Durango

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Durango is one of the constituent states of Mexico. Its population of the 2005 census was approximately 1,509,117 people. It has Mexico's second-lowest population density (after Baja California). The city of Durango is the state's capital. Most of the state is heavily mountainous and a good part forested, the Sierra Madre Occidental occupies the western and central part of the state. This mountain range contains a good supply of minerals, including the silver that encouraged Spanish occupation of the territory after it was discovered. These mines extend north into Chihuahua and south into the state of Zacatecas. Vast desert basins in the Laguna District are irrigated by the Nazas River. Major crops grown in the area include cotton, wheat, corn, alfalfa, beans, sorghum and other vegetables.

Durango is famous for its scorpions. Mexicans generally refer to the people of Durango as Alacrán de Durango (A scorpion from Durango). The demonym for the natives of Durango is Duranguenses.

The major occupations in Durango are farming, lumbering and ranching.

Francisco de Ibarra, the first to colonize Durango, settled this part of the vast northern province of Nueva Vizcaya in 1563, when he founded the capital city and named it Durango for his native town Durango, Biscay, Spain. The foundation was just one in his larger program of initiating settlements throughout the province. This was a late colonization for the Spanish, due mostly to heavy resistance by the indigenous population. From first contact to modern times, the indigenous peoples have attempted to gain some autonomy, address grievances, and maintain traditional land ownership.

Spanish colonists became highly attracted to the Durango area for its mining and grazing prospects. In 1823, shortly after [[Mexican War of Independence|the Mexican revolutionary]**victory over Spain, Durango earned the right to become a separate state.

**(If I am not mistaking, this should say Mexican Independence, because the Mexican Revolution actually did not happen until the year of 1910.)

Municipalities

Durango is divided into 39 municipalities (municipios). See municipalities of Durango.

Major communities

• Durango (Victoria de Durango)
• El Salto
• Gómez Palacio
• Lerdo (Ciudad Lerdo)
• Santiago Papasquiaro
• Tepehuanes
• Santa María del Oro
• Guanaceví

References in Popular Culture

• Bob Dylan co-wrote a song called "Romance in Durango" with Jacques Levy for his 1976 album, Desire (album).
• In Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, the sports car driven by Alexander deLarge and his droogies is called a "Durango 95"
• Punk rock band The Ramones often opened their live act with a song called "Durango 95".
• Actor John Candy suffered a fatal heart attack in Durango, while filming his final motion picture Wagons East.
• In the book The House of the Scorpion, Mateo Alacran (referred to as "El Patrón"), a drug lord, was born in Durango, as was Celia. The last name he adapted, "Alacran," is a reference to the term Alacran de Durango.
• The live-action film Dragonball by James Wong will be filmed in this state.

The 1948 film The Treasure of Sierra Madre, starring Humphrey Bogart, is set in the state of Durango.

Famous Duranguenses

• Francisco "Pancho" Villa
• Patty Gurrola Medina del Arenal!
• Ramon Aguirre Salgado
• Dolores Del Rio
• Fanny Anitua
• Ricardo Castro
• Maria de los angeles Mendoza (Martinez)
• Guadalupe Victoria
• Felipe de J. Martinez de la Garza
• Manuel De Jesus Chairez Aguilar

External links

• Durango State Government
• Towns, cities, and postal codes in Durango
• John P. Schmal, "The history of indigenous Durango" detailing the series of revolts
• Music history and Durango small harp
• Night Life at Durango
• Messages, Photographs, Local Towns

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Last updated on Thursday March 13, 2008 at 10:28:30 PDT (GMT -0700)
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