Santiago de Ixcuintla is a municipality and a municipal seat in the western

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

state of

Nayarit Nayarit (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Nayarit ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit), is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its ...

. The municipal population was 84,314 inhabitants (census of 2000) with the municipal seat having 18,269. The area of the municipality was 1,831.92 square kilometers. It is located at 21º48'40" N and 105º12'23" W. The most important population centers are the municipal seat, Santiago Ixcuintla, with 18,169 inhabitants; Villa Hidalgo with 11,175, La Presa with 3,932, Yago with 3,919, Pozo de Ibarra with 3,342 and Villa Juárez with 3,158. Forty-six percent of the population lives in these communities. Much of the land is only slightly above sea level. Lagoons make up the western section where two important rivers, the

Río Grande de Santiago The Río Grande de Santiago, or Santiago River, is a river in western Mexico. It flows westwards from Lake Chapala via Ocotlán through the states of Jalisco and Nayarit to empty into the Pacific Ocean. It one of the longest rivers in Mexico ...

and the

Río San Pedro Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for " river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, ...

, enter the sea. In the east, the land gradually rises to form the foothills of the

Sierra Madre Occidental The Sierra Madre Occidental is a major mountain range system of the North American Cordillera, that runs northwest–southeast through northwestern and western Mexico, and along the Gulf of California. The Sierra Madre is part of the American ...

. The municipal seat of Santiago is situated at approximately 30 meters above sea level. The economy is based on agriculture and small manufacturing industries. The main crops are tobacco, citrus fruits, beans, watermelon, chile, mangoes, bananas, and coffee. Santiago is one of the most important tobacco-producing regions of the country. Fishing along the coast and in the many lagoons is also important. On July 11, 1991, a sounding rocket was launched at Santiago Ixcuintla for solar research during a solar eclipse. There is an unexploited touristic potential in the area due to the vast inland waters making up the Marismas Nacionales. This protected area consists of a vast network of brackish coastal lagoons, mangrove swamps, mudflats, and marshes. It is fed by the Río Acaponeta and tributary streams, including the delta of the Río San Pedro. On one of the lagoons lies the island village of Mexcaltitlán, accessible only by small boat.

Mural Nuestras Raíces

One attraction that stands out in the sight of all those who visit the community is the Nuestras Raices Mural. Nuestras Raíses which translates to "Our roots" was made between 1991 and 1993 using the Mexican mosaic technique, resulting in a beautiful work of art that highlights the wonders of the culture. The mural measures 1100 meters square and is said to represent the origins of

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

as stated by the history of the Island of Mexcaltitán. This mythic history also states that Santiago is the mythical city of

Aztlán Aztlán (from nah, Astlan, ) is the ancestral home of the Aztec peoples. '' Astekah'' is the Nahuatl word for "people from Aztlan". Aztlan is mentioned in several ethnohistorical sources dating from the colonial period, and while they each cite ...

References

{{Nayarit Populated places in Nayarit Municipalities of Nayarit