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Durango
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 Capital:
Durango
State Population:
1,430,964
Description:
Durango
is the fourth largest state in Mexico. The name Durango is
Basque in origin and means “Fertile lowland bathed by
rivers surrounded by elevations or mountains.” This
describes the topography of this state quite well. The western
half of the state is dominated by the Sierra Madre Occidental
mountain range. Eastern Durango is mostly semiarid plains.
The northeastern corner of the state that borders the state
of Coahuila is an area known as the Laguna District. This
fertile region is made up of vast desert basins irrigated
by the Nazas River.
The state of Durango was first colonized in 1562 by Francisco
de Ibarra. Early European settlers met strong resistance from
the native populations, but the wealth of mineral resources
and grazing lands continued to attract colonists. The region
which is made up of modern-day Durango and the state of Chihuahua
was known as Nueva Viscaya, with the city of Durango acting
as the capital for this colonial province.
Durango is a leading producer of ferrous metals such as iron,
copper, silver and gold. The mountains of this state are extremely
rich in minerals. Lumbering, ranching and farming are other
occupations for the majority of residents in Durango. Cotton
is the chief crop in the Nazas Valley, with wheat, sugarcane,
tobacco, corn and other vegetables grown there as well.
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