Bavispe
Encyclopedia
Bavispe is a small town and a municipality
in the northeast part of the Mexican
state of Sonora
.
, in the south with Bacerac
, in the west with Nacozari and in the east with the state of Chihuahua.
On May 2, 1887, a strong earthquake
, felt as far north as Central Arizona, reduced the church of San Miguel de Bavispe to a crumbled wreck and left every home in the village uninhabitable. A new modern church was built on the same site. It acquired municipal status in 1931.
(which is tributary to the Yaqui River
), and the San Pedro River.
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico, making the average municipality population 45,616...
in the northeast part of the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
state of Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
.
Location
The municipality is located in the northeast of the state at 30°28′N 108°56′W. The elevation of the administrative seat is 902 meters above sea level. It has boundaries with the following municipalities: in the north with Agua PrietaAgua Prieta
Agua Prieta is a pueblo and municipality in the northeastern corner of the Mexican state of Sonora . It stands on the U.S.–Mexico border, adjacent to the town of Douglas, Arizona, USA. The municipality covers an area of 3,631.65 km²...
, in the south with Bacerac
Bacerac
Bacerac is a town in Bacerac Municipality in the Mexican state of Sonora. It is situated in the northeast of the state and the municipality has boundaries with Bavispe Municipality in the north, with Huachinera in the south, with the state of Chihuahua in the east, and with the municipalities of...
, in the west with Nacozari and in the east with the state of Chihuahua.
Area and Population
The area of the municipality is 2,475.82 km2., which makes up 1.34% of the state total. The municipal population in 2005 was 1,263, a drop from the 1,377 recorded in 2000. The municipal seat had a population of 715 in 2000.Origin of the name
The land now occupied by the municipality was once inhabited by the Opata tribe, from which came the name. Bavispe is derived from the word "Bavipa", which means "place where the river changes direction".History
Bavispe was founded in 1645, by the Jesuit missionary Cristóbal García and called San Miguel de Bavispe. The town was later a military fort with the name of Compañía de Opatas de Bavispe.On May 2, 1887, a strong earthquake
1887 Sonora earthquake
The 1887 Sonora earthquake occurred at 22:13 UCT on 3 May in the Teras mountain range of northwestern Mexico. It was widely felt, with some damage being recorded up to 200 km from the epicenter in both Mexico and the United States. The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.6 and caused 42...
, felt as far north as Central Arizona, reduced the church of San Miguel de Bavispe to a crumbled wreck and left every home in the village uninhabitable. A new modern church was built on the same site. It acquired municipal status in 1931.
Climate
Most of the area is mountainous, since it lies on the west side of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Due to the elevation the average annual temperature is 20.8°C.Rivers
The only river of any importance is the Rio Bavispe, which begins in Chihuahua and crosses the region from north to south.Economic Activity
The population is highly dependent on agriculture and cattle raising. Grasses are grown as cattle fodder. Beans and corn are also grown for subsistence. The cattle herd is sizable with over 11,000 head counted in 2000.Attractions
Part of Los Ajos-Bavispe National Forest Reserve is adjacent. This is one of Mexico's oldest protected areas, created almost 70 years ago. The reserve was created to preserve eight mountain tops, or "sky islands," and to protect the watersheds of three important Sonoran rivers: the Rio Sonora, the Bavispe RiverBavispe River
The Rio Bavispe or Bavispe River is a river in Mexico which flows briefly north then mainly south by southwest until it joins with the Aros River to become the Yaqui River, eventually joining the Gulf of California.-History:...
(which is tributary to the Yaqui River
Yaqui River
The Yaqui River is a river in the state of Sonora in northwestern Mexico. Being the largest river system in the state of Sonora, the Yaqui river is used for irrigation....
), and the San Pedro River.
Sources Consulted
- Enciclopedia de los Municipios de Mexico
- INEGI National Institute of Statistics
External links
- Bavispe, Ayuntamiento Digital (Official Website of Bavispe, Sonora)
- The lost churches of Sonora
- Sierra Alta Route