Bavispe is a small town and a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the northeast part of the Mexican state of Sonora.

Location

The municipality is located in the northeast of the state at . The elevation of the administrative seat is 902 meters above sea level. It has boundaries with the following municipalities: in the north with

Agua Prieta Agua Prieta (English: ''Dark Water'', Opata: ''Bachicuy'') is a town in Agua Prieta Municipality in the northeastern corner of the Mexican state of Sonora. It stands on the Mexico–U.S. border, adjacent to the town of Douglas, Arizona. The mu ...

, in the south with

Bacerac Bacerac is a town in Bacerac Municipality in the Mexican state of Sonora. It is situated in the northeast of the state and the municipality has boundaries with Bavispe Municipality in the north, with Huachinera in the south, with the state of Chih ...

, in the west with Nacozari and in the east with the state of Chihuahua.

Area and population

The area of the municipality is 2,475.82 km²., which makes up 1.34% of the state total. The municipal population in 2005 was 1,263, a drop from the 1,377 recorded in 2000. The municipal seat had a population of 715 in 2000.

Origin of the name

The land now occupied by the municipality was once inhabited by the Opata tribe, from which came the name. Bavispe is derived from the word "Bavipa", which means "place where the river changes direction".

History

Bavispe was founded in 1645, by the Jesuit missionary

Cristóbal García Cristóbal or Cristobal, the Spanish version of Christopher, is a masculine given name and a surname which may refer to: Given name *Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895–1972), Spanish fashion designer * Cristóbal Cobo (born 1976), Chilean academic * ...

and called San Miguel de Bavispe. The town was later a military fort with the name of Compañía de Opatas de Bavispe. On May 2, 1887, a strong earthquake, felt as far north as Central Arizona, reduced the church of San Miguel de Bavispe to a crumbled wreck and left every home in the village uninhabitable. A new modern church was built on the same site. It acquired municipal status in 1931.

Climate

Most of the area is mountainous, since it lies on the west side of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Due to the elevation the average annual temperature is 20.8°C.

Rivers

The only river of any importance is the

Rio Bavispe The Rio Bavispe or Bavispe River is a river in Mexico which flows briefly north then mainly south by southwest until it joins with the Aros River to become the Yaqui River, eventually joining the Gulf of California. History Historically, the Rio ...

, which begins in Chihuahua and crosses the region from north to south.

Economic activity

The population is highly dependent on agriculture and cattle raising. Grasses are grown as cattle fodder. Beans and corn are also grown for subsistence. The cattle herd is sizable with over 11,000 head counted in 2000.

Attractions

Part of Los Ajos-Bavispe National Forest Reserve is adjacent. This is one of Mexico's oldest protected areas, created almost 70 years ago. The reserve was created to preserve eight mountain tops, or "sky islands," and to protect the watersheds of three important Sonoran rivers: the

Rio Sonora Río Sonora (''Sonora River'') is a 402-kilometer-long river of Mexico. It lies on the Pacific slope of the Mexican state of Sonora and it runs into the Gulf of California. Watershed The Sonora River watershed covers of public land. Slopes range ...

, the

Bavispe River The Rio Bavispe or Bavispe River is a river in Mexico which flows briefly north then mainly south by southwest until it joins with the Aros River to become the Yaqui River, eventually joining the Gulf of California. History Historically, the Rio ...

(which is tributary to the

Yaqui River The Yaqui River (Río Yaqui in Spanish) (Hiak Vatwe in the Yaqui or Yoreme language) is a river in the state of Sonora in northwestern Mexico. It was formerly known as the Rio del Norte. Being the largest river system in the state of Sonora, th ...

), and the San Pedro River.Los Ajos-Bavispe reserve
/ref>

References

Sources consulted

Enciclopedia de los Municipios de MexicoINEGI
National Institute of Statistic

External links

Bavispe, Ayuntamiento Digital
''(Official Website of Bavispe, Sonora)''

{{Sonora Populated places in Sonora