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Baja California


 
 
GeographyBaja California has two sea shores. It borders the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water. ...
 to the west and the Gulf of CaliforniaGulf of California

The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland....
 to the east. Even though the state is not large in area, its geography is very diverse. The Sierra de Baja California (also known as the Peninsular RangesPeninsular Ranges

The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges which stretch 1500 km from southern California in the United States to ...
) runs in the middle of the state with different denominations. The two most important are the Sierra de Juarez and the Sierra de San Pedro MartirSan Pedro Mártir

San Pedro M?rtir may refer to:*Sierra San Pedro M?rtir, a mountain range on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, part of wh...
. These ranges are home to forests similar to those in Southern CaliforniaSan Gabriel Mountains

The San Gabriel Mountains are located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, USA....
. The Picacho del Diablo is the highest peak in the whole peninsula, offering spectacular views of the Gulf of California. Between these mountain ranges, some valleys are suitable for agriculture such as the Valle de Guadalupe and the Valle de Ojos Negros. The mild weather makes this area excellent for the production of citrus fruits and grapes.






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Timeline

1853   Troops of William Walker capture La Paz in Baja California and declare (short-lived) Republic of Lower California






Encyclopedia


Geography

Baja California has two sea shores. It borders the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water. ...
 to the west and the Gulf of CaliforniaGulf of California

The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland....
 to the east. Even though the state is not large in area, its geography is very diverse. The Sierra de Baja California (also known as the Peninsular RangesPeninsular Ranges

The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges which stretch 1500 km from southern California in the United States to ...
) runs in the middle of the state with different denominations. The two most important are the Sierra de Juarez and the Sierra de San Pedro MartirSan Pedro Mártir

San Pedro M?rtir may refer to:*Sierra San Pedro M?rtir, a mountain range on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, part of wh...
. These ranges are home to forests similar to those in Southern CaliforniaSan Gabriel Mountains

The San Gabriel Mountains are located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, USA....
. The Picacho del Diablo is the highest peak in the whole peninsula, offering spectacular views of the Gulf of California. Between these mountain ranges, some valleys are suitable for agriculture such as the Valle de Guadalupe and the Valle de Ojos Negros. The mild weather makes this area excellent for the production of citrus fruits and grapes. This area is also rich in minerals. The mountain range gets closer to the Gulf of California towards the south of the state and the western slope becomes wider, forming the Llanos del Berrendo in the border with Baja California Sur.

The cool winds from the Pacific Ocean and the cold California CurrentCalifornia Current

The California Current is a Pacific Ocean current that moves south along the western coast of North America, beginning off s...
 make the weather along the northwestern coast pleasant year round. The coastal cities of Playas de Rosarito and Ensenada have the one of the nicest weather patterns in the whole Mexico. But due to the California current, rains from the north barely reach the peninsula and this makes the weather drier towards the south. South of El Rosario river, the area becomes a desert. This desert, however, is rich in succulents such as the Cardon, Boojum tree, Ocotillo and others. These plants can flourish in part due to the coastal fog. Driving along MX-1Mexican Federal Highway 1

Mexican Federal Highway ' No....
 provides a good view of this area.

There are numerous islands on the Pacific shore. Guadalupe IslandFacts About Guadalupe Island

Guadalupe Island, or Isla Guadalupe, is a volcanic island located 241 kilometers off the west coast of Mexico's Ba...
 is the remote outpost to the west and it is home to big colonies of sea lions. In Cedros IslandCedros Island

Cedros Island lies in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of the Mexican state of Baja California....
 there is a small community living mostly on fishing. The Todos Santos Islands, in front of Ensenada, are popular with surfers offering some of the highest waves worldwide.

To the east, the Sonoran DesertSonoran Desert

The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the U.S.-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U...
 enters the state from both California and Sonora. Some of the highest temperatures in Mexico are recorded in or nearby the Mexicali Valley in the northeast. However, with irrigation from the Colorado river, this area has become truly an agricultural centerMexicali

Mexicali is the capital of the state of Baja California, Mexico as well as the capital of the municipality of Mexicali....
. The Cerro Prieto geothermical province is nearby Mexicali, producing about 80% of the electricity consumed in the state and enough more to export to California. The Laguna Salada, a saline lake lying between the rugged Sierra de Juarez and the Sierra de los Cucapah, is also in the vicinity of Mexicali. The highest mountain in the range is the Cerro del Centinela or Mount Signal.

The state is also blessed with numerous beaches on its east coast. Fishing and touristic towns such as San FelipeSan Felipe, Baja California

San Felipe in the Mexican state of Baja California is located 190 km south of the international border at Mexicali....
 and Bahia de Los AngelesBahía de los Ángeles

The Baha de los ngeles is a bay located along the east side of the Baja California Peninsula, in the state of Baja Californi...
 are a major attraction for people in search of adventure, nice beaches and fresh fish. The area south of San Felipe is basically undeveloped and pristine beaches can be found in many bays.

The main source of water in the state are the Colorado RiverColorado River

The Colorado River is a river in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 mi long, draini...
, which emptiesColorado River Delta

The Colorado River Delta is the region of land where the Colorado River historically flowed into the Gulf of California,....
 in the Gulf of California, and the Tijuana RiverTijuana River Summary

The Tijuana River is an intermittent river, 120 mi long, on the Pacific coast of northern Baja California in Mexico and sou...
, serving the cities of Mexicali and Tijuana. The rest of the state depends mostly on wells and a few dams.

History

The first humans came to the peninsula at least 11,000 years ago, probably following the Pacific coast down from AlaskaAlaska

Alaska is a U.S. state, located on the northwest tier of North America....
. At the time of European contact, two main native groups were present on the peninsula. In the south were the CochimíCochimi

The Cochimí were the aboriginal inhabitants of the central part of the Baja California peninsula, from El Rosario in ...
. In the north were several groups belonging to the Yuman linguistic family, including the KiliwaKiliwa

The Kiliwa are an aboriginal people of northern Baja California, Mexico....
, PaipaiPaipai

The Paipai are an aboriginal people of northern Baja California, Mexico....
, KumeyaayKumeyaay

The Kumeyaay, also known as the Diegueo and sometimes confused with the Luiseo, are a Native American people of the...
, CocopaCocopa

Cocopa is a Native American tribe that emigated from Baja California, Mexico, and settled on the lower reaches of the Colora...
, and QuechanQuechan

The Quechan are a Native American tribe who live on the Fort Yuma Reservation on the lower Colorado River in Arizona just n...
. These peoples were diverse in their adaptations to the region. The Cochimí of the peninsula's Central Desert were generalized hunter-gatherers who moved frequently; however, the Cochimí on Cedros IslandCedros Island Summary

Cedros Island lies in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of the Mexican state of Baja California....
 off the west coast had developed a strongly maritime economy. The Kiliwa, Paipai, and Kumeyaay in the better-watered northwest were also hunter-gatherers, but that region supported denser populations and more sedentary lifeways. The Cocopa and Quechan of northeastern Baja California practiced agriculture in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River.

Europeans reached the present state of Baja California in 1539, when Francisco de UlloaFrancisco de Ulloa

Francisco de Ulloa was a Spanish explorer who explored the west coast of present-day Mexico under the commission of Hernn Co...
 reconnoitered its east coast on the Gulf of CaliforniaGulf of California

The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland....
 and explored the peninsula's west coast at least as far north as Cedros Island. Hernando de Alarcón returned to the east coast and ascended the lower Colorado River in 1540, and Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo completed the reconnaissance of the west coast in 1542. Sebastián Vizcaíno again surveyed the west coast in 1602, but outside visitors during the following century were few.

The JesuitsSociety of Jesus

The Society of Jesus is a Christian religious order of the Catholic Church in direct service to the Pope....
 founded a permanent mission colony on the peninsula at LoretoLoreto, Baja California Sur

Loreto was the first Spanish town on the Baja California Peninsula....
 in 1697. During the following decades, they gradually extended their sway throughout the present state of Baja California Sur. In 1751-1753, the Croatian Jesuit mission-explorer Ferdinand KonšcakFerdinand Konšcak

Ferdinand Koncak was a missionary, explorer, and cartographer....
 made overland explorations northward into the state of Baja California. Jesuit missions were subsequently established among the Cochimí at Santa Gertrudis (1752), San Borja (1762), and Santa María (1767).

After the expulsion of the JesuitsSuppression of the Jesuits

The Suppression of the Jesuits in Portugal, France, the Two Sicilies, Parma and the Spanish Empire by 1767 was a result of a...
 in 1768, the short-lived FranciscanFranciscan

The term Franciscan is used to refer to the Roman Catholic orders which follow the monastic rule of St....
 administration (1768-1773) resulted in one new mission at San Fernando Velicatá. More importantly, the 1769 expedition to settle Alta CaliforniaCalifornia

California is a state spanning the southern half of the west coast of the contiguous United States....
 under Gaspar de Portolà and Junípero Serra resulted in the first overland exploration of the northwestern portion of the state.

The DominicansDominican Order

The Order of Preachers , more commonly known as the Dominican Order, or Dominicans is a Catholic religious order...
 took over management of the Baja California missions from the Franciscans in 1773. They established a chain of new missions among the northern Cochimí and western Yumans, first on the coast and subsequently inland, extending from El Rosario (1774) to Descanso (1817), just south of Tijuana.

Nineteenth and twentieth centuries

  • 1804: The Spanish colony of California is divided into Alta ("upper") and Baja ("lower") California at the line separating the FranciscanFranciscan

    The term Franciscan is used to refer to the Roman Catholic orders which follow the monastic rule of St....
     missions in the north from the DominicanDominican Order

    The Order of Preachers , more commonly known as the Dominican Order, or Dominicans is a Catholic religious order...
     missions in the south.

The colonial governors were:
  • 1804 - 1805 José Joaquín de Arillaga (s.a.)
  • 1806 - 1814 Felipe de Goycoechea
  • 1814 - 11 April 1822 José Darío ArgüelloJosé Darío Argüello

    Jos? Dar?o Arg?ello was a Spanish soldier and California pioneer, born in Santiago de Quer?taro, New Spain ....



  • 1848: Alta CaliforniaAlta California Summary

    Alta California was formed in 1804 when the province of California, then a part of the Spanish colony of New Spain, was div...
     is annexed by the United States.
  • 1853: Soldier of fortune William WalkerWilliam Walker (soldier)

    William Walker was a U.S. physician, lawyer, journalist, adventurer, and soldier of fortune who attempted to conquer several...
     captures La PazFacts About La Paz, Baja California Sur

    La Paz is the capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico, and an important regional commercial center....
    , declaring himself President of the Republic of Lower California. The Mexican government forces his retreat after several months.
  • 1884: Luis Huller and George H. SissonGeorge H. Sisson

    George H. Sisson was a nineteenth century American entrepeneur....
     obtain a concession covering much of the present state, in return for promises to develop the area.
  • 1905: The Magonista revolutionary movement begins.
  • 1911: Mexicali and Tijuana are captured by the Partido Liberal Mexicano (PLM), but soon surrender to Federal forces.
  • 1930: Baja California is further divided into Northern and Southern territories.
  • 1952: The North Territory of Baja California becomes the 29th state of Mexico, Baja California. The southern portion, below 28°N, remains a federally administered territory.
  • 1974: The South Territory of Baja California becomes the 31st state, Baja California SurFacts About Baja California Sur

    Baja California Sur is one of the 31 States of Mexico, occupying the part of the Baja California Peninsula south of the 28th...
    .
  • 1989: Ernesto Ruffo AppelErnesto Ruffo Appel

    Ernesto Ruffo Appel is an American-born Mexican politician famous for being the first state governor not belonging to the Pa...
     of the PANNational Action Party (Mexico)

    party_name = Partido Accin Nacional PAN|...
     becomes the first non-PRIInstitutional Revolutionary Party

    The Institutional Revolutionary Party...
     governor of Baja California and the first opposition governor of any state since the RevolutionMexican Revolution Overview

    The Mexican Revolution or Mexican Civil War, was a period of political, social and military conflict and turmoil that ...
    .

Demographics

The racial make-up of the state is approximately 40% White/European (not limited to Mexican or/and Spanish descent), 36% Mestizo (Mixed Amerindian and European), 9% east Asian (predominantly Chinese, Korean and Japanese), the remaining 15% is Native American (of Mexican and Central American origins, but includes CherokeeCherokee

The Cherokee, or in the Cherokee language, are a people native to North America, who at the time of European contact in th...
s from the U.S. long settled in Northwest Mexico since the 1850s) and less than 1% Black African.

Historically, the state had sizable east Asian immigration, esp. Mexicali has a large ChineseFacts About Chinese people

The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:...
 community, as well FilipinosFilipinos

Filipinos is the brand name for a series of biscuit snacks made by United Biscuits Iberia under the Artiach brand which are ...
 from the Philippines both under Spanish and later US rule (1898-1946) settled in the state in much of the 19th and 20th centuries, and Tijuana is a major port of entry for east Asians entering the U.S. ever since the first Asian-Americans were present in California.

Also a significant number of middle easterns such as LebaneseLebanese people

The Lebanese people are an Arabic-speaking people originating from the region of Lebanon....
 and ArmeniansArmenians

The Armenians are a nation and an ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and eastern Anatolia....
 settle near the U.S. border, and small waves of Russian settlers in the early 20th century, usually members of the MolokanMolokan

The Molokans are a "Biblically-centered" sectarian religious movement, among Russian peasants , who broke away from the Rus...
 sect of the Russian Orthodox church fled the Russian RevolutionRussian Revolution

Russian Revolution can refer to the following events in the history of Russia:...
 of 1917 when the Soviet Union took power, had established a few villages along the Pacific coast south of Ensenada.

In the past two decades large numbers of migrants from southern Mexican states have arrived to work in agriculture (esp. the Mexicali Valley and nearby Imperial Valley, California, US) and manufacturing. The cities of Tijuana and Mexicali grew as a result of migrants, primarily are those who sought US citizenship and those temporary residents awaiting for their entry to America are called Flotillas, which is Spanish for "to float".

There is also a sizable immigrant community from Central and South America, and from the United States and Canada. An estimated 200,000+ American expatriates live in the state, especially in coastal resort towns such as *RosaritoPlayas de Rosarito (municipality)

Playas de Rosarito is a municipality in the Mexican state of Baja California....
 and San FelipeSan Felipe, Baja California

San Felipe in the Mexican state of Baja California is located 190 km south of the international border at Mexicali....
, known for affordable homes purchased by retirees who continue to hold US citizenship. TijuanaTijuana

Tijuana, is the largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California and the seat of the municipality of Tijuana; the city's...
 also has a large American population (second largest in Mexico next to Mexico City), particularly for its cheaper housing and proximity to San Diego. Most Americans that live in Tijuana work in San Diego, earning higher wages.

Municipalities

Baja California is subdivided into five municipioMunicipio (Mexico)

A municipio is one of the two types of second level municipality in Mexico....
s
. See municipalities of Baja CaliforniaFacts About Municipalities of Baja California

The Mexican state of Baja California is divided into five municipalities :...
.

  • EnsenadaEnsenada (municipality)

    The municipio of Ensenada is the largest in the state of Baja California and the largest in Mexico by area....
  • Mexicali
  • TecateTecate (municipality)

    Tecate is a municipality in the Mexican state of Baja California....
  • Tijuana
  • Playas de RosaritoPlayas de Rosarito (municipality)

    Playas de Rosarito is a municipality in the Mexican state of Baja California....


Education

  • See .

Economy

As of 2005, Baja California’s economy represents 3.3% of Mexico’s total gross domestic productGross domestic product

A region's gross domestic product, or GDP, is one of the several measures of the size of its economy....
 or 21,996 million USD. Baja California's economy has a strong focus on export oriented manufacturing (i.e. maquiladoraMaquiladora

A maquiladora is a factory that imports materials and equipment on a duty-free and tariff-free basis for assembly or manufac...
 / INMEX). As of 2005, 284,255 people are employed in the manufacturing sector. There are a more than 900 companies operating under the federal INMEX or ProsecFacts About Prosec

Prosec is the name of an economic program for Mexican companies to help with importation of raw materials from abroad that a...
 program in Baja California. The average wage for an employee in Baja California is approximately 217 pesos per day.

See also

  • Spanish missions in present–day Baja CaliforniaFacts About Spanish missions in California

    The Spanish Missions in California comprise a series of religious outposts established by Spanish Catholic Dominicans, Jesu...
  • History of the west coast of North AmericaHistory of the west coast of North America

    The west coast of North America consists of the modern American states of California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and ar...
  • Aztec Brewing CompanyAztec Brewing Company

    A one-time regional brewery in Southern California, the Aztec Brewing Company holds the unique distinction of being the only...


Sources

  • (Spanish)


External links