Baja California Sur

Mexican State

Area: 71,627sq.km/27,650sq.mi

Population: 2,112,100

How to get there

By air from Mexico City and other Mexican airports to Tijuana, La Paz, Mexicali and Los Cabos; by ferry see Practical Information, Ferries; by rail Mexico City to Mexicali (journey time approximately 60 hours); by bus from Mexico City (about 44 hours). From the USA by air, coach (Greyhound) and car.

Geography

The 1250km/776mi-long, 90km/50.5mi-wide Baja California (Lower California) peninsula, comprising two States, is bounded to the north by California USA, to the west by the Pacific Ocean and to the east by the Gulf of California, the border between Baja California Norte and Baja California Sur being the 28th parallel. The peninsula is a hot, arid region with mountain ranges and a deeply indented coastline. The principal mountain chain, the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, runs north-south, reaching 3080 m (10,108 ft) at its highest point, the Cerro de la Encantada. The Río Colorado, flowing into the north-west corner of the Gulf of California, divides Baja California Norte from Sonora State. Completion of the Carretera Transpeninsular in 1974 opened up Baja California by providing a direct road link between the north and the south. As a result, with the exception of a few mission stations, little that could be called typically Mexican now survives. Proximity to the USA, and the consequent influx of North American tourists, has meant that the towns and villages in particular have become largely Americanised. The attraction for the tourist lies more in the desert flora (cacti), the impressive silhouettes of the bare, mountainous regions, and the seemingly endless coastline with its alternating sandy beaches, rocks and lagoons. One or two crowded tourist centres apart, Baja California comprises a generally barren and empty landscape.

The indigenous Indians, the Cucapá, Kiliwa, Paipai, Cochimí and Ki-nai, are today reduced in number to no more than 1000.

Baja California has an extremely varied wildlife. Puma, coyote, fox, red deer, hare, wild duck, wild geese and many varieties of sea bird inhabit the peninsula, while grey whales (whale-watching in the bay of San Ignacio December to February), sealions, seals, swordfish, dolphins, barracuda and tuna flourish in the waters around the coast.

History

There is little of archaeological interest in Baja California apart from a few rock paintings such as those at San Borjita, San Ignacio and Calimalí. One or two archaeological finds have also been made in caves in Caguama, Metate Comondú and on the Isla de Cedros.

Archaeologists have found traces of pre-Columbian settlements dating back to about 7500 bc. Almost nothing is known however about the relatively unsophisticated culture of the early Indian tribes who lived on the peninsula.

In 1535 Hernán Cortés landed in the vicinity of La Paz, searching for the Amazon paradise of legend, ruled by the black queen Calafia. The Spaniards who followed after him met with strong resistance from the Indians and were unable to gain a foothold. Disillusioned, they christened the area "California" after the queen they had failed to find. It was only later, with the arrival in 1697 of the Jesuit missionaries Francisco Eusebio Kino, Juan María de Salvatierra and Juan de Ugarte, that a part of the region was successfully colonised. After the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767, Franciscan friars assumed the missionary role before they in turn were replaced by the Dominicans. In 1804 Lower California was separated from California. In 1847-48, while at war with the USA, the peninsula was occupied by American troops. The division of the region into northern and southern territories took place in 1931. Baja California Norte and Baja California Sur became fully-fledged states in 1952 and 1974 respectively. Baja California Norte was also the first state to elect a member of the PAN opposition party as its governor (1988).

Economy

In addition to a sizeable tourist industry, which in recent years has expanded considerably the cultivation of fruit, cotton, maize, wheat, alfalfa and vegetables figures large in the economy of those areas with artificial irrigation. Important industries include the processing of agrarian and fish products, as well as gold, copper, iron, silver and salt mining. Although fishing is capable of providing a good source of income, Mexico presently lacks both a sufficiently large fleet and the facilities for processing the catch.

Tijuana apart, Tecate, Mexicalí and San Felipe, are among the more interesting places to visit in Baja California Norte.