Santa María Chilapa de Diaz is a town and

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 ...

Oaxaca Oaxaca ( , also , , from nci, Huāxyacac ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of Mexico. It is ...

in south-western

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. It is part of the

Teposcolula District Teposcolula District is located in the center of the Mixteca Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. Municipalities The district includes the following municipalities: * Chilapa de Diaz * La Trinidad Vista Hermosa * San Andrés Lagunas * San An ...

in the center of the

Mixteca Region The Mixteca Region is a region in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, part of the broader La Mixteca area which covers parts of the states of Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca. The region includes the districts of Juxtlahuaca, Silacayoapam, Huajuapan, Coixtlah ...

. The name Chilapa means "Water from chiles".

Geography

The municipality covers an area of 234.75 km² at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level. The climate is mild, averaging about 17 °C.

Flora and fauna

Trees include oak, pine and pitch pine. Wild fauna include coyotes, snakes, lizards and scorpions.

Demography

As of 2005, the municipality had 484 households with a total population of 1,687 of whom 151 spoke an indigenous language.

Economy

Economic activity includes agriculture (corn, beans and wheat) and some cattle ranching. There is a cooperative that processes sugar cane from the state of

Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...

for rum and brandy. In addition there is a factory making polyethylene products and a third dedicated to manufacture and marketing of raffia.

History

The foundation date of this town is unknown because in the year 1879 it burned down. All the original titles were lost therefore the only data available was preserved by tradition, and it indicates that the town was founded at the banks of the River Chilar. The name of this town comes from the name of a leader named Lorenzo Cortéz y Salazar who owned the land where the town was established. For their courage and devotion to the Mexican revolution cause the following people from Santa María Villa de Chilapa de Díaz are remembered:Marcelino Ortiz Sierra, Gral. Marcelino Ortiz Sierra, Ángel Fernando Ortiz Segura, Delfino Ortiz Segura, Aarón Ortiz Olivera.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Maria Chilapa de Diaz Municipalities of Oaxaca