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Chiapas:
The State
of Chiapas is located in the south tip of Mexico,
bordered by the states of Oaxaca, Veracruz and Tabasco
and the Central American country of Guatemala. The state
is extremely rich in water and other natural resources;
its jungles and highlands are great producers of
valuable hardwoods and are home to an incredible variety
of other flora and fauna as well as some of Mexico's
most fascinating Mayan archaeological sites
It's
cities such as the State capital, Tuxtla Gutierrez, the
gem of San Cristóbal de las Casas, Comitán de
Dominguez and Tapachula, and it´s smaller communities
which include San Juan de Chamula, Las Margaritas and
Huixtla, all possess a rich, historical and ethnic
heritage strongly rooted in the culture of the
indigenous societies of the region.
Tuxtla
Gutierrez was declared the capital of the State of
Chiapas in 1892, when the seat of government was moved
from San Cristóbal de las Casas. At an altitude of 532
meters (1746 ft) above sea level in the the Central
Valley of Chiapas, Tuxla Gutierrez is more of a modern
center whose prime points of interest are the Manuel
Alvarez del Toro Zoo and the nearby and majestic
Sumidero Canyon on the Grijalva River.
San Cristóbal
de las Casas, the former capital of the state, is an
attractive colonial city with narrow, cobbled streets
located in the central valley highlands of Chiapas.
Originally founded in 1528 as Villa Real de Chiapa, It
is a mere 1-1/2 hour drive from the present capital,
Tuxtla Gutierrez, and is in an area surrounded by
indigenous villages and a wealth of crafts,
archaeological treasures and indigenous culture
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