Compostela, Nayarit
Encyclopedia
Compostela is the name of both a municipality
and the town within that municipality that serves as the seat. They are in the Mexican
state of Nayarit
. The population of the municipality was 62,925 (2005 census) in a total area of 1,848 km² (713.5 sq mi). The population of the town and municipal seat, was 15,991 in 2000.
in Galicia, Spain; tradition says that "Compostela" comes from Latin
campus stellae, "field of stars" (another theory makes it come from composita tella or even compositella).
Compostela is located on the south coast of the state and is bounded in the north by San Blas
and Xalisco
; in the south by Bahía de Banderas
and the state of Jalisco
; in the east by Santa María del Oro
, San Pedro Lagunillas
and the state of Jalisco
; in the west by the Pacific Ocean
.
The largest settlements in the municipality are: Compostela (15,991 inhabitants in 2000), Las Varas
(12,403), La Peñita de Jaltemba
(7,062), Zacualpan
(4,468), and Colonia Paraíso Escondido (2,069).
The climate is tempered by elevation, with rains from July to September. The hottest months are April and May. The average annual rainfall is 968.5 mm. The average annual temperature is 22.9 °C.
The economy is heavily based on agriculture. The main crops are tobacco, corn, beans, coffee, sorghum, and mangoes. There were around 50,000 head of cattle in 1995. There were several small gold and silver mines. In manufacturing the main products were cigars, mango packing, rice shelling, soap factories, cattle feed, furniture, and food and drink.
This is a region that attracts a considerable number of local and foreign visitors due to the natural landscape, beaches, historical sites and the international fishing competitions.
Around Las Varas in the direction of the south there are beaches in the zone called Costa Alegre, among which should be mentioned: Chacala
and Chacalilla, La Peñita de Jaltemba, Rincón de Guayabitos, Los Ayala, El Monteón, Lo de Marcos and Playa Platanitos, as well as the islands in the bay of Rincón de Guayabitos, with a good infrastructure of services.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
and the town within that municipality that serves as the seat. They are in the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
state of Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
. The population of the municipality was 62,925 (2005 census) in a total area of 1,848 km² (713.5 sq mi). The population of the town and municipal seat, was 15,991 in 2000.
Overview
The name was given in honor of Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
in Galicia, Spain; tradition says that "Compostela" comes from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
campus stellae, "field of stars" (another theory makes it come from composita tella or even compositella).
Compostela is located on the south coast of the state and is bounded in the north by San Blas
San Blas, Nayarit
San Blas is both a municipality and municipal seat located on the Pacific coast of Mexico in the state of Nayarit.-City:San Blas is a port and a popular tourist destination, located about 100 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, and 40 miles west of the state capital Tepic. The town has a population of...
and Xalisco
Xalisco
Xalisco is a city and its surrounding municipality of the same in the Mexican state of Nayarit. The city had a population of 21,899 in the 2005 census while the municipality has an area of 290.6 km² and a population of 42,893...
; in the south by Bahía de Banderas
Bahía de Banderas
Bahía de Banderas is both a bay and a municipality in the Mexican state of Nayarit.The bay, site of the tourist destination Puerto Vallarta, is bounded on the north by Punta Mita and on the south by Cape Corrientes...
and the state of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
; in the east by Santa María del Oro
Santa María del Oro, Nayarit
Santa María del Oro is a municipality and municipal seat in the Mexican state of Nayarit. It is located in the south of the state and has boundaries with the municipalities of El Nayar, Tepic, Ahuacatlán, Jala, San Pedro Lagunillas, La Yesca, and Xalisco. The population was 21,688 in 2005, with...
, San Pedro Lagunillas
San Pedro Lagunillas
San Pedro Lagunillas is both a municipality and the municipal seat of the same in the Mexican state of Nayarit. The population of the municipality was 7,155 in a total area of 520 square kilometers...
and the state of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
; in the west by the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
The largest settlements in the municipality are: Compostela (15,991 inhabitants in 2000), Las Varas
Las Varas
Las Varas is located in the state of Nayarit in Mexico, just a few miles from Zacualpan and Compostela. It is near the beaches of Chacala and Guayabitos....
(12,403), La Peñita de Jaltemba
La Peñita de Jaltemba
La Peñita de Jaltemba, Nayarit, Mexico, commonly called La Peñita, is a small beach town on Jaltemba Bay with approximately 20,000 inhabitants. It's located 64 kilometers north of Puerto Vallarta at kilometer 90 on Mexico Highway 200....
(7,062), Zacualpan
Zacualpan, Nayarit
Zacualpan is a small town in the Mexican state of Nayarit,located at . It is bordered by Las Varas and San Izidro. It is a community that has experienced rapid growth due to tourism. The population was 4,468 in 2000....
(4,468), and Colonia Paraíso Escondido (2,069).
The climate is tempered by elevation, with rains from July to September. The hottest months are April and May. The average annual rainfall is 968.5 mm. The average annual temperature is 22.9 °C.
The economy is heavily based on agriculture. The main crops are tobacco, corn, beans, coffee, sorghum, and mangoes. There were around 50,000 head of cattle in 1995. There were several small gold and silver mines. In manufacturing the main products were cigars, mango packing, rice shelling, soap factories, cattle feed, furniture, and food and drink.
This is a region that attracts a considerable number of local and foreign visitors due to the natural landscape, beaches, historical sites and the international fishing competitions.
Around Las Varas in the direction of the south there are beaches in the zone called Costa Alegre, among which should be mentioned: Chacala
Chacala
Chacala is a picturesque beach-town set in small cove on the Pacific coast of Mexico in the State of Nayarit. It is located about north of Puerto Vallarta. The name means "where there are shrimp" in Náhuatl, and is part of the coastline known as the Riviera Nayarita...
and Chacalilla, La Peñita de Jaltemba, Rincón de Guayabitos, Los Ayala, El Monteón, Lo de Marcos and Playa Platanitos, as well as the islands in the bay of Rincón de Guayabitos, with a good infrastructure of services.