Durango Attractions

The first Spaniard to penetrate the area is thought to have been the conquistador Ginés Vásquez del Mercado, who arrived in 1551 to search for precious metals. He was followed by a Basque, Francisco de Ibarra, who established the first settlements, among which were Nombre de Dios (1555) and Durango (1563). A state of almost permanent war with the Indians lasted until 1616 when the Tepehuano finally suffered decisive defeat. Even then Indian uprisings were still common right up until the late 19th c. Prior to becoming separate federal states in 1823, Durango and Chihuahua together made up the province of Nueva Vizcaya.

Economy

Durango has great mineral wealth including gold, silver, copper, iron, zinc, sulphur and antimony. In fertile areas watered by rivers or artificially irrigated, agricultural products such as cotton, maize, tobacco, sugar cane and vegetables are grown. Livestock rearing and agricultural processing also play a part in the economy. Tourism is not yet particularly important.