Durango (state)

STATE OF DURANGO Other Mexican States Capital Durango Other major cities Gómez Palacio Lerdo Area 123,181 km² Ranked 4th Population (2000 census) 1,445,900 Ranked 23rd Governor (1998-2004) Ángel Sergio Guerrero Mier (PRI) Federal Deputies (5) PRI = 5 Federal Senators PRI = 2 PAN = 1 ISO 3166-2 Postal abbr. MX-DUR Dgo.

Durango (pronounced dooh RONG goh, SAMPA [du'raNgo]) is a state in Mexico. Its estimated population in 2003 was about 1,450,000 people. The city of Durango is the capital. The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range located in the western portion of the state. This mountain range contains a plentiful supply of mineral deposits. These mines extend north into the Chihuahua and south into the state of Zacatecas.

Among the major occupations for the people in Durango are: farming, lumbering and ranching. Vast desert basins in the Laguna District are irrigated by the Nazas river. Major crops grown in the area include cotton, wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, corn, and other vegetables.

Francisco de Ibarra, the first to colonize Durango, did it in 1562. This was a late colonization for the Spanish, mostly due to heavy resistance by the indigenous population living there. Colonists became highly attracted to the Durango area for its mining and grazing capabilities. In 1823 Durango earned the right to be a separate state. This occured shortly after the Mexican revolutionary victory over Spain.