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Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas
Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas
Flag of Zacatecas.svg
Coat of arms of Zacatecas.svg
Labor Vincit Omnia
(Work Conquers All)
Anthem: Marcha de Zacatecas
(English: "Zacatecas March")
Zacatecas in Mexico (location map scheme).svg
State of Zacatecas within Mexico
Coordinates: 23°18′N102°42′W﻿ / ﻿23.300°N 102.700°W﻿ / 23.300; -102.700 Coordinates: 23°18′N102°42′W﻿ / ﻿23.300°N 102.700°W﻿ / 23.300; -102.700
Country Mexico
Capital Zacatecas City
Largest City Zacatecas
Municipalities 58
Admission December 23, 1823 [1]
Order 10th
   Governor Alejandro Tello Cristerna PRI Party (Mexico).svg
   Senators [2] María Soledad Luévano Cantú Morena Party (Mexico).svg
José Narro Céspedes Morena Party (Mexico).svg
Claudia Edith Anaya Mota PRI logo (Mexico).svg
   Deputies [3]
  Total75,284 km2 (29,067 sq mi)
  Ranked 8th
Highest elevation
3,200 m (10,500 ft)
 (2015) [6]
  Rank 25th
  Density21/km2 (54/sq mi)
  Density rank 25th
Demonym(s) Zacatecano (a)
Time zone UTC−6 (CST)
  Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Postal codes
98, 99
Area code
ISO 3166 code MX-ZAC
HDI Increase2.svg 0.760 high Ranked 24th
GDP US$ 5,171,913.8 th [a]
Website Official Web Site

Zacatecas (American Spanish:  [sakaˈtekas] ( Loudspeaker.svg listen )), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas (Spanish : Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas), is one of the 32 states of Mexico. It is divided into 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas City.




Geography and environment


Sombreretillo Mountain in the northwest SombrereteMountain03.JPG
Sombreretillo Mountain in the northwest


Stream in the Sierra de Cardos, part of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Arroyo en Sierra de Cardos.jpg




Yucca decipiens in the state Yucca decipiens 3.jpg
Yucca decipiens in the state




Before the arrival of the Spanish, dominant ethnic groups included the Caxcans, Zacatecos, and Guachichils, with a probable rivalry between the Guachichils and the Caxcans. The history of these peoples is sketchy and it is not known when the first settlements were founded in the region. Between the fourth and tenth centuries in the Christian era, several large settlements developed such as Altavista, Chalchihuites and La Quemada, considered to be part of Greater Mesoamerica . [16] [15] Areas in the north of the state, without major settlements, were part of what is called Aridoamerica, where inhabitants lived off hunting and gathering. [12] The first of the major population centers emerged along the Suchil, Graceros and Guadiana Rivers. The archaeological sites of today are all ceremonial centers and/or observatories in the center of metropolises. [12]


Much of the state's colonial history to the present has been related to its mineral production, especially of silver. The first boom was from the Conquest to the mid 17th century. [16] The riches drew settlers from the south, and in 1586, Phillip II gave the city the name of Noble and Loyal City of Nuestra Señora de los Zacatecas. In 1588, he authorized its coat of arms. Most of the state was evangelized by the Franciscans, who founded a hospice in the city in 1558 and by 1567 had built a large monastery. They officially took possession of its religious functions in 1603. Later other orders arrived, founding monasteries; but they did not evangelize the indigenous. [12]


During the Mexican War of Independence, Miguel Hidalgo's troops marched through Zacatecas twice, once when they were attacking royalist troops and later when fleeing them. The war ended in 1821 and Zacatecas formally became a state in 1824, with the city of Zacatecas as its capital. Zacatecas continued to grow. [12] [16]



Zacatecas was again a battleground with the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century. One of the largest and most decisive battles of this conflict took place outside the capital and is called the Toma de Zacatecas (Taking of Zacatecas). This battle pitted the troops of Francisco Villa against those of Victoriano Huerta, resulting in the deaths of 7,000 soldiers and the wounding of 5,000. Civilian casualties were not recorded. [16] [15] The battle led to the naming of the city as a "Ciudad Heroica" (Heroic City). [12]


From 1998 to 2004, the state undertook a major project to expand the highway system. [12]


Huichol woman and child Huichol indian.jpg
Huichol woman and child
Historical population
1895 [18] 456,241    
1900 462,190+1.3%
1910 477,556+3.3%
1921 379,329−20.6%
1930 459,047+21.0%
1940 565,437+23.2%
1950 665,524+17.7%
1960 817,831+22.9%
1970 951,462+16.3%
1980 1,136,830+19.5%
1990 1,276,323+12.3%
1995 1,336,496+4.7%
2000 1,353,610+1.3%
2005 1,367,692+1.0%
2010 1,490,668+9.0%
2015 [19] 1,579,209+5.9%

As of 2010, the state had a population of 1,490,668. Forty-one percent of the population lives in rural areas, with a population density of 18.13 per square kilometer. [12] [20] Fifty-nine percent of the population lives in urban areas such as Fresnillo (pop. 213,139), Guadalupe (159,991), Zacatecas (138,176), Pinos, and Sombrerete. [9] [16] [21] 94% of the population is Roman Catholic. [22] In the year 2008, Zacatecas had the smallest indigenous population percentage-wise in Mexico: 0.3%. Only the state of Aguascalientes has a smaller number of indigenous people. [23] [24] Only four in 1,000 speak an indigenous language, compared to the national average of 60/1000. [9] Indigenous languages spoken in the state include Huichol (1000 speakers), Nahuatl (500), Tepehuan (just under 500) and Tlapanec (about 400). [22]

The population of Zacatecas has more than tripled in a century; in 1900 its population was 462,190. [25] Since 1990, the state's population has grown by at least 1.3% per year. Average life expectancy is slightly above the national average at 74.1 years for men and 78.5 for women. Principal causes of death are heart problems, malignant tumors and diabetes. [26]




See also: Minerals of Zacatecas






Culture, festivals, and traditions

Zacatecan Danza de Matachines Troupe Mexique 07854.JPG
Zacatecan Danza de Matachines






Archeological sites

View of the Salon de las Columnas in La Quemada. La Quemada, Zacatecas.jpg
View of the Salón de las Columnas in La Quemada.




Major communities

Related Research Articles

Zacatecas City City & Municipality in Zacatecas, Mexico

Zacatecas is a city and municipality in Mexico, and the capital and largest city of the state of Zacatecas. Located in north-central Mexico, the city had its start as a Spanish mining camp in the mid-16th century. Native Americans had already known about the area's rich deposits of silver and other minerals. Due to the wealth that the mines provided, Zacatecas quickly became one of the most important cities in New Spain, with much of its silver enriching the Spanish crown. The area saw battles during the turbulent 19th century, but the next major event was the Battle of Zacatecas during the Mexican Revolution when Francisco Villa captured the town, an event still celebrated every anniversary. Today, the colonial part of the city is a World Heritage Site, due to the Baroque and other structures built during its mining days. Mining still remains an important industry. The name Zacatecas is derived from the Zacateco people and has its roots in Nahuatl. The name means "people of the grasslands".

Aguascalientes State of Mexico

Aguascalientes, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Aguascalientes, is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 municipalities and its capital city is Aguascalientes.

Nueva Galicia Province & Indendancy in New Spain, Spain

Nuevo Reino de Galicia or simply Nueva Galicia was an autonomous kingdom of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was named after Galicia in Spain. Nueva Galicia's territory became the present-day Mexican states of Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit and Zacatecas.

Municipalities of Zacatecas Wikimedia list article

Zacatecas is a state in North Central Mexico that is divided into 58 municipalities. According to the 2015 Mexican Intercensal Survey, it is the state that has the 8th smallest population with 1,579,209 inhabitants and the 8th largest by land area spanning 75,539 square kilometres (29,166 sq mi).

Totatiche Place in Jalisco, Mexico

The municipality and town of Totatiche is located in the northern extreme of the state of Jalisco, Mexico between 21°48’30” and 22°06’00” latitude north and 103°20’00” and 103°34’00” longitude east at a height of 1,751 meters (5,745 ft) above sea level. The municipality is bordered on the north and southeast by the state of Zacatecas. On the northeast, it shares its border with the municipality of Colotlán and on the west it is bordered by the municipalities of Villa Guerrero and Chimaltitán.


The Caxcan were a partly nomadic indigenous people of Mexico. Under their leader, Tenamaztle, the Caxcan were allied with the Zacatecos against the Spaniards during the Mixtón Rebellion in 1540-42. During the rebellion, they were described as "the heart and the center of the Indian Rebellion". After the rebellion, they were a constant target of the Zacatecos and Guachichiles due to their ceasefire agreement with the Spaniards. Their principal religious and population centers were at Teul, Tlaltenango, Juchipila, and Teocaltiche.

The Chichimeca War (1550–90) was a military conflict waged by Spain against the Chichimeca Confederation established in the lowlands of Mexico, called La Gran Chichimeca located in the West North-Central Mexican states. The region is now called the Bajío. It was recorded as the Spanish Empire's longest and most expensive war campaign against any indigenous people in the Americas. The result of the forty-year war was a Spanish Empire military and economic defeat.

Tlaltenango de Sánchez Román Municipality Place in Zacatecas, Mexico

The city of Tlaltenangoo de Sánchez Román is located in the southwestern portion of the Mexican state of Zacatecas. The average elevation of the municipality is 1,723 meters (5,653 ft) above sea level and the municipality covers an area of 808.082 square kilometres (312.002 sq mi). The municipality lies in a valley bordered by the Sierra de Morones and lies on the banks of the Tlaltenango River, which runs north and is a tributary of the Bolaños River.

Jerez de García Salinas Place in Zacatecas, Mexico

Jerez is a town and municipality in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. To distinguish the two, the town is officially called Jerez de García Salinas to honor an 19th-century reformer. The town of Jerez is the local government of 128 other communities, a rural area noted for its production of fruit trees and dairy. The town was named a Pueblo Mágico to attract tourism, as it lies close to the state capital of Zacatecas and offers handcrafts, traditional food and architecture.

Guamare indigenous people of Mexico

The Guamare people were an indigenous people of Mexico, who were established mostly in Guanajuato and at the border of Jalisco. They were part of the Chichimecas, a group of a nomadic hunter-gatherer culture and called themselves Children of the Wind, living religiously from the natural land. As a tradition, they would cremate their dead and spread their ashes into the wind back to 'Mother Earth'. The Guamare people were politically united with the Chichimeca Confederation, but like other Chichimeca nations were independent. The Chichimeca were established in the present-day Bajio region of Mexico.

Sombrerete, Zacatecas City & Municipality in Zacatecas, Mexico


Jalpa, Zacatecas human settlement in Mexico

Jalpa is located in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, close to the border with Jalisco and Aguascalientes and about a two hours drive south of the capital city, Zacatecas. Jalpa is a colonial-style city, with cobble stone streets, narrow walkways, two main churches: El Señor de Jalpa and La Parroquia de San Antonio, and two plazas. Jalpa was modeled by the French in the 19th century. In the middle of the plaza is a kiosk which remains in good shape today, after hundreds of years. Most houses are painted in bright colors just as in colonial times. The houses are made of adobe and share common walls and most have flat roofs.

Atolinga Municipality Municipality in Zacatecas, Mexico

Atolinga is one of the 58 municipalities in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. It is located on the southern part of the state of Zacatecas and is bordered by the municipalities of Tepechitlán and Florencia de Benito Juárez. To the east it is bordered by Tlaltenango de Sánchez Román and to the north and west by the state of Jalisco. The municipality covers a total surface area of 280 square kilometers (110 sq mi).

Pablo José Calvillo served as a parish priest in northern Nueva Galicia in the early nineteenth century, and led a number of the indigenous inhabitants of the Colotlán region in open rebellion against the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence.

Chalchihuites Municipality Place in Zacatecas, Mexico

Chalchihuites is a municipality in the Mexican state of Zacatecas in northwest Mexico. The archaeological site of Altavista, at Chalchihuites, is located 137 miles to the northwest of the city of Zacatecas and 102 miles southeast of the city of Durango. Located to the west of Sombrerete in the northwestern corner of the Zacatecas state, it is believed that the site was a cultural oasis that was occupied more or less continuously from AD 100 to AD 1400.

Colotlán Municipality and town in Jalisco, Mexico

The municipality of Colotlán is located in the northern extremity of the Mexican state of Jalisco. The municipality covers an area of approximately 505 square kilometers. Colotlán is located at 22°12′N103°18′W. It stands at 1,550 metres (5,090 ft) above sea level.

Jalisco State of Mexico

Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and is bordered by six states which are Nayarit, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Michoacán and Colima. Jalisco is divided into 125 municipalities, and its capital city is Guadalajara. Jalisco is one of the most important states in Mexico because of its natural resources as well as its history. Many of the characteristic traits of Mexican culture, particularly outside Mexico City, are originally from Jalisco, such as mariachi, ranchera music, birria, tequila, jaripeo, etc., hence the state's motto: "Jalisco es México." Economically, it is ranked third in the country, with industries centered in the Guadalajara metropolitan area, the second largest metropolitan area in Mexico. The state is home to two significant indigenous populations, the Huichols and the Nahuas. There is also a significant foreign population, mostly from the United States and Canada, living in the Lake Chapala and Puerto Vallarta areas.

El Teúl is an important archaeological mesoamerican site located on a hill with the same name in the Teúl Municipality in the south of the Zacatecas State, Mexico, near the Jalisco State.

Río Grande Municipality, Zacatecas Municipality in Zacatecas, Mexico

Río Grande is a municipality in the Mexican state of Zacatecas.


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