Chiapas

Quick Facts: Who was Chiapas?

Subject:

Chiapas

Known for:

Southern Mexican state known for Mayan ruins, tropical climate, and rich indigenous culture.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Chiapas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas, is one of the states that make up the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 124 municipalities as of September 2017 and its capital and largest city is Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Other important population centers in Chiapas include Ocosingo, Tapachula, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Comitán, and Arriaga. Chiapas is the southernmost state in Mexico, and it borders the states of Oaxaca to the west, Veracruz to the northwest, and Tabasco to the north, and the Petén, Quiché, Huehuetenango, and San Marcos departments of Guatemala to the east and southeast. Chiapas has a significant coastline on the Pacific Ocean to the southwest.

Career & Major Achievements

In general, Chiapas has a humid, tropical climate. In the northern area bordering Tabasco, near Teapa, rainfall can average more than 3,000 mm (120 in) per year. In the past, natural vegetation in this region was lowland, tall perennial rainforest, but this vegetation has been almost completely cleared to allow agriculture and ranching. Rainfall decreases moving towards the Pacific Ocean, but it is still abundant enough to allow the farming of bananas and many other tropical crops near Tapachula. On the several parallel sierras or mountain ranges running along the center of Chiapas, the climate can be quite moderate and foggy, allowing the development of cloud forests like those of Reserva de la Biosfera El Triunfo, home to a handful of horned guans, resplendent quetzals, and azure-rumped tanagers.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Chiapas is home to the ancient Mayan ruins of Palenque, Yaxchilán, Bonampak, Lacanha, Chinkultic, El Lagartero and Toniná. It is also home to one of the largest indigenous populations in the country, with twelve federally recognized ethnicities. Seventy-eight percent of the population of Chiapas is poor, and one third lives in extreme poverty. The official name of the state is Chiapas, which is believed to have come from the ancient city of Chiapan, which in Náhuatl means "the place where the chia sage grows." After the Spanish arrived (1522), they established two cities called Chiapas de los Indios and Chiapas de los Españoles (1528), with the name of Provincia de Chiapas for the area around the cities. The first coat of arms of the region dates from 1535 as that of the Ciudad Real (San Cristóbal de las Casas).

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1522: 1522 Milestone — " After the Spanish arrived (1522), they established two cities called Chiapas de los Indios and Chiapas de los Españoles (1528), with the name of Provincia de Chiapas for the area around the cities.
2. 1535: 1535 Milestone — The first coat of arms of the region dates from 1535 as that of the Ciudad Real (San Cristóbal de las Casas).
3. 2017: 2017 Milestone — It comprises 124 municipalities as of September 2017 and its capital and largest city is Tuxtla Gutiérrez.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Chiapas

True or False: “The ancient Mokaya civilization was the first to appear in modern Chiapas before the arrival of the Olmecs.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the Mokaya were among the oldest civilizations in the region, excavations suggest they had close relations with the Olmecs, who are theorized to have been the primary influence.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul Halim of Kedah — Historical peer (Died in 2017) (2017): Sultan of Kedah and Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a pivotal Malaysian royal figure.
• Adam West — Historical peer (Died in 2017) (2017): American actor best known for portraying Batman in the 1960s and extensive voice work.
• Antonio de Nebrija — Historical peer (Died in 1522) (1522): Pioneering Spanish humanist, author of the first grammar and dictionary of the Castilian language.
• Joachim du Bellay — Historical peer (Born in 1522) (1522): Founding poet of La Pléiade, promoting French literature to rival Greek and Latin.
• Albrecht Dürer — Historical peer (Died in 1528) (1528): Master of the German Renaissance, renowned painter, printmaker, and theorist.
• Giovanni da Verrazzano — Historical peer (Died in 1528) (1528): Florentine explorer famed for charting the Atlantic coast of North America for France.
• Araki Murashige — Historical peer (Born in 1535) (1535): Feudal lord and tea master who served Oda Nobunaga before defecting to the Mori clan.
• Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād — Historical peer (Died in 1535) (1535): Master of Persian Miniature Painting, defining the high point of Islamic art.

Frequently Asked Questions about Chiapas