Chiapas

Being the southernmost state of Mexico, Chiapas State is surrounded by Tabasco State to the north, Veracruz State to the northwest, Oaxaca State to the west, the country of Guatemala to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the south; Chiapas is divided in 118 municipalities. The state capital city is Tuxtla Gutiérrez; and other towns are San Cristóbal de las Casas, Comitán, and Tapachula.

The etymology of the name Chiapas could take one of two meanings: the náhualt which is a bird that lives near to the drains, or the chía’s seed that is very greasy and can be used as oil or a nutritious drink.

During 1990’s most people of Chiapas were poor farmers dedicated to the agriculture, and one quarter of them were Maya descent who did not speak Spanish.

Furthermore, the increment of immigrants from Central America and the presence of gangs known as Maras made of this poor state even more poor exposed to human rights violations.

During this time, Chiapas saw the creation of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), a group formed in order to defend all those poor people and to claim for those ejidos, known nowadays as communal lands, which once were took away from the farmers.

In 1994 the Mexican government and the EZLN got to a common agreement; but were in 2003 when the EZLN renew its resistance becoming autonomous many jungle villages of Chiapas, and nowadays, the EZLN declared all Zapatista territory an autonomous government independent of the Mexican State of Chiapas.

Despite of Chiapas weather is varied; generally it has a humid and tropical climate with abundant rainfalls, however, comparing it with the past, it has decreased because the vegetation has been destroyed almost completely; appearing the agriculture and ranching. There is also the temperate and foggy climate in several mountain ranges allowing the development of cloud forests.

The Mexican state of Chiapas is geographically divided in five zones:

1. The Rainforest that includes the Selva Lacandona which is quickly deforested by ladinos landowners, indigenous and mestizo campesinos, who are constantly competing with one another for land; this deforestation drains into the Usumacinta river which would cause many floods.
2. The Central Highlands have been the center of population since the Conquest, because when the Spaniards came, they brought many European epidemics, which were inhibited by the tierra fría climate. This prevention allowed that many indigenous people survive, but they were used as slaves, drafted into debt servitude. Besides, the highlands have been a benefit for the farmers, because it is an energy and petroleum sectors.
3. The Central Valley is cut in the middle by the Río Grande de Chiapas, and in which is contained six of seven, hydroelectric plants of Chiapas. Here, it is also the capital of Tuxtla Gutiérrez with the tierra templada climate.
4. The Sierra Madre de Chiapas extends all over the Pacific Ocean coast, which is extremely volcanic with high peaks, irregular eruptions and earthquakes, and rich lands.
5. The Soconusco is located in the southernmost corner of Chiapas and is characterized by the tierra caliente climate. It is very known for their very rich agricultural products such as cacao and coffee principally, as same as sugar cane, rice, maize, and plantains.

For all these reasons, one of the principal economic activities in Chiapas is the tourism, which is very demanding according to its variety among beaches, mangrove swamps, marshes, canyons, rivers, archaeological sites, natural reserves and attractions, Maya civilizations ruins, colonial cities, and nowadays the direct relationship with different typical cultural groups who still live in this state.