Sociedad Mexicana de Geografía y Estadística
Encyclopedia
Sociedad Mexicana de Geografía y Estadística (Mexican Society for Geography and Statistics) is a national organization founded on 18 April 1833 to promote the mapping and boundary demarcation of the newly independent Mexican state. It was founded with the help of a number of governmental agencies and through the efforts of Valentín Gómez Farías
. It was the first geographical society in the Americas and the fourth in the world.
From the beginning, the scope of projects was very broad, covering not only the physiography of the territory but also its natural resources and their potential for development. Also included in their study was the nature of the population, its size, age distribution, ethnic and linguistic makeup. One of the first publications was in 1850, the work of geographer Antonio García Cubas, followed by an atlas of the republic, started in 1841 and completed in 1850, but not published for several years due to lack of funds.
Among the achievements of the Society were:
Currently the Society contributes to the research, analysis and understanding of the major problems of Mexico through its 55 specialized academies and local societies involved in the various Mexican states. This includes close ties with Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI), and working with the various Mexican universities as well as with major U.S.
institutions.
Valentín Gómez Farías
Valentín Gómez Farías was several times acting President of Mexico in the 1830s and 1840s.Gomez Farias was one of the more important political figures in early Mexico. The first presidency of Santa Anna from 1833 to 1836 was a temporary victory for the Mexican Liberals...
. It was the first geographical society in the Americas and the fourth in the world.
From the beginning, the scope of projects was very broad, covering not only the physiography of the territory but also its natural resources and their potential for development. Also included in their study was the nature of the population, its size, age distribution, ethnic and linguistic makeup. One of the first publications was in 1850, the work of geographer Antonio García Cubas, followed by an atlas of the republic, started in 1841 and completed in 1850, but not published for several years due to lack of funds.
Among the achievements of the Society were:
- Initiatives within the Mexican government to issue laws providing a process for determining the official names of cities and towns.
- Promoted legislation for the care of forests and conservation of archaeological monuments as a national priority.
- Produced a report on the metric system, which allowed Mexico to be among the first countries in Latin America to adopt it.
- Proposed the laying out of a telegraph system for Mexico City.
- Sponsoring the publication of the Boletín de la Sociedad Mexicana de Geografía y Estadística (Bulletin of the Society) for the dissemination of all the reports and data that the Society accumulated.
Currently the Society contributes to the research, analysis and understanding of the major problems of Mexico through its 55 specialized academies and local societies involved in the various Mexican states. This includes close ties with Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI), and working with the various Mexican universities as well as with major U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
institutions.
Notable presidents
- 1839-1846, 1848-1850, and 1853 Juan Nepomuceno AlmonteJuan AlmonteJuan Nepomuceno Almonte was a 19th century Mexican official, soldier and diplomat. He was a veteran of the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution...
- 1861 Miguel Lerdo de TejadaMiguel Lerdo de TejadaMiguel Lerdo de Tejada was a Mexican statesman, and a leader of the Revolution of Ayutla.Born in the port of Veracruz, Veracruz, both he and his younger brother, Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada, became leaders of Mexico's Liberal Party...
- 1881-1889 Ignacio Manuel AltamiranoIgnacio Manuel AltamiranoIgnacio Manuel Altamirano Basilio was a Mexican writer, journalist, teacher and politician.Altamirano was born in Tixtla, Guerrero, of pure indigenous Nahua heritage. His father was the mayor of Tixtla, this allowed Ignacio to attend school there...
- 1934, 1944, and 1946 Jesús Silva HerzogJesús Silva HerzogJesús Silva Herzog Flores is a Mexican economist and politician affiliated to the Institutional Revolutionary Party...
- 1959 Isidro FabelaIsidro FabelaIsidro Fabela Alfaro was a Mexican judge, politician, professor, writer, publisher, governor of the State of Mexico, and delegate to the now defunct League of Nations...