Las Minas (
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
: 'the mines') is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in the
Mexican
Mexican may refer to:
Mexico and its culture
*Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America
** People
*** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants
*** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
state
State most commonly refers to:
* State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory
**Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country
**Nation state, a ...
of
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...
, located northeast of the state capital
Xalapa
Xalapa or Jalapa (, ), officially Xalapa-Enríquez (), is the capital city of the Mexico, Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In 2020 census the city reported a population of 443,063 ...
.
Geography
The municipality of Las Minas is located in central Veracruz at an altitude between . It borders the municipalities of
Altotonga to the west and north,
Tatatila to the east,
Las Vigas de Ramírez to the south, and
Villa Aldama to the southwest.
The municipality covers an area of
[ and comprises 0.1% of the state's area.][ The municipality is located in the ]Nautla River
The Nautla River is a river of Mexico. The river starts on the northern slope of Cofre de Perote volcano under the names Altotonga or Alseseca and flows northeastwards to empty into the Gulf of Mexico. The Bobos River and Quila River are tributa ...
basin and the main stem of the Nautla flows through it from south to north. Known as the '' arroyo'' Borregos as it enters the municipality, it changes its name to the Trinidad River as it flows past the hydroelectric plant near the municipal seat, and then becomes the Bobos River as its course bends northwest on the municipality's border with Tatatila.[
]
History
The original name for the area was Zomelahuacan (Nahuatl
Nahuatl ( ; ), Aztec, or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions, a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about Nahuas, most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have smaller popul ...
: "slippery place of elderberries").[ The discovery of rich mineral deposits in the area of Zomelahuacan and Tatatila dates back to 1680 and gold and copper mining took place in the 18th and 19th centuries.][ In 1803 the town of Las Minas de Zomelahuacan was founded; its name was eventually shortened to Las Minas.][
On 1 December 1868, Las Minas became a municipality in the canton of Jalacingo in the state of Veracruz. On 28 October 1881 it was separated from Jalacingo and attached to the canton of Xalapa. It became a free municipality on 15 January 1918.
]
Administration
The municipal government comprises a president, a councillor (Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
: ''síndico''), and a trustee (''regidor'').[ The current president of the municipality is María Magdalena Hernández Condado.
]
Demographics
In the 2020 Mexican Census, the municipality of Las Minas recorded a population of 2,934 inhabitants living in 614 households.[2020 Las Minas CENSUS]
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There are 12 localities in the municipality,[ all of the classified as rural. The municipal seat, Las Minas, recorded a population of 219 inhabitants.][ Other localities include Rinconada (539 hab.), Molinillo (439 hab.), Landaco (348 hab.), Quiahuixcuautla (304 hab.) and Pueblo Nuevo (242 hab.).][
]
Economy and infrastructure
The main economic activity in Las Minas is farming. Corn, beans and coffee are the main crops grown, and pastures are maintained for the grazing of goats and sheep. Mineral exploration in the area is ongoing as of 2018.hydroelectric plant
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and also mo ...
is located near the municipal seat and has a capacity of 15 MW.[
]
References
{{Veracruz
Municipalities of Veracruz
1868 establishments in Mexico
States and territories established in 1868