Valle de Chalco
Encyclopedia
Valle de Chalco, officially named Valle de Chalco Solidaridad, is a municipality located in Mexico State, Mexico
, on the eastern outskirts of the metropolitan area of Mexico City
. Formerly part of the municipality of Chalco, it was split off as a separate entity in 1994, during the presidency of Salinas de Gortari
, under his Programa Nacional de Solidaridad (National Solidarity Program). The municipality lies on the old bed of Lake Chalco
, which was substantially drained in the nineteenth century. Technically, the municipal seat is Xico
, after a high point of land that once formed an island, and now remains as a small hill within an otherwise monotonous, urban expanse. "Chalco" refers to the Chalca tribe, whose territory covered the area around the lake, prior to the Spanish Conquest of Mexico.
and his troops.
, much of the drained lake bed formed part of a latifundia
, the Hacienda de Xico. Following the Mexican Revolution
, land ownership was reformed into the ejido system of communal ownership, and was utilized primarily for dairy farming by the communal owners, or ejidatarios. This began to change near the end of the 1970s, as hundreds of homesteaders, generally from Mexico City and adjacent urbanized areas, descended upon the region. Most purchased their homestead plots illegally from ejidatarios. The new settlement grew despite the lack of basic infrastructure, such as potable water, sewers, electricity, public transport, medical services and schools. It was only with the initiation of the Programa Nacional de Solidaridad, in 1988, that the federal government began to install basic services and, ultimately, regularize the tenancy of 77,000 homesteads.
During the decades of the 1980s and 1990s, Valle de Chalco expanded dramatically in population; by 1995 the city had 287,073 residents. Growth has since slowed, as undeveloped land becomes less available; in 2005, there were 332,279 residents. By the 2010 census it had grown to 357,645.
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...
, on the eastern outskirts of the metropolitan area of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. Formerly part of the municipality of Chalco, it was split off as a separate entity in 1994, during the presidency of Salinas de Gortari
Salinas de Gortari
Salinas de Gortari may refer to:*Carlos Salinas de Gortari, former President of Mexico*Raúl Salinas de Gortari, his brother, a notorious businessman...
, under his Programa Nacional de Solidaridad (National Solidarity Program). The municipality lies on the old bed of Lake Chalco
Lake Chalco
Lake Chalco was an endorheic lake formerly located in the Valley of Mexico and was important for human development in central Mexico. The lake was named after the city of Chalco on its eastern shore....
, which was substantially drained in the nineteenth century. Technically, the municipal seat is Xico
Xico, México
Xico is a city in Mexico State, Mexico, located. It serves as the municipal seat of Valle de Chalco Solidaridad municipality, with which it is, for all practical purposes, coterminous. The municipality lies adjacent to the east side of the Federal District and is part of the Mexico City...
, after a high point of land that once formed an island, and now remains as a small hill within an otherwise monotonous, urban expanse. "Chalco" refers to the Chalca tribe, whose territory covered the area around the lake, prior to the Spanish Conquest of Mexico.
PreColumbian History
Archeologists date human settlement around Lake Chalco from about 2400 B.C, but major settlement occurred at approximately 1240 A.C., when the first tribe to call itself Chalca migrated to the region. This tribe was followed by others, ethnically and linguistically diverse, who added the name Chalca to their own. By 1410 the Chalca territory had developed into a loose confederation, divided into four, semi-sovereign domains. In the early 14th century the Mexica tribe of the Aztecs settled in nearby territory and began to build their city of Tenochitlan, now Mexico City. Over time, the Chalcas and Mexicas engaged in a number of ritual wars, known as Xōchiyaoyōtl or Flower Wars. During the Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs, the Chalca allied themselves with Hernán CortesHernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
and his troops.
Modern history
Under the presidency of Porfirio DíazPorfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
, much of the drained lake bed formed part of a latifundia
Latifundia
Latifundia are pieces of property covering very large land areas. The latifundia of Roman history were great landed estates, specializing in agriculture destined for export: grain, olive oil, or wine...
, the Hacienda de Xico. Following the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
, land ownership was reformed into the ejido system of communal ownership, and was utilized primarily for dairy farming by the communal owners, or ejidatarios. This began to change near the end of the 1970s, as hundreds of homesteaders, generally from Mexico City and adjacent urbanized areas, descended upon the region. Most purchased their homestead plots illegally from ejidatarios. The new settlement grew despite the lack of basic infrastructure, such as potable water, sewers, electricity, public transport, medical services and schools. It was only with the initiation of the Programa Nacional de Solidaridad, in 1988, that the federal government began to install basic services and, ultimately, regularize the tenancy of 77,000 homesteads.
During the decades of the 1980s and 1990s, Valle de Chalco expanded dramatically in population; by 1995 the city had 287,073 residents. Growth has since slowed, as undeveloped land becomes less available; in 2005, there were 332,279 residents. By the 2010 census it had grown to 357,645.
Towns and villages
Localities (cities, towns, and villages) are:| Name | 2010 Census Population |
|---|---|
| Xico Xico, México Xico is a city in Mexico State, Mexico, located. It serves as the municipal seat of Valle de Chalco Solidaridad municipality, with which it is, for all practical purposes, coterminous. The municipality lies adjacent to the east side of the Federal District and is part of the Mexico City... |
356,352 |
| Colonia Ampliación (San Miguel Tláhuac) | 742 |
| Santa Cruz | 228 |
| El Triángulo | 203 |
| Comalchica | 109 |
| Ejido Tulyehualco (Tabla Número Nueve) | 8 |
| El Invernadero | 3 |
| Las Bombas | 0 |
| Total Municipality | 357,645 |