WHAT ARE THE NATURAL COMPONENTS OF CHIAPAS? - ENVIRONMENT - 2024

The natural components of Chiapas correspond to the group of factors and geographical features characteristic of the area, such as its flora, fauna, hydrography and relief.

Chiapas has an immense animal, plant and climatic biodiversity that gives rise to several quite different ecosystems capable of harboring many natural resources.

Many of the animal and plant species that make life in Chiapas are endemic.

However, unfortunately a high number of these are threatened, for this reason there are up to 36 natural areas protected by ordinance of the federal government in order to guarantee the conservation of flora and fauna.

You may also be interested in the natural resources of Chiapas.

Chiapas and its main natural components

Its extraordinary landscapes, especially its coasts, give Chiapas a great tourist attraction due to the large number of beaches, spas and areas for water fun where mangroves abound.

Similarly, its soils are extremely fertile and suitable for livestock and agriculture. Two of the agricultural products with the highest production in Chiapas are cocoa and coffee, the latter being harvested by hand in plantations no larger than 2 hectares.

Natural resources

Mining is another of the most important activities in Chiapas, due to the enormous mineral wealth of its soils, where there are large deposits of gas, quartz, gold and oil.

More than one million hectares of the state are used for mining and a quarter of Mexico's natural gas reserves are in Chiapas, as well as 7% of the national oil production.

Forests

The forests of Chiapas correspond to areas of several thousand square kilometers that have been used for years for logging.

However, indiscriminate logging and the increasingly accentuated advance of human settlements seriously threaten these ecosystems and their animal population.

Flora and fauna

Chiapas has extensive forests that are home to more than 50 thousand species of plants. Many of the trees are made of fine woods and highly valued for industrial use, such as mahogany, ceiba, cypress, ash, and oak.

Like several of the tropical jungle regions of Mexico and Central America, Chiapas has a very high animal biodiversity where amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and insects can be found.

Some of the most emblematic animals of Chiapas are monkeys, jaguars, caimans, bats, and toucans. Several of the species are unique to the region.

4- Geography

There are three geographies that dominate and shape Chiapas; the humid subtropical forest, the temperate forests and the plains or grasslands.

As a consequence, there are also three climates in the state that vary depending on the altitude and latitude; hot, temperate and cold climates.

The abundant rainfall during most of the year makes Chiapas a state with abundant hydrography and beneficial for the region, due to the fauna that inhabits the banks of the rivers, such as shellfish and crustaceans.

References

1. Chiapas (nd). Retrieved on November 24, 2017, from INAFED.
2. Fernanda Moguel (June 26, 2017). Chiapas, a state rich in flora and fauna. Retrieved on November 24, 2017, from Cuarto Poder.
3. Geography of Chiapas (sf). Retrieved on November 24, 2017, from Exploring México.
4. Chiapas (nd). Retrieved on November 24, 2017, from Biodiversity.
5. About Chiapas (nd). Retrieved on November 24, 2017, from Chiapas Ilustrado.