Durangoestado (state), north-central Mexico. It is bounded by the states of Chihuahua (to the north), Coahuila and Zacatecas (to the east), Jalisco and Nayarit (to the south), and Sinaloa (westto the west. The state capital is the city of Durango (Durango de Victoria).

The western portion of the state’s

47,560 square miles (123,180 square km) of

territory lies within the mineral-laden Sierra Madre Occidental

; semiarid

. Semiarid plains,

used for

which support ranching, make up the eastern portion. Coursing eastward from the Sierra Madre


is the


Nazas River, the largest river in the state


. It flows for approximately 375 miles (600 km); when swollen by spring rains, it is the main source of water for


irrigated crops of cotton, wheat, corn (maize), tobacco, sugarcane, vegetables, and fruits.

Along its lower course is the Laguna cotton district, a large state-operated cooperative enterprise that Durango city shares with Coahuila.

The state is rich in mineral resources. The state’s temperate coniferous forests are the site of logging operations and pulp mills. Although mining has been carried on for years, the deposits of silver, gold, sulfur, tin, coal, mercury, antimony, copper, and other minerals have been only partially exploited. Cerro del Mercado Hill, a hill (about 700 feet [(210 metres] ) high ) and consisting of nearly pure hematite iron ore 2 miles (3 km) from Durango city, the state capital, supplies the local mills. The Caldelaria silver mine, , is adjacent to Durango city. A silver mine near San Dimas , has long been famous renowned for its output. Other mining districts are Mapimí, Cuencamé, Nombre de Dios, Papasquiaro, and San Juan del Río. An inadequate internal transportation network has hindered the exploitation of the mineral resourcesThe state’s scenic areas include waterfalls and hot springs at La Joya and San Juan and the protected forests and wetlands of the Santiaguillo Lagoon, near Durango city.

First explored by Europeans in 1562–63, Durango shared the colonial history of Chihuahua as a major part of the province of Nueva Vizcaya; the two became sovereign and separate states in 1823. In Native American peoples rebelled often in their frontier areas , they were subject to Indian uprisings until late in during the 19th century. Railroads of the National Railways of Mexico In the late 20th century Durango became part of the so-called “hollow core” of Mexico as increasing numbers of migrants left to seek jobs in Mexico City, along the U.S.-Mexican border, or within the United States.

State government is headed by a governor, who is elected to a single six-year term. Members of the legislature (the unicameral House of Deputies) are elected to terms of three years. The legislature can levy taxes, but in reality Durango depends on the federal government for most of its revenue. Like other Mexican states, Durango is divided into local governmental units called municipios (municipalities), each of which may include a city or town and its hinterland or, alternatively, a group of villages.

Railroads traverse the state northeast to southwest, and another line crosses its eastern section. Durango is also crossed by two branches of the Pan-American Highway and has air routes. connections. Area 47,560 square miles (123,181 square km). Pop. (2000) 1,448,861661; (2005) 1,509,117.