Querétaro ( Spanish pronunciation: [keˈɾetaɾo] ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro (Spanish: Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro ; Otomi : Hyodi Ndämxei ), is one of the 32 federal entities of Mexico . It is divided into 18 municipalities . Its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro . It is located in north-central Mexico, in a region known as Bajío . It is bordered by the states of San Luis Potosí to the north, Guanajuato to the west, Hidalgo to the east, México to the southeast and Michoacán to the southwest.
159-631: The state is one of the smallest in Mexico, but also one of the most heterogeneous geographically, with ecosystems varying from deserts to tropical rainforest , especially in the Sierra Gorda , which is filled with microecosystems. The area of the state was located on the northern edge of Mesoamerica , with both the Purépecha Empire and Aztec Empire having influence in the extreme south, but neither really dominating it. The area, especially
318-670: A potential evapotranspiration ratio (PET) value of <0.25. However, most lowland tropical forests can be classified as tropical moist or wet forests, which differ in regards to rainfall. Tropical forest ecology- dynamics, composition, and function- are sensitive to changes in climate especially changes in rainfall. Soil types are highly variable in the tropics and are the result of a combination of several variables such as climate, vegetation, topographic position, parent material, and soil age. Most tropical soils are characterized by significant leaching and poor nutrients, however there are some areas that contain fertile soils. Soils throughout
477-650: A half meters, or 59 inches, on average). Amongst this group are the Efe, Aka, Twa , Baka , and Mbuti people of Central Africa. However, the term pygmy is considered pejorative so many tribes prefer not to be labeled as such. Some notable indigenous peoples of the Americas , or Amerindians, include the Huaorani , Ya̧nomamö , and Kayapo people of the Amazon . The traditional agricultural system practiced by tribes in
636-513: A hat made with palm fronds. These communities are located in south in Amealco de Bonfil . Here, over 25,000 people live in 31 communities, such as San Ildefonso, Tultepec, Santiago Mexquititlán, Chitejé de la Cruz and San Miguel Tlaxcatltepec. In the arid parts of the center of the state, indigenous communities are found in the municipalities of Tolimán , Cadereyta, Colón and Ezequiel Montes , with about 21,500 Otomis in 56 different communities. In
795-480: A large livestock industry. The region is second in industry behind Querétaro, concentrating on paper products and food processing. Most industry is located in San Juan del Río. Agriculture and livestock have been traditionally important for the state, and while it only provides about four percent of the state’s GDP, down from eighteen percent in 1970, it employs a far larger percentage of the population, with it being
954-506: A local Otomi lord from Jilotepec named Conín , also known as Fernando de Tapia, to enter Otomi areas in what is now the city of Querétaro. There would be only one major battle as part of the conquest in 1531. The Spanish and their indigenous allies were battling the local Otomi and Chichimecas at a hill now known as Sangremal, which was then called Ynlotepeque, and considered sacred in pre-Hispanic times. Chronicles of this event, such as those written by Friar Isidro Félix de Espinoza, state that
1113-496: A low crime rate and also noted by NGO Transparencia Mexicana as having the lowest levels of corruption among all of Mexico’s states. Of the three main sectors of the economy: agriculture, mining/industry and commerce/services, the percentage each employs and contributes to the GDP varies significantly from municipality to municipality, with agriculture making up a higher percentage of local employment and GDP in rural municipalities than in
1272-487: A market incentive program called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) for companies and governments to outset their carbon emissions through financial investments into rainforest conservation. Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (in Spanish : Se cretaría del M edio A mbiente y R ecursos Nat urales, SEMARNAT )
1431-536: A national park and biosphere reserve due to its forests. Quakes are not uncommon in the state, so there are monitoring stations in Peñamiller, Extoraz, Peña Blanca and 10 in the Sierra Gorda, including Jalpan de Serra, Landa de Matamoros, Arroyo Seco, Pinal de Amoles and San Joaquín. More are planned for Tolimán and Cadereyta. In January 2011, about 70 small quakes caused some damage in the Peñamiller area, in
1590-401: A new niche. Direct competition will often lead to one species dominating another by some advantage, ultimately driving it to extinction. Niche partitioning is the other option for a species. This is the separation and rationing of necessary resources by utilizing different habitats, food sources, cover or general behavioral differences. A species with similar food items but different feeding times
1749-656: A number of others, but only at altitudes between 1,600 and 2,800 m ASL. Juniper and cedar forests are found in Pinal de Amoles, Landa de Matamoros, San Joaquín and Cadereyta de Montes at altitudes of between 1,390 and 2,500 m, generally on low hills. Mesquite forests are scarce given that they tend to grow on land suitable for agriculture, but some can still be found in Pedro Escobedo, San Juan del Río, Cadereyta de Montes and other municipalities. The two types of grasslands are those with some trees and those with none. The latter
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#17327653048441908-465: A roof over the two remaining layers. It contains the majority of the largest trees, typically 30–45 m in height. Tall, broad-leaved evergreen trees are the dominant plants. The densest areas of biodiversity are found in the forest canopy, as it often supports a rich flora of epiphytes , including orchids, bromeliads, mosses and lichens. These epiphytic plants attach to trunks and branches and obtain water and minerals from rain and debris that collects on
2067-614: A seasonal basis but dwelt primarily in adjacent savanna and open forest environments where food is much more abundant. Other people described as rainforest dwellers are hunter-gatherers who subsist in large part by trading high value forest products such as hides, feathers, and honey with agricultural people living outside the forest. Many indigenous peoples around the world live within rainforests as hunter-gatherers, or subsist as part-time small scale farmers supplemented in large part by trading high-value forest products such as hides, feathers, and honey with agricultural people living outside
2226-579: A study published in 2020 in the journal Nature. In 2019 they took up a third less carbon than they did in the 1990s, due to higher temperatures, droughts and deforestation. The typical tropical forest may become a carbon source by the 2060s. Despite the negative effects of tourism in the tropical rainforests, there are also several important positive effects. Deposits of precious metals ( gold , silver , coltan ) and fossil fuels ( oil and natural gas ) occur underneath rainforests globally. These resources are important to developing nations and their extraction
2385-725: A trend towards declining populations in rainforests, for example, reptiles that feed on amphibians and reptiles. This trend requires close monitoring. The seasonality of rainforests affects the reproductive patterns of amphibians, and this in turn can directly affect the species of reptiles that feed on these groups, particularly species with specialized feeding, since these are less likely to use alternative resources. Efforts to protect and conserve tropical rainforest habitats are diverse and widespread. Tropical rainforest conservation ranges from strict preservation of habitat to finding sustainable management techniques for people living in tropical rainforests. International policy has also introduced
2544-604: A tropical rainforest is stratified into layers, each hosting unique ecosystems . These include the emergent layer with towering trees, the densely populated canopy layer, the understory layer rich in wildlife, and the forest floor , which is sparse due to low light penetration. The soil is characteristically nutrient-poor and acidic. Tropical rainforests have a long history of ecological succession , influenced by natural events and human activities. They are crucial for global ecological functions, including carbon sequestration and climate regulation. Many indigenous peoples around
2703-440: A vast diversity in plant and animal species. The root for this remarkable speciation has been a query of scientists and ecologists for years. A number of theories have been developed for why and how the tropics can be so diverse. Interspecific competition results from a high density of species with similar niches in the tropics and limited resources available. Species which "lose" the competition may either become extinct or find
2862-531: A vast region of jagged mountains, home of the Pame people and a scattering of Spanish colonists. When Junípero Serra and Francisco Palóu arrived at the village of Jalpan , they found the mission in disarray: The parishioners, numbering fewer than a thousand, were attending neither confession nor Mass . Junípero Serra tackled the practical side of mission administration; working with the college of San Fernando, he had cattle, goats, sheep, and farming tools brought to
3021-415: A widespread root network at the surface for more efficient uptake of nutrients in a very nutrient poor and competitive environment. Most of the nutrients within the soil of a tropical rainforest occur near the surface because of the rapid turnover time and decomposition of organisms and leaves. Because of this, the buttress roots occur at the surface so the trees can maximize uptake and actively compete with
3180-716: Is Mexico's environment ministry . Its head, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources, is a member of the federal executive cabinet and is appointed by the President of Mexico . In September 2020, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador appointed María Luisa Albores González as Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources, the third person to occupy the post since López Obrador became President less than two years earlier in December 2018. The Secretariat
3339-508: Is a common dish. Traditional food products include a candy made of guava fruit and sugar, jams, and sweets made from pulque , milk candies from Bernal, a hard bread called mezquitamal , which is made by the Otomis, and various types of mole sauces made in Amealco. In the Sierra Gorda area, gorditas can be prepared with sugar, cheese, and piloncillo . The zacahuil , a large type of tamale ,
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#17327653048443498-448: Is a growing and promising enterprise for the areas. Industry is also very limited. The Querétaro región includes the capital and the municipalities of Corregidora and El Marqués . This area has the second most productive farms in the state, much of which is irrigated. Crops include sorghum , wheat, barley , alfalfa , oats with some vegetables, corn and beans. This area is also an important producer of all kinds of livestock. Industry
3657-426: Is a traditional economic activity for the state. There are ten mining districts in the Sierra Gorda alone producing lead, silver, zinc , copper, gold, mercury and antimony . Nonmetallic products include marble, kaolin , sandstone , and more. Opals are a distinctive state resource. State and local governments, in partnership with private industry, actively promote foreign investment into the region. The priority of
3816-443: Is also some forestry activity. Industry is not common, but some technically advanced factories exist. There are also maquiladoras , textile and recycling operations which primarily employ women. The Jalpan de Serra region includes this municipality and Arroyo Seco , Pinal de Amoles , Landa de Matamoros and San Joaquín . Agriculture is limited, mostly producing fruits such as citrus, mangos, coffee, peaches and apples. Fish farming
3975-458: Is an example of niche partitioning. The theory of Pleistocene refugia was developed by Jürgen Haffer in 1969 with his article Speciation of Amazonian Forest Birds . Haffer proposed the explanation for speciation was the product of rainforest patches being separated by stretches of non-forest vegetation during the last glacial period. He called these patches of rainforest areas refuges and within these patches allopatric speciation occurred. With
4134-537: Is between those who live in the mountains and those who live in the valleys. Those in the mountains are closer culturally to those living on the Gulf Coast, with the latter having more in common with cultures found in the west of Mexico and the central highlands . There are indigenous communities in seven of the 18 municipalities of the state, mostly Otomi and Pame . These communities are divided into three regions: South, Arid Center and Sierra Madre Oriental, with
4293-437: Is called hñahñu , which literally means to speak with nasal sounds. However, most Otomi speakers are bilingual. Their name for themselves varies in the different areas of central Mexico where they live, but in southern part of Querétaro, they call themselves the Ñano. Otomi communities in the state have their own authorities, in addition to Mexican ones, in both the civil and religious arenas, who are elected annually. Most profess
4452-400: Is charged with the mission of protecting, restoring, and conserving the ecosystems, natural resources, assets and environmental services of Mexico with the goal of fostering sustainable development. The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources of México is the Secretary of State to which, according to Law of Federal Public Administration in its Article 32a, corresponds to the release of
4611-553: Is chickpeas with saffron accompanied by tortillas in a number of colors. In Peñamiller, they celebrate with goat meat, accompanied by pulque . Another common dish in this areas is a variety of tostadas called arriero (donkey handler) . Simichol is a fermented corn drink prepared in Santiago Mexquititlán. In San Joaquín, the drink is called charape , made with piloncillo . In this and other central municipalities, gorditas de migajas (literally crumb gorditas)
4770-489: Is directly connected by highway to Mexico City, the country’s largest market, as well as the north of the country and the United States. This makes the city an almost obligatory stop for most people and goods traveling north and south. This geographical advantage has spurred industrial development in the state, especially since the 1970s. Another advantage the state has is its stable social and political situation. It has
4929-399: Is filled with chicken, turkey or pork with dried chili pepper. A number of insects are used, especially in indigenous dishes such as tantárreas (ants from a type of mesquite tree) and escamoles , often cooked with cactus flowers. One native beverage, called mejengue , is made with piloncillo (a type of sugar derived from the cane plant), banana, pulque and corn. The official name of
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5088-603: Is generally between 1500 and 2500 m while the upper limit is usually from 2400 to 3300 m. Tropical freshwater swamp forests , or "flooded forests", are found in Amazon basin (the Várzea ) and elsewhere. Rainforests are divided into different strata, or layers, with vegetation organized into a vertical pattern from the top of the soil to the canopy. Each layer is a unique biotic community containing different plants and animals adapted for life in that particular strata. Only
5247-406: Is in the municipalities of Landa de Matamoros and Amealco de Bonfil . 20.7% is used for grazing. 24.22% is forest; 3.95% is rainforest and 40.62 is arid scrub brush. Mining, manufacturing and construction accounts for about 39% of the GDP, with manufacturing alone accounting for 32%. This has remained steady for the past few decades. Minerals are one of the state’s two main natural resources. Mining
5406-495: Is limited to the industrial parks located just north of the capital, but they employ most of the industrial workers of the state. The San Juan del Río region includes this municipality and Ezequiel Montes , Pedro Escobedo and Tequisquiapan . This is the most agriculturally production region of the state, with most farmland irrigated. There is intensive farming of sorghum, wheat, barley, alfalfa, and oats, with some vegetables, corn and beans. Large areas of natural pasture supports
5565-710: Is located in the north of the state and is part of the Sierra Madre Oriental, specifically in a subprovince called the Huasteco Karst . It is found in the municipalities of Arroyo Seco , Jalpan de Serra, Landa de Matamoros, Pinal de Amoles and San Joaquín and covers an area of 3,789km2 or 32.2% of the state. The topography is rugged, with high elevations and steep valleys. It is a conjunction of mountains and hills formed mostly by limestone, with wide contrasts in climates and vegetation. They range from near desert conditions to forests of pine and holm oak to
5724-455: Is much more common and found in various parts of the south of the state. Grasslands dotted with trees are found only in the municipality of Querétaro. The other five ecosystems are dominated by various types of arid scrub brush, ranging from those dominated by thorns, without thorns and intermixed with various types of cactus. The Cerro del Cimatario , on the borders of the municipalities of Corregidora, Querétaro and El Marqués, has been declared
5883-521: Is often given priority to encourage economic growth. Mining and drilling can require large amounts of land development , directly causing deforestation . In Ghana , a West African nation, deforestation from decades of mining activity left about 12% of the country's original rainforest intact. With the invention of agriculture , humans were able to clear sections of rainforest to produce crops, converting it to open farmland . Such people, however, obtain their food primarily from farm plots cleared from
6042-618: Is played in groups of four with a huapanguera , a vihuela and two violins. Lyrics tend to be poetic and sung from memory or improvised. Some are religious in nature. Another indigenous form of music, called comesolos , played with a flute and drum has almost completely died out. In the mountain village of San Joaquín in April is the Concurso Nacional de Huapango Huasteco (National Huasteca Huapango Contest) . This event attracts thousands of visitors and participants each year, as it
6201-505: Is seasonal, meaning it is worked only during the rainy season. Grains such as barley, wheat, oats and alfalfa are almost exclusively planted on irrigated land along with certain vegetables such as broccoli , garlic, carrots, lettuce, onions and cauliflower . Most nonirrigated land is planted with corn, followed by beans mostly for auto or local consumption. Leading cash crops are beans, cabbage , alfalfa , onions, lettuce and sorghum. Within agriculture, production of crops has decreased while
6360-515: Is the most important Huapango contests in the country. Most traditional festivals are tied to the Catholic religion, with some of the most important being La Candelaria (Candlemas), Holy Week and Day of the Dead. Locally important are the myriad of festivals to patron saints of towns, villages and municipalities. In addition, ta number of civic and economic festivals and fairs include celebrations of
6519-450: Is the result of heavy heat and moisture forming oxides of iron and aluminium, which are insoluble in water and not taken up readily by plants. Soil chemical and physical characteristics are strongly related to above ground productivity and forest structure and dynamics. The physical properties of soil control the tree turnover rates whereas chemical properties such as available nitrogen and phosphorus control forest growth rates. The soils of
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6678-534: Is the result of phosphorus levels in the soils, precipitation, high temperatures and the extensive microorganism communities. In addition to the bacteria and other microorganisms, there are an abundance of other decomposers such as fungi and termites that aid in the process as well. Nutrient recycling is important because below ground resource availability controls the above ground biomass and community structure of tropical rainforests. These soils are typically phosphorus limited, which inhibits net primary productivity or
6837-545: The Amazon rainforest ) are called carbon sinks . As major carbon reducers and carbon and soil methane storages, their destruction contributes to increasing global energy trapping , atmospheric gases. Climate change has been significantly contributed to by the destruction of the rainforests. A simulation was performed in which all rainforest in Africa were removed. The simulation showed an increase in atmospheric temperature by 2.5 to 5 degrees Celsius. Some species of fauna show
6996-704: The Equator . They are a subset of the tropical forest biome that occurs roughly within the 28° latitudes (in the torrid zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn ). Tropical rainforests are a type of tropical moist broadleaf forest , that includes the more extensive seasonal tropical forests . True rainforests usually occur in tropical rainforest climates where no dry season occurs; all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm (2.4 in). Seasonal tropical forests with tropical monsoon or savanna climates are sometimes included in
7155-841: The Indigenous peoples of the Americas , the Congo Pygmies in Central Africa, and several tribes in Southeast Asia, like the Dayak people and the Penan people in Borneo . Food resources within the forest are extremely dispersed due to the high biological diversity and what food does exist is largely restricted to the canopy and requires considerable energy to obtain. Some groups of hunter-gatherers have exploited rainforest on
7314-876: The Lerma River . The state contains two river basins: the Lerma/Santiago and the Pánuco . The first is represented by the Lerma and La Laja Rivers and the second is represented by the Tamuín and Moctezuma Rivers . Other important rivers include the Santa María and the San Juan. These rivers contain 16 dams, including the Santa Catarina, El Batán, Constitution de 1917 and the San Ildefonso. Most of
7473-522: The Mesozoic era supercontinent of Gondwana . The separation of the landmass resulted in a great loss of amphibian diversity while at the same time the drier climate spurred the diversification of reptiles. The division left tropical rainforests located in five major regions of the world: tropical America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Madagascar, and New Guinea, with smaller outliers in Australia. However,
7632-593: The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources federal agency. El Semidesierto Queretano (Querétaro Semidesert) is a wide strip that crosses the state from east to west, which is dry due to the blocking of moist air from the Gulf by the Sierra Madre Oriental . The area is found in the municipalities of Cadereyta de Montes , Colón , Peñamiller and Tolimán , with an area of 3,415.6km2 or 29% of
7791-413: The city of Querétaro , but diminish significantly in the rural areas. One important factor in the population growth has been migration into the state from other parts of Mexico due to the state’s industry, low crime rate and other factors. One recent phenomenon has been the influx of families from northern border states migrating south to escape drug-related violence. An estimated 49 new families move into
7950-749: The genetic variation used in evading the damage caused by new pests is still derived from resistant wild stock. Tropical forests have supplied 250 cultivated kinds of fruit , compared to only 20 for temperate forests . Forests in New Guinea alone contain 251 tree species with edible fruits, of which only 43 had been established as cultivated crops by 1985. In addition to extractive human uses, rain forests also have non-extractive uses that are frequently summarized as ecosystem services . Rain forests play an important role in maintaining biological diversity , sequestering and storing carbon , global climate regulation, disease control, and pollination . Half of
8109-671: The spider monkey ( Ateles sp.), African giant swallowtail ( Papilio antimachus ), three-toed sloth ( Bradypus tridactylus ), kinkajou ( Potos flavus ), and tamandua ( Tamandua tetradactyla ). The emergent layer contains a small number of very large trees , called emergents , which grow above the general canopy , reaching heights of 45–55 m, although on occasion a few species will grow to 70–80 m tall. Some examples of emergents include: Hydrochorea elegans , Dipteryx panamensis , Hieronyma alchorneoides , Hymenolobium mesoamericanum , Lecythis ampla and Terminalia oblonga . These trees need to be able to withstand
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#17327653048448268-498: The " world's largest pharmacy ", because over one quarter of natural medicines have been discovered within them. It is likely that there may be many millions of species of plants, insects and microorganisms still undiscovered in tropical rainforests. Tropical rainforests are among the most threatened ecosystems globally due to large-scale fragmentation as a result of human activity. Habitat fragmentation caused by geological processes such as volcanism and climate change occurred in
8427-602: The 12th century. Much of this migration moved south from the Querétaro area into the Valley of Mexico . Those who remained by the end of the 12th century were mostly in hunter-gatherer communities and small agricultural settlements. The region’s agriculture and minerals continued to attract the interest of more powerful neighbors. In the 15th century, both the Aztec Empire and Purépecha Empire had strong influence parts of
8586-463: The 17th century. Santiago de Querétaro was declared a city in 1655. The coat of arms granted to the capital city that year is now the state coat of arms, with the substitution of an eagle on a cactus to replace the section referring to the Spanish royalty. Over the colonial period, the Querétaro area became important strategically and economically as it connected the newly explored and conquered lands to
8745-485: The 2020 Census, 1.83% of Querétaro's population identified as Black, Afro-Mexican , or of African descent. Western painting developed in the state during the colonial period, when artists such as Pedro de Rojas López, Tomás Noriega and Diego Sanabria produced primarily religious art. More diverse production came into being in the 19th century forward; José Mariano Perrusquia y Rubio, Mariano Montenegro and Germán Patiño Díaz produced paintings and even photography. Patiño Díaz
8904-405: The Amazon is based on swidden cultivation (also known as slash-and-burn or shifting cultivation) and is considered a relatively benign disturbance. In fact, when looking at the level of individual swidden plots a number of traditional farming practices are considered beneficial. For example, the use of shade trees and fallowing all help preserve soil organic matter , which is a critical factor in
9063-612: The Andean foothills, and volcanic areas of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central America. Oxisols, infertile, deeply weathered and severely leached, have developed on the ancient Gondwanan shields . Rapid bacterial decay prevents the accumulation of humus. The concentration of iron and aluminium oxides by the laterization process gives the oxisols a bright red color and sometimes produces minable deposits (e.g., bauxite ). On younger substrates, especially of volcanic origin, tropical soils may be quite fertile. This high rate of decomposition
9222-518: The Catholic faith, but it is influenced by indigenous beliefs. The trading of goods is still an important part of the economy of many Otomi communities, and they are known for their abilities with herbal medicines. A number who live in rural areas can still be seen in traditional dress. For women, this includes a hand-embroidered blouse and skirt, a garment called a quexquemetl and huaraches . For men, this includes shirts and pants of undyed or white cotton, tied with an embroidered belt, huaraches and
9381-516: The El Macizo and El Zamoarano mountain chains. This area occupies the municipalities of Ezequiel Montes , El Marqués, Pedro Escobedo and San Juan del Río with an extension of 2,480.2kmw or 21.1% of the state. El Bajío Queretano is in the western part of the state, which is a low elevation area that extends into neighboring Guanajuato . This area covers 1,005.7km2 or 8.5% of the state, and contains low hills and small mountain chains that are part of
9540-667: The Iban "kenyalang" and the Kenyah "mamat". Pygmies who live in Southeast Asia are, amongst others, referred to as " Negrito ". Yam , coffee , chocolate , banana , mango , papaya , macadamia , avocado , and sugarcane all originally came from tropical rainforest and are still mostly grown on plantations in regions that were formerly primary forest. In the mid-1980s and 1990s, 40 million tons of bananas were consumed worldwide each year, along with 13 million tons of mango. Central American coffee exports were worth US$ 3 billion in 1970. Much of
9699-686: The Otomis dominating in the first two and the Pames in the last. The most important indigenous group in the state is the Otomi. These people have inhabited central Mexico for over 5,000 years and were part of cities and empires such as Cuicuilco , Teotihuacan and Tula . Their language is part of the Oto-Manguean family , which includes Pame, Mazahua , Matlatzinca and the Chichimeca-Jonaz languages. They have maintained their language, which
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#17327653048449858-553: The Purépecha Empire, the Spanish gained some control over the southern portion of the state. However, the area was still very independent, filled with peoples who lived in small isolated villages or nomadically. There were no major cities, nor large societies there or north. The conquest and colonization of Querétaro began with the Spanish settlements at San Juan del Río, Querétaro and Huimilpan between 1529 and 1531. Conquistador Hernán Pérez de Bocanegra joined forces with
10017-504: The Querétaro metropolitan area. However, overall, the state has one of the country’s strongest economies. Government authorities report an increase of 4,602 jobs in the state for January 2011, accounting for a quarter of the gain for the country. Some related to Bombardier. The municipalities of the state are grouped into five economic regions centered on Amealco de Bonfil , Cadereyta de Montes, Jalpan de Serra , Querétaro and San Juan del Río. The Amealco region includes this municipality and
10176-644: The Sierra Gorda mission. Francisco Palóu supervised the farm labor of men of the mission, while the women learned spinning, sewing and knitting. Their products were collected and rationed to the mission residents, according to personal needs. Christian Pames sold their surplus products in nearby trading centers, under the friars' supervision to protect them from cheaters. Pames who adapted successfully to mission life received their own parcels of land to raise corn, beans and pumpkins, and sometimes received oxen and seeds as well. Today, those mission buildings are considered World Heritage Site. A district called an "alcaldía mayor"
10335-400: The Sierra Gorda, had a number of small city-states, but by the time the Spanish arrived, the area was independent from imperial powers. Small agricultural villages and seminomadic peoples lived in the area. Spanish conquest was focused on the establishment of Santiago de Querétaro, which still dominates the state culturally, economically and educationally. For many years, the official name of
10494-399: The Sierra Madre Oriental, about 3,775 people, mostly Pame with an important group of Huastecas are found in three communities in the municipalities of Jalpan de Serra and Arroyo Seco. However, of all the people in these indigenous communities, only a total of 23,363 spoke an indigenous language, primarily Otomi, as of 2005. Most (94.8%) of these were also speakers of Spanish. According to
10653-664: The Spanish would not subdue and evangelize the last of the resistant peoples, the Chichimec Jonaz until the end of the 18th century. Most of the north of the state consists of an area known as the Sierra Gorda , which is an area of very rugged terrain, with widely varying climates. From the 16th to 19th centuries The Spanish would slowly dominate the lands around it, south in Querétaro, west in Guanajuato and east in Hidalgo , with only military and missionary incursions into
10812-573: The Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt. La Sierra Queretana (Querétaro Sierra Mountains) is in the extreme south of the state, and also part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. It is mostly found in the municipalities of Amealco de Bonfil and Huimilpan , covering an area of 1,078.3 km or 9.2% of the state. The area has high peaks and plains that narrow into valleys and canyons. Some of the flat areas border
10971-486: The US, Taiwan as well as Mexico representing real estate, automotive, carton packing, food processing and some high tech enterprises. One of these tenants is Siemens whose 4,000 sq ft (370 m) plant is dedicated to manufacturing equipment for high voltage systems. Tropical rainforest Tropical rainforests are dense and warm rainforests with high rainfall typically found between 10° north and south of
11130-476: The abundance of rainfall changes throughout the year creating distinct moist and dry seasons. Tropical forests are classified by the amount of rainfall received each year, which has allowed ecologists to define differences in these forests that look so similar in structure. According to Holdridge's classification of tropical ecosystems, true tropical rainforests have an annual rainfall greater than 2 m and annual temperature greater than 24 degrees Celsius, with
11289-523: The animal and plant waste. The understory layer lies between the canopy and the forest floor. The understory is home to a number of birds, small mammals, insects, reptiles, and predators. Examples include leopard ( Panthera pardus ), poison dart frogs ( Dendrobates sp.), ring-tailed coati ( Nasua nasua ), boa constrictor ( Boa constrictor ), and many species of Coleoptera . The vegetation at this layer generally consists of shade-tolerant shrubs, herbs, small trees, and large woody vines which climb into
11448-464: The area because of its agriculture, but did not dominate it. After the fall of this city, the Querétaro area had its highest rate of development of both agriculture and social structure. The area was inhabited early on by a number of ethnicities, including the Otomi , Toltecs , Chichimecas , Purépechas and Mexicas . In the 10th century, the area experience population shifts which did not stabilize until
11607-531: The area's interior. This was due to the fierce resistance of the local native peoples. Unlike the Pames on the south, the Chichimeca Jonaz were mostly hunter gatherers, not city dwellers, and they were not used to a hierarchical governing system. Attempts to militarily pacify and evangelize the area had little success, with a number of missions never completed or destroyed shortly after they were built. In
11766-425: The arid areas of the center of the state. Two types are generally played: Huasteco and Arribeño. Huasteco is played in trios with two guitars called huapanguera and the smaller jarana huasteca and a violin. The songs consist of stanzas of four to six verses sung in falsetto, often with improvisation. The Arribeño is most common in the mountains areas bordering the states of San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato . It
11925-410: The basis of the economy in many rural areas. 28.24% of state land is used for agriculture, mostly raising corn, wheat, alfalfa , sorghum and squash . There is also intensive farming in areas of a number of important crops. Much of the large scale farming is irrigated and is supported in part by the state government, with loans and help with infrastructure such as water and roads. However, most farmland
12084-600: The beginning of the Porfiriato in 1879. Despite the turmoil, there was still economic progress in the state, with the establishment of textile mills such as Hércules, Casa Rubio and two other factories in San Antonio and La Purísima. There was also some mining, especially in El Doctor, Río Blando, Maconí and Escanelilla with a total of 216 mines producing silver with some producing gold, copper, lead and more. Before
12243-410: The blue salamanders". Nevertheless, other scholars suggest that it can mean "place of the reptiles" or "place of the giant rocks". The city received the title of Noble y Leal Ciudad de Santiago de Querétaro in 1656, but after Independence, it was changed to simply Querétaro. It was returned to Santiago de Querétaro in 1996, when it was named a World Heritage Site . The ending of "de Arteaga" was added to
12402-463: The broader definition. Tropical rainforests ecosystems are distinguished by their consistent, high temperatures, exceeding 18 °C (64 °F) monthly, and substantial annual rainfall. The abundant rainfall results in nutrient-poor, leached soils, which profoundly affect the flora and fauna adapted to these conditions. These rainforests are renowned for their significant biodiversity . They are home to 40–75% of all species globally, including half of
12561-410: The capital. Governor González de Cosío resigned in 1911, replaced by Joaquín F. Chicarro , who was allied with Victoriano Huerta and more authoritarian. In 1916 and 1917, the federal government of Venustiano Carranza had to abandon Mexico City, moving the country’s capital to Querétaro. The country’s current constitution was promulgated from Teatro de la República in the city of Querétaro. After
12720-580: The century, the capital city was the scene of a number of important events. During the Mexican–American War , the capital was moved from Mexico City to Querétaro. At the end of that war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed here. The southernmost raids of the Comanche from the plains and prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas far to the north (along with Kiowas and some Apaches) occurred here in
12879-745: The city an image of richness. The buildings from this era of the city’s history include the Plaza de Armas, The Casa de Ecala, the Casa de los Septién, the Cassa de los Samaniego, the Casa de los Fernández de Jáuregui, the Palacio de la Corregiduría de Legres de Querétaro as well as the Congregación and San Antonio churches. However, the most important structure from the time is the Aqueduct of Querétaro . Much of
13038-500: The city grew to over four times its previous size. However, the state conserved the city’s historic center, which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. The city’s official name, which had been changed simply to "Querétaro", was restored to "Santiago de Querétaro" the same year. In 1997, the National Action Party (PAN) won the gubernatorial elections and Ignacio Loyola Vera became the first non PRI governor of
13197-425: The city of Querétaro was taken by royalist forces and would stay that way for much of the war. The only fighting in the state were skirmishes fought in the mountain areas. The city of Querétaro would be one of the last royalist bastions to fall. After the war, Querétaro was made a state with the 1824 Constitution . However, the city and state would lose the economic and cultural prominence that both had enjoyed during
13356-466: The city’s needs. Economic activity in the state is closely tied to trends at the national level. This includes the declining contribution to GDP of the agricultural sector and an increase in manufacturing and commerce/services. The city of Querétaro is by far the most important economic center in the state, followed by San Juan del Río . Not only is Querétaro the population center of the state, it has high-quality soil for irrigation farming and cattle. It
13515-415: The colonial period. The political instability of the 19th century took its toll on commerce, which made the area’s economy suffer. The status of Querétaro would change between state and department, depending on whether Liberals or Conservatives were in power nationally. Within the state, battles for power between the two groups would lead to the state having twenty five governors between 1824 and 1855. During
13674-764: The community. The initial disturbance is often a natural phenomenon or human caused event. Natural disturbances include hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, river movements or an event as small as a fallen tree that creates gaps in the forest. In tropical rainforests, these same natural disturbances have been well documented in the fossil record, and are credited with encouraging speciation and endemism. Human land use practices have led to large-scale deforestation. In many tropical countries such as Costa Rica these deforested lands have been abandoned and forests have been allowed to regenerate through ecological succession. These regenerating young successional forests are called secondary forests or second-growth forests. Tropical rainforests exhibit
13833-442: The driving force moving the decomposable carbon from the litter to the soil. Respiration rates are highest early in the wet season because the recent dry season results in a large percentage of leaf litter and thus a higher percentage of organic matter being leached into the soil. A common feature of many tropical rainforests is the distinct buttress roots of trees. Instead of penetrating to deeper soil layers, buttress roots create
13992-755: The eastern and central Amazon as well as the Southeast Asian Rainforest are old and mineral poor whereas the soils of the western Amazon (Ecuador and Peru) and volcanic areas of Costa Rica are young and mineral rich. Primary productivity or wood production is highest in western Amazon and lowest in eastern Amazon which contains heavily weathered soils classified as oxisols. Additionally, Amazonian soils are greatly weathered, making them devoid of minerals like phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which come from rock sources. However, not all tropical rainforests occur on nutrient poor soils, but on nutrient rich floodplains and volcanic soils located in
14151-492: The easy movement of larger animals such as: ungulates like the okapi ( Okapia johnstoni ), tapir ( Tapirus sp.), Sumatran rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis ), and apes like the western lowland gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla ), as well as many species of reptiles, amphibians, and insects. The forest floor also contains decaying plant and animal matter, which disappears quickly, because the warm, humid conditions promote rapid decay. Many forms of fungi growing here help decay
14310-454: The emergent layer is unique to tropical rainforests, while the others are also found in temperate rainforests . The forest floor , the bottom-most layer, receives only 2% of the sunlight. Only plants adapted to low light can grow in this region. Away from riverbanks, swamps and clearings, where dense undergrowth is found, the forest floor is relatively clear of vegetation because of the low sunlight penetration. This more open quality permits
14469-487: The emperor) in Querétaro. However, Maximilian lost the military support provided by Napoleon III , leaving only four states loyal to the emperor. Querétaro was one of them. Maximilian still resisted Liberal forces which eventually surrounded him at Cerro de Campanas, then outside the city of Querétaro. The emperor was caught and executed on 19 June 1867. Afterwards, the state wrote a new constitution based on Liberal principles. Another new state constitution would be written at
14628-425: The end of the century, modern infrastructure such as electricity, telegraph and telephones began to appear. Industry grew and modernized, with El Hércules becoming the largest textile factory in the country. Haciendas and agricultural production also grew, especially in the north of the state. The capital was modified and expanded, and it was linked to the rest of the country via rail in 1882. Public education began in
14787-615: The end of the glacial period and increase in atmospheric humidity, rainforest began to expand and the refuges reconnected. This theory has been the subject of debate. Scientists are still skeptical of whether or not this theory is legitimate. Genetic evidence suggests speciation had occurred in certain taxa 1–2 million years ago, preceding the Pleistocene . Tropical rainforests have harboured human life for many millennia, with many Indigenous people in South and Central America, who belong to
14946-467: The evangelization efforts in the Sierra Gorda area was done by Junípero Serra . These efforts left behind a number of missions which exist to this day in Jalpan de Serra , Tancoyol, Concá, Tilaco and Landa de Matamoros . This development made the city wealthy for the rest of the colonial period. Querétaro reached its height of the colonial period during the 18th century due to its strategic position with
15105-654: The field of photography, Natalia Baquedano was one of the first women to open a photographic studio in Mexico. She began her training in Querétaro, before moving to Mexico city. The state has produced a large number of writers. Major writers from the 19th century include poet and journalist Juan María Wenceslao Sánchez de la Barquera y Morales, poet and short story writer Néstora Téllez Rendón, poet and orator Celestino Díaz Domínguez, journalist and playwright Luis Frías Hernández, writer and doctor Hilarión Frías y Soto and poet and academic Juan B. Delgado. The early 20th century produced poet and translator Francisco Cervantes, arguably
15264-633: The following functions: To carry out these functions, the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources has the following Undersecretaries: These Undersecretaries are then charged with the operation of the following units of the SEMARNAT: This Mexican government –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a forestry agency is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about an environmental organization
15423-581: The following year he did the same at Irapuato. In 1734 he pacified 10,000 indigenous rebels at San Miguel el Grande . For these accomplishments, he was promoted to colonel and assigned as an aide to the captain general of the Sierra Gorda. However, it wasn't until 1748 that José de Escandón won the Battle of Media Luna , in which the Chichimecas were decisively defeated. The Sierra Gorda missions , some 90 miles north of Santiago de Querétaro , were nestled in
15582-437: The forest and hunt and forage within the forest to supplement this. The issue arising is between the independent farmer providing for his family and the needs and wants of the globe as a whole. This issue has seen little improvement because no plan has been established for all parties to be aided. Agriculture on formerly forested land is not without difficulties. Rainforest soils are often thin and leached of many minerals, and
15741-745: The forest canopy are widely recognized as important for the establishment and growth of rainforest trees. It is estimated that perhaps 75% of the tree species at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica are dependent on canopy opening for seed germination or for growth beyond sapling size, for example. Tropical rainforests are located around and near the equator, therefore having what is called an equatorial climate characterized by three major climatic parameters: temperature, rainfall, and dry season intensity. Other parameters that affect tropical rainforests are carbon dioxide concentrations, solar radiation, and nitrogen availability. In general, climatic patterns consist of warm temperatures and high annual rainfall. However,
15900-555: The forests. Peoples have inhabited the rainforests for tens of thousands of years and have remained so elusive that only recently have some tribes been discovered. These indigenous peoples are greatly threatened by loggers in search for old-growth tropical hardwoods like Ipe, Cumaru and Wenge, and by farmers who are looking to expand their land, for cattle(meat), and soybeans, which are used to feed cattle in Europe and China. On 18 January 2007, FUNAI reported also that it had confirmed
16059-622: The founding of the various cities, regional fairs in Cadereyta , El Marqués , Jalpan de Serra and others to showcase local products and culture. México Folklórico is a dance group created in 1990 within the Academia de la Cultura of the state teachers’ union. It consists of teachers’ children, who are studying high school or above, as an extracurricular activity. Its repertoire includes dances and other traditions from various parts of Mexico. It has performed in many parts of Mexico, as well as in
16218-489: The ground. Tropical rainforests exhibit high levels of biodiversity. Around 40% to 75% of all biotic species are indigenous to the rainforests. Rainforests are home to half of all the living animal and plant species on the planet. Two-thirds of all flowering plants can be found in rainforests. A single hectare of rainforest may contain 42,000 different species of insect, up to 807 trees of 313 species and 1,500 species of higher plants. Tropical rainforests have been called
16377-472: The heavy rainfall can quickly leach nutrients from area cleared for cultivation. People such as the Yanomamo of the Amazon , utilize slash-and-burn agriculture to overcome these limitations and enable them to push deep into what were previously rainforest environments. However, these are not rainforest dwellers, rather they are dwellers in cleared farmland that make forays into the rainforest. Up to 90% of
16536-604: The highest elevations of El Zamorano in the municipalities of El Marqués and Colón. Pure pine forests are found in Cadereyta de Montes, Pinal de Amoles, San Joaquín and Landa de Matamoros. Mixed pine and holm oak forests are found in the Sierra de El Zamorano and the El Lobo region, opposite the Sierra Madre Oriental. Deciduous oak forests are found in the municipalities of Amealco de Bonfil , Landa de Matamoros, El Marqués, and
16695-487: The hot temperatures and strong winds that occur above the canopy in some areas. Several unique faunal species inhabit this layer such as the crowned eagle ( Stephanoaetus coronatus ), the king colobus ( Colobus polykomos ), and the large flying fox ( Pteropus vampyrus ). However, stratification is not always clear. Rainforests are dynamic and many changes affect the structure of the forest. Emergent or canopy trees collapse, for example, causing gaps to form. Openings in
16854-445: The large surface areas these roots create provide support and stability to rainforests trees, which commonly grow to significant heights. This added stability allows these trees to withstand the impacts of severe storms, thus reducing the occurrence of fallen trees. Succession is an ecological process that changes the biotic community structure over time towards a more stable, diverse community structure after an initial disturbance to
17013-582: The maintenance of soil fertility in the deeply weathered and leached soils common in the Amazon. There is a diversity of forest people in Asia, including the Lumad peoples of the Philippines and the Penan and Dayak people of Borneo. The Dayaks are a particularly interesting group as they are noted for their traditional headhunting culture. Fresh human heads were required to perform certain rituals such as
17172-584: The mid 18th century, the colonial government in Mexico City decided to make a concerted effort to bring this territory into submission, as it contained important routes to mining areas such as Zacatecas and Guanajuato . José de Escandón was sent in 1727 to pacified a revolt of Pames in Celaya , and was promoted to sergeant mayor of the regiment. In 1732, he subdued rebels at the mines in Guanajuato, and
17331-453: The middle of the 1800s. The 1857 Constitution was published in the city as well and a coalition of states including Querétaro, Jalisco , Aguascalientes , Zacatecas , Guanajuato and Michoacán formed a coalition to defend this constitution against the Plan of Tacubaya . During the short reign of Maximilian I , there were battles between Liberals and Conservatives (with the latter supporting
17490-406: The most important literary figure from Querétaro internationally; poet and journalist José Dolores Frías Rodríguez, songwriter Carlos Cabrera Pedraza, novelist Alfredo Coéllar Gómez and poet Carlos Septién García. The current generation of writers includes poets Román Luján, Luis Alberto Arellano, Benjamín Moreno, César Cano and Tadeus Argüeyo. Indigenous music can be found in Otomi areas, such as in
17649-405: The municipalities of Amealco and the arid central areas of the state. Often this includes trios consisting of two flutes or two violins with a drum, most often played for community celebrations. The Otomi of Tolimán have a variant of Otomi music called viñuetes , which is played with one large drum, one small drum and a violin. Huapango is a dominant musical form in the Sierra Gorda and some of
17808-646: The municipalities of Amealco, Huimilpan, Pedro Escobedo, San Juan del Río and Corregidora . The center and west have drier and hotter climates, especially in areas under 2,000 m ASL. Here, the Sierra Madre Oriental and parts of the Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt impede moist air from arriving. This dry area includes the municipalities of Querétaro, Corregidora, El Marqués, Peñamiller, Esequiel Montes, Cadereyta, San Juan del Río, Tolimán and Tequisquiapan. The Sierra Madre Oriental area has climates that range from temperate to cold, varying significantly from north to south and even more due to altitude. The north tends to be warmer than
17967-399: The municipality of Huimilpan. Most of its economy is based on cereal production with only minor industry such as maquiladoras and textiles. There are also handcrafts produced by indigenous groups. The Cadereyta región includes this municipality, Colón , Peñamiller and Tolimán . Agriculture is limited to the rainy season, but there is significant production of livestock such as goats. There
18126-429: The natives were at the point of winning when a total eclipse of the sun occurred. This supposedly scared the natives and the Spanish claimed to have seen an image of Saint James (the patron saint of Spain) riding a white horse carrying a rose-colored cross. This event caused the natives to surrender. This event is why the city is called Santiago (Saint James) de Querétaro, with James as patron saint A stone cross imitating
18285-470: The north and west to the center of New Spain in Mexico City. Various trade routes converged here and the city became a cultural crossroads. The activities of Franciscan missionaries were a decisive factor in building the economic, social, political and religious institutions of the state. They were also mostly responsible for the building of most of the religious buildings and the acquisition of paintings and sculptures that can still be seen. These works gave
18444-465: The north, causing a certain amount of panic in the area with an average strength of 3.5 on the Richter magnitude scale ; this is not normal for this area. The quakes are believed to be related to mining in the area, but the government denies this. As of 2020, the state had a population of 2,368,467 and a population density of 137 inhabitants per square kilometer. Over the 20th century, from 1900 to 2005,
18603-525: The northern territories and because of its livestock production. There was also a significant textile industry for local and regional markets. Querétaro was the first major producer of wool cloth in New Spain. At the end of the century, The Real Fabrica de Tabaco (Royal Tobacco Factory) was established, the second most important of its type in New Spain. There was also some mineral production, especially silver in an area called El Doctor. The city of Querétaro
18762-463: The one the Spanish supposedly saw was erected on the hill, which later was accompanied by a church and monastery. During the rest of the 16th century, the Spanish city of Querétaro would form the northern extension of known lands to the Spanish conquerors. The Spanish initially shared power in the area with local indigenous leaders until well into the 17th century in many areas. Indigenous power waned over time, eventually disappearing completely. However,
18921-515: The ongoing challenge of balancing conservation with human development needs. Tropical rainforests are hot and wet. Mean monthly temperatures exceed 18 °C (64 °F) during all months of the year. Average annual rainfall is no less than 1,680 mm (66 in) and can exceed 10 m (390 in) although it typically lies between 1,750 mm (69 in) and 3,000 mm (120 in). This high level of precipitation often results in poor soils due to leaching of soluble nutrients in
19080-514: The past, and have been identified as important drivers of speciation. However, fast human driven habitat destruction is suspected to be one of the major causes of species extinction. Tropical rain forests have been subjected to heavy logging and agricultural clearance throughout the 20th century, and the area covered by rainforests around the world is rapidly shrinking. Tropical rainforests have existed on earth for hundreds of millions of years. Most tropical rainforests today are on fragments of
19239-529: The presence of 67 different uncontacted tribes in Brazil, up from 40 in 2005. With this addition, Brazil has now overtaken the island of New Guinea as the country having the largest number of uncontacted tribes. The province of Irian Jaya or West Papua in the island of New Guinea is home to an estimated 44 uncontacted tribal groups. The pygmy peoples are hunter-gatherer groups living in equatorial rainforests characterized by their short height (below one and
19398-463: The production of animal products has increased. Crops as a percentage of agricultural production dropped from 34% in 1988 to 25.8% in 1993. One of the leading milk producers in the country, Querétaro farms also breed livestock and dairy cows. Livestock production is important and growing, mostly consisting of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses and domestic fowl. Querétaro is one of the top producers of chicken in Mexico. The largest producers of livestock in
19557-524: The rainfall in the Amazon area is produced by the forests. The moisture from the forests is important to the rainfall in Brazil , Paraguay , Argentina Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest region was one of the main reason that cause the severe Drought of 2014–2015 in Brazil For the last three decades, the amount of carbon absorbed by the world's intact tropical forests has fallen, according to
19716-403: The rapid uptake of other trees. These roots also aid in water uptake and storage, increase surface area for gas exchange, and collect leaf litter for added nutrition. Additionally, these roots reduce soil erosion and maximize nutrient acquisition during heavy rains by diverting nutrient rich water flowing down the trunk into several smaller flows while also acting as a barrier to ground flow. Also,
19875-589: The rest of the Americas and Europe. The cooking of the Sierra Gorda region is strongly influenced by the Huasteca cuisine of neighboring Hidalgo and San Luis Potosí states. One notable dish is sacahuil , which is a large tamal wrapped in the leaves of a plant called a papatla . This dish is most prevalent in Landa de Matamoros and Jalpan de Serra. During festivals in San Miguel Tolimán, the main dish
20034-596: The south, but average temperatures can range from 18 to 28 °C (64 to 82 °F) in lower elevations and between 14 and 20 °C (57 and 68 °F) in higher elevations. The state’s ecosystems have 18 different classifications ranging from tropical rainforest to arid scrub brush. Deciduous rainforest is found in parts of the north, center and west of the state such as Jalpan de Serra , Arroyo Seco and Landa de Matamoros. Small deciduous forests are found in Jalpan de Serra and Landa de Matamoros. Oyamel forests are found in
20193-466: The specifics of the origin of rainforests remain uncertain due to an incomplete fossil record. Several biomes may appear similar-to, or merge via ecotones with, tropical rainforest: Moist seasonal tropical forests receive high overall rainfall with a warm summer wet season and a cooler winter dry season. These forests usually fall under tropical monsoon or tropical savanna climates. Some trees in these forests drop some or all of their leaves during
20352-475: The state are Jalpan, Cadereyta, San Juan del Río and Querétaro. Forest land is one of the state’s two main natural resources. These forests contain commercial species such as pine, oak, cedar , juniper , mesquite and more. Most of these are found in and around the Sierra Gorda area. There is about 70,000 hectares of possible productive land but only 17,000 have been studied for management. Land actively involved in forestry operations equals 9,358m2, most of which
20511-642: The state at the beginning of the 20th century with fifty-four primary schools and the first graduates of the state’s first teachers’ college. At the same time, strikes and other movements against the Diaz regime had begun in the state and elsewhere in the country. The largest strike in the state was against the El Hércules factory in 1909. At the start of the Mexican Revolution , there were revolts in Jalpan de Serra and Cadereyta along with protests in
20670-515: The state every 24 hours, on average. This has made attendance at private universities climb 11% especially at ITESM -Querétaro, Universidad Anáhuac and the Universidad del Valle de México . Most of the families are moving to the area in and around the capital. Over 96% of the population is Catholic, with very small percentages reporting as Protestant or Evangelical. The state is not culturally or socially homogenous. The first large distinction
20829-485: The state government is to encourage industries which use low levels of water for environmental reasons. These have mostly been auto parts, food processing and electronics. Other major industries include chemicals, plastics, textiles, paper products and printing and wood products. Most are micro- and small-sized operations. Querétaro’s major cities are home to industrial complexes that produce machinery and other metallic products, chemicals and processed foods. However, most of
20988-429: The state in the center and south. The area is mostly volcanic rock with peaks and mesas between 200 m (656 ft) and 3,000 m (9,843 ft) and valleys between 1,800 m (5,906 ft) and 1,900 m (6,234 ft) ASL. The state is divided into five geographical regions: The Sierra Gorda , El Semidesierto Queretano, Los Valles Centrales, El Bajío Queretano and La Sierra Queretana. The Sierra Gorda
21147-523: The state is "Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro" (Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro). The formal name of the capital is Santiago de Querétaro. However, both are commonly referred to simply as Querétaro. The most likely origin of the name is from the Purépecha word "Créttaro" which means "place with crags". However, there have been other explanations of the name including that it comes from Nahuatl and means Mesoamerican ball court , or even "island of
21306-413: The state is dry, with the exception of the north, which is temperate and rainy. The average temperature is 18 °C (64 °F). Three well-defined climate areas are in the state. The south has a temperate and fairly wet climate. Temperatures are relatively stable through the year, ranging from an average of between 12 and 18 °C (64 °F), with most rain falling in the summer. This region includes
21465-541: The state since the Revolution. In 2008, the state’s constitution was amended to make Querétaro the official state name. The aqueduct Acueducto II was inaugurated in 2011 by President Felipe Calderón and state governor José Calzada Rovirosa . It transports water over 122 km from springs in El Infiernillo to the city of Querétaro. This is to supplement local water sources which are no longer able to meet
21624-770: The state was Querétaro Arteaga , but in 2008 the State Legislature approved the adoption of the simpler name Querétaro . Querétaro is located in the north-central area of Mexico, or the Sierra Madre Oriental, connecting the wetter climes of the south with the drier deserts of the north. The state is divided into 18 municipalities: Amealco de Bonfil , Arroyo Seco , Cadereyta de Montes , Colón , Corregidora , El Marqués , Ezequiel Montes , Huimilpan , Jalpan de Serra , Landa de Matamoros , Pedro Escobedo Municipality , Peñamiller , Pinal de Amoles , Querétaro , San Joaquín , San Juan del Río , Tequisquiapan and Tolimán . Three of Mexico’s geographic zones cover parts of
21783-491: The state's name in 1867 in honor of General José María Arteaga . Originally from Mexico City, Arteaga became governor of Querétaro and distinguished himself as a soldier in the middle of the 19th century. It was removed in 2008. Agricultural settlements dated to about 500 BCE have been found in the San Juan del Río and Huimilpan areas, which was during the Teotihuacan era. The ancient city had interest and influence in
21942-444: The state, especially in the south, but would never incorporate the area completely into either empire. The Aztec’s interest in the area was mostly to use it as a bulwark against marauding northern Chichimeca tribes, and it never became a tributary state. During this time, as well, a number of new peoples entered the state, most likely from the north, primarily the Pames and the Chichimeca Jonaz . The first group practiced agriculture in
22101-661: The state. As it is near the mountain range, its topography is relatively rugged. Los Valles Centrales (Central Valleys) is in the center of the state, overlapping almost all of the area formed by the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt , with the exception of the north of the El Marqués municipality, which is in the Mesa del Centro. The continental divide runs through here marked by the Sierra Queretana,
22260-458: The state. Exports in 2002 totaled $ 3.35 billion USD, and direct investment in 2003 reached $ 169 million. Many of these companies are headquartered in modern industrial parks, one of the newest and most technologically advanced being El Marques Industrial Park . This facility was inaugurated in 2003, with an initial investment of $ 13 million USD. The park occupies a space of 274 acres (1.11 km) with international tenants from Italy, Germany, Spain,
22419-587: The state. The Mesa del Centro is in the center-west of the state, and mostly consists of small mesas with an average altitude of 2,000 meters (6,562 feet) above sea level (ASL). A few elevations reach over 3,000 meters (9,843 feet). The Sierra Madre Oriental occupies the northeast of the state and includes the cities of Huasteca area. The topography of this area is rugged, with long mountain chains and narrow valleys. Elevations here range between 900 m (2,953 ft) and 3,000 m (9,843 ft) m ASL. The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt occupies about half of
22578-460: The state’s manufacturing companies are located in or around the city of Querétaro. Carnation and Purina are among the best-known food processing companies with facilities in the state, and numerous textile mills manufacture clothing made of wool, cotton and henequen . One of the biggest employers is Tremec , an auto parts manufacturer. Currently, there are 392 companies with direct foreign investment and 238 exporting companies that have located in
22737-404: The state’s population has grown from 232,389 to the current figure. Growth rates were highest in the 1970s at over 4%, but since have come down to 1.9%. The fastest rates of population growth in the state now are in Querétaro and San Juan del Río at about 4%. Two, Arroyo Seco and Peñamiller , have lost population in the previous decades. The capital city of Santiago de Querétaro has nearly half of
22896-481: The state’s population. Other major cities include San Juan del Río (208,462) Corregidora (104,218) El Marqués (79,743) and Cadereyta de Montes (57,204). About 37% lives in the 1420 communities with between 1 and 1,999 inhabitants, and 16% in communities of between 2,000 and 14,999. The population of the state is sparse in most areas, concentrated in only one true urban center and some smaller communities. Living standards are higher than average for Mexico in and around
23055-534: The supporting plants. The fauna is similar to that found in the emergent layer, but more diverse. It is suggested that the total arthropod species richness of the tropical canopy might be as high as 20 million. Other species inhabiting this layer include many avian species such as the yellow-casqued wattled hornbill ( Ceratogymna elata ), collared sunbird ( Anthreptes collaris ), grey parrot ( Psitacus erithacus ), keel-billed toucan ( Ramphastos sulfuratus ), scarlet macaw ( Ara macao ) as well as other animals like
23214-404: The trees to capture sunlight. Only about 5% of sunlight breaches the canopy to arrive at the understory causing true understory plants to seldom grow to 3 m (10 feet). As an adaptation to these low light levels, understory plants have often evolved much larger leaves. Many seedlings that will grow to the canopy level are in the understory. The canopy is the primary layer of the forest, forming
23373-482: The tropical rainforests fall into two classifications which include the ultisols and oxisols . Ultisols are known as well weathered, acidic red clay soils, deficient in major nutrients such as calcium and potassium. Similarly, oxisols are acidic, old, typically reddish, highly weathered and leached, however are well drained compared to ultisols. The clay content of ultisols is high, making it difficult for water to penetrate and flow through. The reddish color of both soils
23532-573: The tropical rainforests of the Huasteca area in the state of San Luis Potosí . The Sierra Gorda was made a biosphere reserve in 1997, the Reserva de la Biosfera de la Sierra Gorda, to protect its abundance of species and ecosystems. In 2001, the area was registered with the Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO. This area is managed by la Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas of
23691-426: The typical Yanamomo diet comes from farmed plants. Some action has been taken by suggesting fallow periods of the land allowing secondary forest to grow and replenish the soil. Beneficial practices like soil restoration and conservation can benefit the small farmer and allow better production on smaller parcels of land. The tropics take a major role in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide . The tropics (most notably
23850-728: The uptake of carbon. The soil contains microbial organisms such as bacteria, which break down leaf litter and other organic matter into inorganic forms of carbon usable by plants through a process called decomposition. During the decomposition process the microbial community is respiring, taking up oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. The decomposition rate can be evaluated by measuring the uptake of oxygen. High temperatures and precipitation increase decomposition rate, which allows plant litter to rapidly decay in tropical regions, releasing nutrients that are immediately taken up by plants through surface or ground waters. The seasonal patterns in respiration are controlled by leaf litter fall and precipitation,
24009-474: The valleys and the latter in the mountain areas. When the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century, the largest indigenous group in the state was the Otomi, many of whom were living more or less under Purépecha rule. This population would increase with Otomi refugees from Aztec lands fleeing the Spanish. Another significant group was the Chichimecas. With the fall of Tenochtitlán, then
24168-399: The war, the economy of the state recovered slowly. Between 1940 and 1960, economic progress came more rapidly, with the industrial infrastructure growing and modernizing. During the same period, the population grew substantially as well. Much of industrial growth from then to the present can be seen in the various industrial parks located north of the capital city. In the following thirty years,
24327-505: The war. Ortiz de Dominguez sent word to Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in Dolores, Guanajuato (now Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato) that the plot was discovered. At that point, Hidalgo decided to begin the revolt against colonial rule in on 15 September, rather than in December as planned. Gonzalez was imprisoned in the Philippines from 1810 to 1838 for his role. The Corregidor and his wife were caught and imprisoned for their parts as well. Soon after,
24486-627: The winter dry season, thus they are sometimes called "tropical mixed forest". They are found in parts of South America, in Central America and around the Caribbean , in coastal West Africa , parts of the Indian subcontinent , and across much of Indochina . These are found in cooler-climate mountainous areas, becoming known as cloud forests at higher elevations. Depending on latitude, the lower limit of montane rainforests on large mountains
24645-626: The world have inhabited rainforests for millennia, relying on them for sustenance and shelter, but face challenges from modern economic activities. Conservation efforts are diverse, focusing on both preservation and sustainable management. International policies, such as the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation ( REDD and REDD+ ) programs, aim to curb deforestation and forest degradation. Despite these efforts, tropical rainforests continue to face significant threats from deforestation and climate change , highlighting
24804-457: The world's animal and plant species, and two-thirds of all flowering plant species. Their dense insect population and variety of trees and higher plants are notable. Described as the "world's largest pharmacy", over a quarter of natural medicines have been discovered in them. However, tropical rainforests are threatened by human activities, such as logging and agricultural expansion, leading to habitat fragmentation and loss . The structure of
24963-456: Was established in San José de Escandón -today in the municipality of Pinal de Amoles- which governed what is now the northern half of the state. Decline of mining in the area would have this seat of government moved to Cadereyta in 1675, but this territory would be joined with the alcaldía mayor of the city of Querétaro to form the modern state. The territory of Querétaro was consolidated during
25122-520: Was strategic in the development of events just before the start of the Mexican War of Independence . It was the site of the conspiracy among Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla , Ignacio Allende , Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez and her husband the Corregidor of Querétaro Miguel Domínguez . The plot was uncovered when another conspirator, Epigmenio González , was caught with a stockpile of weapons to start
25281-431: Was the director of the old Academia de Dibujo y Pintura de San Fernando, which trained more artists in the state such as Agustín Rivera Ugalde. The 20th century produced artists such as Braulio Rodríguez Granda, Jesús Rodríguez de la Vega, Jesús Águila Herrera and Restituto Rodríguez Camacho. The current generation of Querétaro artists includes Rafael Rodríguez, Virginia Ledesma, Ramsés de la Cruz and Juan Eduardo Muñoz . In
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