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Chiapas |
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 Capital:
Tuxtla Gutierrez
State Population:
4,225,000
Description:
Chiapas
is the southernmost state of Mexico. It borders the country
of Guatemala to the east and was in fact a part of Guatemala
until the late 1800s.
Chiapas is home to Palenque,
which is one the most unique and impressive Mayan ruins.
The majority of the people in Chiapas are rural farmers. One
third of the population are of Mayan
decent. In some of the rural areas, the people do not even
speak Spanish.
Chiapas was part of the heartland of the Maya civilization
and is home to many spectacular ruins such as Bonampak, Yaxchilan
and Palenque.
The state of Chiapas has a history of civil unrest. Practices
and institutions from the time of Spanish rule remained in
effect long after they had disappeared throughout the rest
of Mexico. Many of the Chiapas natives felt their region was
overlooked by the Mexican government. Such sentiments led
to several uprisings in the past 2 centuries, the most recent
occurring in 1994 led by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
Despite such occurrences, Chiapas offers plenty of wonders
for even the most casual of tourists to explore.
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