Baviácora is a small town and the municipal seat of the surrounding municipality of the

Mexican state A Mexican State (), officially the Free and Sovereign State (), is a constituent federative entity of Mexico according to the Constitution of Mexico. Currently there are 31 states, each with its own constitution, government, state governor, a ...

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into Municipalities of Sonora, 72 ...

. The geographical coordinates are .

Geography

The municipality is located almost in the center of the state at a distance of 125 kilometers from the state capital,

Hermosillo Hermosillo (), formerly called Pitic (as in ''Santísima Trinidad del Pitic'' and ''Presidio del Pitic''), is a city in the center of the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. It is the municipal seat of the Hermosillo municipality, the state's ...

, in the valley of the Río Sonora. In the north is the municipality of Aconchi, in the south the municipalities of

Ures Ures is a small city and a Municipalities of Sonora, municipality in the List of states of Mexico, Mexican state of Sonora. Population In the year 2000, the total population was 9,553 residents. New figures from 2005 reported 8,420, meaning a co ...

and Villa Pesqueira, in the east the municipality of Cumpas and in the west the municipalities of

and Rayón. See map a

The town is situated at an elevation of 620 meters above sea level.

Climate

The climate is hot and dry. From June to September the average high is 30.1° while from December to January the average minimum is 13.5°C. The annual average temperature is 22.7°

Area and Population

The area of the municipality is 858.96 km². The population in 2005 was 3,404 with (3,724 in 2000) with 1,974 residing in the municipal seat (2000 INEGI).

Education and health care

There are only primary and middle schools. Students need to travel to

for a secondary- school education. There is no hospital. Healthcare is provided by public clinics, which provide only non-specialized care.

Economy

The economy is highly dependent on agriculture and cattle raising. The main crops are corn and beans. Grasses are grown for cattle fodder. The cattle herd numbered over 17,000 head in 2000

There are micro-industries and one assembly plant (maquiladora), which manufactures clothing.

Tourist attractions

The main tourist attraction is the mission church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción de Banácora.

History

In 1639 the Portuguese

Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

missionary Bartolomé Castaños established the mission of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción de Baviácora. The name Baviácora is a transliteration of the Opata word "babícori," the mint that grows along the Río Sonora. Before this, in 1639, the Opata had been conquered by the Spanish general Pedro de Perea. Baviácora became a municipality in 1931.

Sources consulted

Enciclopedia de los Municipios de MexicoINEGI

External links

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

English. Translated from the official Internet site of the state of Sonora, Mexico. {{DEFAULTSORT:Baviacora Missions in Sonora Jesuit history in North America