THE 7 MOST OUTSTANDING NATURAL RESOURCES OF OAXACA - GEOGRAPHY - 2024

The natural resources of Oaxaca include forest resources, among which the pine and oak forests stand out; fishing resources, of which sailfish and lobster stand out; and mineral resources, with gold and silver being the main elements extracted.

This Mexican state is located on the southern coast of the country. It is the fifth largest state in extension. Its limits are the Mexican states of Puebla and Veracruz to the north; Chiapas to the east; the Pacific Ocean to the south; and Guerrero to the west. Oaxaca is divided into 570 municipalities and its capital is Oaxaca de Juárez.

Sierra Sur of Oaxaca. Source: Mario E. Fuente Cid (me) / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

The name of the state comes from the word Hauxyacac, originally from the Aztec Nahuatl language. Hauxyacac ​​means "at the top of the gourd tree."

The gourd (Leucaena leucocephala) is a long-lived thornless shrub or tree that can reach heights of 7 to 20 meters. This tree is common throughout the state.

The most important natural resources of Oaxaca

1- Forest resources

Forests are among the greatest natural resources in Oaxaca. They cover about half of the state's land area.

There are temperate climate forests and tropical forests, as well as high, medium and low forests. A good part of the territory is occupied by pine, pine-oak and oak forests.

2- Fishing resources

In its 597 kilometers of coastline, Oaxaca has a great variety of fish, such as mullet, snapper, sailfish, carp, shrimp and lobster.

It also has 61 lagoon systems on its coasts, which have different depths and temporality.

The fishing industry has not been developed to its full potential. However, one of the most popular activities is shrimp catching. This activity is carried out mainly in the Puerto de Salina Cruz area.

3- Mineral resources

Among the natural resources of Oaxaca, minerals occupy a preponderant place. Since pre-Hispanic times, gold and silver have been mined in the region.

Currently there are unquantified reserves of copper, silver, gold, zinc and antimony. There are also deposits of non-metallic minerals, including: micas, zeolites, marble, travertines and granite.

4- Soils

The lands of Oaxaca are fertile, for this reason a large part of its citizens are farmers. The most important crops are mangoes and coffee, which are the main ones for local consumption.

Other important crops are corn, beans, squash, avocado, orange, sugar cane and tobacco.

5- Oil resources

The entity has several oil fields. A large oil refinery in Salina Cruz supplies most of the oil and its by-products, used by the Pacific coastal region.

Explorations are constantly being carried out, in shallow and deep waters, to discover more oil sources.

6- R

Oaxaca has several water resources such as rivers, waterfalls and lagoons. The largest river is the Rio Papaloapan, which is formed when several small rivers meet near the border with Veracruz.

Among the most famous waterfalls for their beauty are Salto de Conejo, Cabdadihui, Yatao, Salto de Fraile and Apaola.

The largest lagoons are Chacahua and Manialtepec in the coastal region, and Superior and Inferior of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

7- Flora and fauna

The abundance of natural resources in Oaxaca comes from its biodiversity, which is the highest in the Mexican Republic.

The entity has about thirty thousand different plant species. In addition to its timber trees, it has coconut palms and mangroves (a tropical evergreen tree). Plants such as fennel, thyme, and bay leaf are also common.

Regarding the fauna, small animals such as squirrels, opossums (Mexican worms) and armadillos inhabit this area.

The largest mammals include deer, bobcats, leopards, wild boars, tapirs, and spider monkeys. Among the birds we can mention the tzentzontles (the bird with a thousand voices), goldfinches, sparrows, hawks and eagles.

References

1. Oaxaca. (s / f). In Nations Encyclopedia. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from nationsencyclopedia.com
2. About Oaxaca (s / f). The oaxaca Fund Initiative. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from oaxaca.icf-xchange.org
3. Oaxaca (2013, July 10) In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from britannica.com
4. Suttie, JM (S7F). Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from fao.org
5. Mesophilic Group. (2003). Oaxaca, diagnosis of the forestry sector. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from grupomesofilo.org
6. Center for Studies for Sustainable Rural Development and Food Sovereignty. (2008). Fishing in Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from cedrssa.gob.mx
7. CG Mining. (2012). Mining Panorama of the state of Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from 3sector.files.wordpress.com