Durango
(doo-RAHN-go), state (
47,691 sq mi/123,520 sq km; 1990
pop. 1,349,378), N central Mexico; Victoria de Durango (also
Durango); 24°24'N 105°08'W. Fourth largest state, with 6% of total
land surface of Mexico; 39 municipios. The W half of the state
is dominated by the Sierra Madre Occidental. These mts. contain
deposits of many different minerals; mining activities extend
N into Chihuahua and S into Zacatecas. Highest mt. is Cerro Huehuento
(10,335 ft/3,150 m). At N are basins and
isolated mt. ranges. NE of Victoria de Durango, at Malpais de la
Brena, is large zone covered with many small volcano cones. Elev.
on plain 6,234 ft/1,900 m. Arid to semiarid
climate with greatest rainfall on W slopes of Sierra Madre Occidental,
decreasing to E and N to arid Bolson de Mapimi, the
driest part of state. State is a leading natl. producer of ferrous
metals. The semiarid plains (E) afford good ranching and
livestock raising. Lumbering is also economically important. On the
border of Coahuila is the fertile Laguna district, where vast desert
basin lands are irrigated by water from the Nazas R. Gomez
Palacio is the chief settlement in this region. Cotton, wheat,
sugarcane, tobacco, corn, and vegetables are grown here. Although known
early to the Spanish, Durango was not opened up until 1562, when
Francisco de Ibarra undertook its exploration and colonization. The
early European settlers of Durango and Chihuahua (which were then
called Nueva Viscaya) were strongly resisted by the native pop., but
the mines and grazing lands continued to attract colonists. Durango
became a separate state in 1823, shortly after the Mexican revolution
against Spain.
Capital city or county seat is shown by the symbol
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Victoria de Durango (also
Durango); 24°24'N 105°08'W. Fourth largest state, with 6% of total
land surface of Mexico; 39 municipios. The W half of the state
is dominated by the Sierra Madre Occidental. These mts. contain
deposits of many different minerals; mining activities extend
N into Chihuahua and S into Zacatecas. Highest mt. is Cerro Huehuento
(10,335 ft/3,150 m). At N are basins and
isolated mt. ranges. NE of Victoria de Durango, at Malpais de la
Brena, is large zone covered with many small volcano cones. Elev.
on plain 6,234 ft/1,900 m. Arid to semiarid
climate with greatest rainfall on W slopes of Sierra Madre Occidental,
decreasing to E and N to arid Bolson de Mapimi, the
driest part of state. State is a leading natl. producer of ferrous
metals. The semiarid plains (E) afford good ranching and
livestock raising. Lumbering is also economically important. On the
border of Coahuila is the fertile Laguna district, where vast desert
basin lands are irrigated by water from the Nazas R. Gomez
Palacio is the chief settlement in this region. Cotton, wheat,
sugarcane, tobacco, corn, and vegetables are grown here. Although known
early to the Spanish, Durango was not opened up until 1562, when
Francisco de Ibarra undertook its exploration and colonization. The
early European settlers of Durango and Chihuahua (which were then
called Nueva Viscaya) were strongly resisted by the native pop., but
the mines and grazing lands continued to attract colonists. Durango
became a separate state in 1823, shortly after the Mexican revolution
against Spain.
