PUEBLA INFORMATION
Puebla is a Mexican state located in the east-central part of the country, to the east of Mexico City. Puebla is located in the Valley of Puebla, surrounded by volcanoes and snow-capped mountains, slightly over 110 kilometres southeast of Mexico City.
The state of Puebla borders the states of Veracruz to the east, Hidalgo, Mexico State, Tlaxcala, and Morelos to the west, and Guerrero and Oaxaca to the south. The state's largest cities are Puebla and Tehuacan, it has 217 municipalities.
The state of Puebla takes its name from the capital city, which was originally La Puebla de los Angeles (Town of the Angels). The formal name is Heróica Puebla de Zaragoza (Heroic Puebla of Zaragoza), after Ignacio Zaragoza who defeated the Imperial French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, which is commemorated as Cinco de Mayo.
Puebla is located at the Valley of Puebla also known as the Valley of Cuetlaxcoapan, a large valley surrounded on four sides by the mountains and volcanoes of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt. It is located 40 kms. east of the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes, giving the residents a magnificent view of their snow-topped peaks. La Malinche dormant volcano is located to the north of the city, and the Pico de Orizaba to the east. Hydrologically, the city is part of the Atoyac river basin; the river runs through northern, eastern and southern portions of the municipality, and connects to the Lake of Valsequillo, where the Manuel Ávila Camacho dam has been built. The climate is moderated by its high altitude of 2,200m (7,000 ft) above sea-level; night temperatures are cool at all times of the year, often requiring additional clothing. The area experiences a dry season in winter and a rainy season from May-October.
In 2003 the estimated population was 5,377,800. It is the 5th most populated state in Mexico. The state of Puebla is divided into seven regions (Huauchinango, Teziutlán, Ciudad Serdán, San Pedro Cholula, Puebla, Izúcar de Matamoros, and Tehuacán), which are in turn subdivided into municipalities (Spanish: municipios), 217 in all.
The state covers an area of about 33,919 square kilometers (13,096.2 sq mi). The terrain is mostly mountainous. In 2003 the estimated population was 5,377,800. It is the 5th most populated state in Mexico. The state of Puebla is divided into seven regions (Huauchinango, Teziutlán, Ciudad Serdán, San Pedro Cholula, Puebla, Izúcar de Matamoros, and Tehuacán), which are in turn subdivided into municipalities (Spanish: municipios), 217 in all. Each municipality is headed by a municipal president (mayor). |
