Jala, Nayarit
Encyclopedia
Jala is both a municipality
and a town in the Mexican
state of Nayarit
. The population of the municipality was 16,071 in 2005, in a total area of 364.60 square kilometers. The population of the municipal seat of the same name was 9,631.
The name Jala—place where there is a lot of sand—is derived from the Nahuatl
word “Xali”, which means "sand", and the variant "Tla", which means "place with an abundance of ".
The municipality of Jala is located in the southern part of the state of Nayarit
; between parallels 21° 5’ and 21° 20’ latitude north and meridians 104° 18’ and 104° 31’ longitude west. It is bounded in the north by the municipalities of Santa María del Oro
and La Yesca
; in the south by the municipalities of Ahuacatlán
and Ixtlán del Río
; in the east with Ixtlán del Río
and in the west with Santa María del Oro
.
The Rio Grande de Santiago
passes in the north of the municipality.
The economy is based on agriculture with the main crops being corn (maize
), sorghum
, peanuts
, sugarcane
, and fruit trees. There is also cattle and swine raising. There are sugarcane mills, sawmills, brickworks, furniture factories, a packing plant for peaches, and several small transformation industries.
Ceboruco last erupted from 1870 until 1872 to produce a large flank flow of andesite. According to researchers, in prehistoric times Ceborucco had at least 2 very large eruptions that produced 2 concentric calderas. Ceborucco rises about 1000 m above its base and has a summit elevation of 2164 m. The original volcano was mostly made up of thin andesite lava flows and pyroclastic layers. Since the calderas formed, however, the flows have tended to be thick. See photos at http://community.webshots.com/album/66264280UTcbUW.
There is also an excuvation area of an archeological site of a temple and burial grounds thought to date to 700 AD, nearby. The only round-based pyramid found.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
and a town in 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 Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
. The population of the municipality was 16,071 in 2005, in a total area of 364.60 square kilometers. The population of the municipal seat of the same name was 9,631.
The name Jala—place where there is a lot of sand—is derived from the Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
word “Xali”, which means "sand", and the variant "Tla", which means "place with an abundance of ".
The municipality of Jala is located in the southern part of the state of Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
; between parallels 21° 5’ and 21° 20’ latitude north and meridians 104° 18’ and 104° 31’ longitude west. It is bounded in the north by the municipalities of Santa María del Oro
Santa María del Oro, Nayarit
Santa María del Oro is a municipality and municipal seat in the Mexican state of Nayarit. It is located in the south of the state and has boundaries with the municipalities of El Nayar, Tepic, Ahuacatlán, Jala, San Pedro Lagunillas, La Yesca, and Xalisco. The population was 21,688 in 2005, with...
and La Yesca
La Yesca
La Yesca is a municipality and the municipal seat of the same in the Mexican state of Nayarit. The population of the municipality was 12,025 in a total area of 2,218.5 km². The population of the town and municipal seat was 356 inhabitants in 2005...
; in the south by the municipalities of Ahuacatlán
Ahuacatlán, Nayarit
Ahuacatlán is both a municipality and a municipal seat in the Mexican state of Nayarit. It is located in the southeastern part of the state and has boundaries with the following municipalities: in the north with San Pedro Lagunillas, Santa María del Oro and Jala; in the south with the state of...
and Ixtlán del Río
Ixtlán del Río
Ixtlán del Río is both a municipality and municipal seat in the Mexican state of Nayarit. In 1995 the population of the municipality was 26,137 and the total area was 581.4 km²....
; in the east with Ixtlán del Río
Ixtlán del Río
Ixtlán del Río is both a municipality and municipal seat in the Mexican state of Nayarit. In 1995 the population of the municipality was 26,137 and the total area was 581.4 km²....
and in the west with Santa María del Oro
Santa María del Oro, Nayarit
Santa María del Oro is a municipality and municipal seat in the Mexican state of Nayarit. It is located in the south of the state and has boundaries with the municipalities of El Nayar, Tepic, Ahuacatlán, Jala, San Pedro Lagunillas, La Yesca, and Xalisco. The population was 21,688 in 2005, with...
.
The Rio Grande de Santiago
Río Grande de Santiago
The Río Grande de Santiago is one of the longest rivers in Mexico, measuring up long. The river begins at Lake Chapala and continues roughly north-west through the Sierra Madre Occidental, receiving the Verde, Juchipila, Bolaños, and other tributaries...
passes in the north of the municipality.
The economy is based on agriculture with the main crops being corn (maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
), sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
, peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
, sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, and fruit trees. There is also cattle and swine raising. There are sugarcane mills, sawmills, brickworks, furniture factories, a packing plant for peaches, and several small transformation industries.
Tourist sites
The main site of touristic interest is the volcano of Ceboruco. It is reached by an 18 km. stone-covered road from the main highway. The crater is a 3 km. walk up a path from the end of the road.Ceboruco last erupted from 1870 until 1872 to produce a large flank flow of andesite. According to researchers, in prehistoric times Ceborucco had at least 2 very large eruptions that produced 2 concentric calderas. Ceborucco rises about 1000 m above its base and has a summit elevation of 2164 m. The original volcano was mostly made up of thin andesite lava flows and pyroclastic layers. Since the calderas formed, however, the flows have tended to be thick. See photos at http://community.webshots.com/album/66264280UTcbUW.
There is also an excuvation area of an archeological site of a temple and burial grounds thought to date to 700 AD, nearby. The only round-based pyramid found.