco. Physical Characteristics: Michoacán, like most Pacific states, has a narrow, low lying plain along the coast, which in the interior is paralleled by the high ranges of the Sierra Madre Mountains. The climate of the state accordingly varies with the altitude, ranging from the moist heat of the tropics to the more agreeable climate of the temperate zone. The Lerma River runs a short distance along the northern boundary of the state, and the Balsas flows through the extreme south. The state also contains a number of lakes, chief of which are Lake Chapala, on the northwestern border; Cuitzeo, near the Guanajuato line; and lake Patzcuaro about the center of the state. Since Michoacán lies in the region of active volcanoes, much of the state is subject to violent earthquakes. Chief Industries: Two centuries ago Michoacán possessed some of the most famous mines of New Spain. Today the state is still one of the richest in mineral resources in the Republic. Silver, gold, and copper are the chief minerals exploited, but there are also large iron deposits not yet developed. The principal mining districts are those of Tlalpujahua, which contains the famous Dos Estrelas mines, geologically a part of the El Oro district; Angangueo, some thirty miles southwest of El Oro; Ozumatlan; and the copper region of Inguaran. In agriculture Michoacán also holds a leading place. It ranks near the top in the output of corn, barley and rice, and is the largest wheat producing state in the Republic. It is also one of the two or three chief bean growing regions in Mexico; and occupies a foremost place in the production of sugarcane, alcohol, pulque, tobacco, and indigo. In the number and value of its live-stock Michoacán ranks fourth or fifth in the republic, and in the extent of its timber lands holds about the same position. Principal Cities: Morelia, the capital and largest city, has a population of 40,000 and ranks as an important agricultural and commercial center. It lies 230 miles from Mexico City with which it is connected by the National Railways. Uruapan, the second largest town, has a population of 16,000 and lies about eighty-five miles southwest of Morelia. It is the terminus of the Morelia Branch of the National Railways. Zamora, about the same size as Uruapan, is situated in the midst of a rich agricultural region on the Duero River. Transportation: Two branches of the National Railways, the one running through the mining camp of Angangueo to Zitacuaro, and the other to Uruapan by way of Morelia, serve the northeastern portion of Michoacán. The north western corner is taken care of by the Zamora branch of the National Railways. which runs south to Los Reyes from the Lake Chapala-Guanajuato line. Most of the state, especially the southern half, is without railway facilities, nor are there any harbors on the coast at which ships can land. Area: 2.734 square miles. MORELOS Population: 183,705 (average density, 67.2). Location: A plateau state lying directly south of the Federal District. On the west and north the state is almost surrounded by Puebla, and on the south and southwest by Guerrero. Physical Characteristics: The state is everywhere broken by high mountain ranges, between which lie fertile valleys of varying width. The climate is hot and unhealthy in the southern lowlands, but temperate or cold in the higher altitudes. The Amacusac, a tributary of the Balsas, is the only river of importance. Chief Industries: Morelos is preeminently an agricultural state, ranking very high in this respect among the other states of the Federation. Cereals, beans, rice, coffee, fruits, and tobacco are grown in large quantities, but the most important product is sugar-cane. Since Morelos leads the Republic in the production of this crop, the manufacture of sugar and cane alcohol have become distinctive industries throughout the state. Though valuable mineral deposits are scattered throughout the mountainous regions, mining plays almost ro part in the state's economic life. In this respect Morelos differs materially from every other interior state of Mexico. Principal Cities: Morelos has only one city of much importance. This is the capital, Cuernavaca, long famous for its beautiful surroundings. It lies about seventy-five miles from Mexico City and has a population of 15,000. The manufacture of Cuernavaca pottery is carried on in a suburb of this city. Transportation: The line of the Mexican Central (National Railways) from Mexico City to Balsas in Guerrero crosses the western part of Morelos in a general north and south direction. A branch of the Interoceanic, leaving the main line at Los Reyes, crosses the northern border of Morelos near its eastern extremity and follows a general southwesterly course, by way of Cuautla and Yautepec until it connects with the Mexican Central at Ixtla, almost on the boundary of Morelos and Guerrero. Cuautla is also the junction point for the line running to Puebla, via Atencingo. Area: 25,032 square miles. NUEVO LEON Population: 372,202 (average density, 15.4). Location: A long narrow state in northeastern Mexico, bounded on the north and east by Tamaulipas, on the south and southwest by San Luis Potosí, and on the west and north by Coahuila. A very small segment of the northern border also touches the United States. The Physical Characteristics: Nuevo León lies mostly on the high central plateau at an average elevation of about 5,500 feet. Except in the west and southwest the state is mountainous. Much of its area is arid or semi-arid in character, though on the eastern slopes the rainfall is fairly heavy. climate is generally temperate and healthful, but the lowlands and northern desert regions furnish an exception to this statement. The state has many small streams, a few lagoons, and some very famous mineral springs, but no ravigable rivers. Chief Industries: Nuevo León is both an important agricultural and mining state, and also possesses the chief manufacturing city in the Republic. Cattle and cereals constitute its chief agricultural wealth; while lead, silver, and zinc are its most valuable mineral products. The state also possesses the largest steel and iron mills in the Federation and important smelting and refining works. Principal Cities: Monterrey, the capital and principal city, has a population of 85,000. It is one of the most modern and progressive cities of Mexico, and carries on a large manufacturing business. Besides the foundries and smelting works already referred to, there are in Monterrey a number of large flour mills, ice factories, breweries, and the main shops of the National Railways of Mexico. It is the second most important railway center in the country. Aside from Monterrey, there are no cities of any size in Nuevo León. Montemorelos and Linares, neither of which has more than 8,000 inhabitants, are the only ones worth mentioning. Transportation: Nuevo León is well supplied with railways. Three lines of the National Railways from Mexico City to the American border pass through the state, one connecting Monterrey with Matamoros, another with Laredo, and the third with Cuidad Juarez. There is also a direct road from Monterrey to Tampico; and in the west two lines to Torreon. Area: 10,953 square miles. NAYARIT Population: 175,731 (average density 15.1). Location: A Pacific Coast state (formerly the territory of Tepic), lying directly south of Sinaloa and Durango and bounded on the east and south by Jalisco. Physical Characteristics: Except along the coast the state is very mountainous and heavily timbered. Its two chief rivers are the Rio Grande or Santiago, and the Mezquital. The rainfall is abundant and the climate is tropical and malarial. Chief Industries: Nayarit, economically, is one of the most backward states of Mexico. Its rich resources in minerals, timber and agriculture have been but slightly developed owing to disturbed political conditions and lack of transportation facilities. The state's chief reliance at present is upon agriculture. Sugar-cane is the most important product and has led to the erection of many sugar mills and distilleries on the haciendas. Tobacco, coffee, cotton, and corn are also grown abundantly. Gold, silver and copper are found in the mountain regions; but for the reasons already noted, large scale development of these deposits has not been possible. The slopes of the Sierra del Nayarit-a portion of the Sierra Madre which constitutes the mountain system of the state-are covered with virgin forests of valuable woods, many of which have never been commercially exploited. Principal Cities: Tepic, the capital, is a place of some 20,000 people, lying on the old highway between San Blas and Mexico City. It is surrounded by a rich agricultural region and has a few small manufacturing establishments. San Blas, the port already referred to, was relatively much more important in Spanish colonial days, when it served as a base for the California supply ships, than it is at present. It lies at the mouth of the Santiago River, and has a population of approximately 3,000. Acaponeta is a town of 5,000 inhabitants situated seventy miles north of Tepic on the Southern Pacific Railway. Transportation: The Southern Pacific of Mexico runs parallel to the coast from the state's northern border and extends a few miles south of the city of Tepic. Otherwise the state has no railways, and for the most part must depend upon the primitive methods of transportation used in Mexico three hundred years ago. The port of San Blas carries on some foreign and coastwise traffic but its trade is very limited. The transportation_situation will be greatly improved when a connection between the Southern Pacific of Mexico and the Guadalajara branch of the National Railways is finally completed. Area: 35,689 square miles. ОАХАСА Population: 1,059,789 (average density 29.3). Location: Oaxaca is a Pacific Coast-Isthmus state, having a coast line of 330 miles as its southern border. Its inland boundary, beginning on the west, is formed by the states of Guerrero, Puebla, Vera Cruz, and Chiapas. Physical Characteristics: Except for a low plain along the coast, lying in the tierra caliente, the state is broken by numerous mountain ranges belonging to the southern Sierra Madre, with here and there broad fertile valleys lying between. The climate of this higher portion is moderate and healthful. Throughout the most of the state the rainfall is normally abundant, but in the lowlands of the Isthmus it becomes excessive. The state has many streams, part of which flow into the Gulf and part into the Pacific. Of the rivers belonging to the northern watershed the most important are the Coatzacoalcos, Choapan, and a branch of the Papaloápam. The Pacific streams are the Arenas, Tehuantepec, the Ometepec and the Verde. Chief Industries: Oaxaca, though possessing some mineral deposits of importance, is primarily distinguished for its agricultural resources. Its principal products are coffee, tobacco, sugar, cotton, cocoa, corn, and rubber. Mescal, chocolate, pottery, soap, flour, and textiles are also manufactured on a fairly large scale. The state likewise promises to become a large scale producer of petroleum in the near future. The population of Oaxaca, largely Indian, is generally industrious, hardy, and intelligent. Principal Cities: Oaxaca, the capital, has a population of 40,000 and occupies an important position in the mining, agricultural and commercial life of Southern Mexico. The city was the birthplace of Mexico's greatest statesman-Porfirio Diaz-and the home for many years of one of her greatest patriots Benito Jaurez. The famous ruins of Mitla are reached by horseback from this city. Tlacolula, twenty miles from Oaxaca, is a place of 6,000 inhabitants, distinguished chiefly as an agricultural center. Ejutla, a mining camp of considerable activity; and Tehuantepec, with a population of 10,000, are also inland cities of some importance. Salina Cruz, the Pacific terminus of the Tehuantepec National Railway, is one of the most important ports of entry on the west coast and serves as a gateway for the commerce passing across the Isthmus from the Pacific to the Gulf. Its population is about 6,000. Transportation: The state of Oaxaca is served by the Mexican Southern, which connects the capital with the city of Puebla; by the Tehuantepec National, which runs from Puerto Mexico on the Gulf to Salina Cruz; and in the southwestern corner, by the Pan American Railroad, which leaves the Tehuantepec National at San Gerónimo, in Oaxaca, and runs southward to the Guatemala border. PUEBLA Area: 12,992 square miles. Population: 1,118,439 (average density, 90.2). Location: The state's boundary lines are very irregular. On the north and east it is bounded by Vera Cruz; on the south by Oaxaca and Guerrero; and on the west by Morelos, Mexico, Tlaxacala, and Hidalgo. Physical Characteristics: The state, one of the richest in the Republic, occupies the southeast corner of the great central plateau and in the south falls away to the tierra caliente. The table-lands of the state are overshadowed by the three great peaks-Popocatepetl, Iztaccihauatl, and Orizaba; and the southern portion is broken by deep, fertile valleys. The climate is temperate, with an abundant rainfall. A number of small streams cross the eastern part of the state, eventually emptying into the Gulf; but the largest river, the Atoyac, finds an outlet to the Pacific, through the Mescala. Chief Industries: Puebla is a mining state of some importance, producing considerable quantities of gold and silver, and in the district of Teziutlan has one of the chief copper camps of the Republic. The great wealth of the state, however, lies in its agricultural resources. In the production of corn, wheat, tobacco, coffee, pulque, and sugar, Puebla ranks among the three or four leading states of the Republic. Puebla is also distinguished for its manufacturing establishments, chief of which are its cotton mills; and for its hydroelectric plants, the largest of which is that of the Mexican Light and Power Co. at Necaxa, which supplies the City of Mexico and the large mining camp of El Oro with light and power. Principal Cities: Puebla, the capital, has a population of 110,000 and ranks third among the cities of Mexico in size. It is a progressive, modern city, with well paved streets, good hotels, adequate water works, an electrie tramway system, numerous factories, and over sixty churches, including its very noted cathedral. There are no other cities of much importance in the state, except the copper camp of Teziutlan already mentioned. Acatlán, Matamoros, and Zacatalán are places of 8,000 or 10,000 population, and Cholula is famous for its historical associations and archaeological remains. Transportation: The lines of the Mexican Railway, the Interoceanic, and the Mexican Southern all serve the state, finding a common center in the city of Puebla. A number of private roads have also been built to serve purely local Population: 247,195 (average density, 68.8). Location: A central plateau state, bounded on the north by San Luis Potosí; on the east by Hidalgo; on the southeast and south by Mexico and Michoacán; and on the west by Guanajuato. Physical Characteristics: In many respects Querétaro resembles its western neighbor, Guanajuato. Its surface is broken by numerous mountain ranges; chief of which in the north is the Sierra Gorda. The southern portion is characterized chiefly by low hills and plains. The rainfall is uncertain and generally insufficient to insure satisfactory crops. There are no streams worthy of note. Chief Industries: Mining constitutes the most important industry in the state. Silver, gold, copper, mercury, lead, tin, and antimony are the chief minerals; while opals and other semi-precious stones are found in considerable quantities. The agricultural products are mainly sugar, cotton, beans, corn and wheat. Principal Cities: Querétaro, situated on the river of the same name, is the capital of the state and has a population of nearly 40,000. It is an important center for textile manufactures, and serves as a distributing point for much of the surrounding territory. Historically, the city occupied an important place in the War for Independence, and also witnessed the execution of Maximilian. In more recent years it became famous as the seat of the convention which framed the constitution of 1917. San Juan del Rio, population 8,000, is a railroad junction of some importance lying thirty-four miles southeast of Querétaro. Transportation: The Mexican Central and the National of Mexico cross the southern part of Querétaro and pass through the capital. The state has almost no other modern transportation facilities. QUINTANA Roo Area: 9,328 square miles. Location: Quintana Roo is situated at the extreme eastern end of the Peninsula of Yucatán. On the north it is bounded by the Gulf of Mexico, on the east by the Caribbean Sea; on the south by British Honduras, and a small section of Guatemala; on the west by Campeche; on the northeast by Yucatán. Physical Characteristics: The Territory of Quintana Roo, the most sparsely settled region in the Republic, consists for the most part of a low, humid plain, formed chiefly from coral rock with a slight covering of humus. The climate is hot and the rainfall excessive. The soil is not adapted to agriculture, and while there are evidences of petroleum and mineral deposits, these have |