GUANAJUATO OROGRAPHY: MAIN CHARACTERISTICS - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The topography of Guanajuato consists of several sets of topography in the reserve as mountains, plains, plateau, valley and canyon. Topoforms are geoforms that can be reduced, geometrically, to a small number of topographic features.

Those geoforms associated with each other according to structural or degradative patterns and that, in addition, keep a landscape unit form topoform systems.

Guanajuato Mountains

On the other hand, according to its physiography, the territory of the Mexican nation is divided into provinces and subprovinces.

The surface of the state of Guanajuato is part of the provinces of Sierra Madre Oriental, Mesa del Centro and Eje Neovolcánico.

Characteristics of the orography of Guanajuato

Guanajuato includes several mountain ranges such as the Sierra Gorda and the Sierra Central. To the north of this entity, the region of Los Altos receives the alternate name of Lomas de Arribeñas, since they are located at 2,000 masl (meters above sea level).

In general, these are mid-altitude elevations. Among them, the highest are:

-Sierra los Agustinos (3,110 masl)

-Cerro Azul (2,980 masl)

-Cerro la Giganta (2,960 masl)

-Cerro el Jardín 2,950 (masl)

-Cerro Grande (2,930 masl).

Neovolcanic axis

The largest amount of surface in the state is on the volcanic axis with a proportion of 49.37%.

This physiographic area is the one with the greatest variation in relief and rock types, and is also the highest mountain range in the country.

In Guanajuato, the subprovinces of this axis are Altos de Jalisco, Bajío Guanajuatense, Llanuras and Sierras de Querétaro and Hidalgo, Sierras y Bajíos Michoacanos and Mil Cumbres.

On the other hand, its topoforms are the following:

-Plain (16.29%)

-Sierra (8.09%)

-Sierra with lomerío (3.82%)

-Plate with glens (3.74%)

-Lomerío (3.50%)

-Lomerío with plain (3.49%)

-Plain, lake vessel (3.09%)

-Plate with hills (2.86%)

-Lomerío with plateaus (1.46%)

-Plate (0.88%)

-Lomerío with ravines (0.80%)

-Valley (0.47%)

-Sierra with plateaus (0.27%)

Center table

The Mesa del Centro comprises 45.31% of the state territory. For the most part, it is a flat province, characterized by wide plains that are interrupted by some mountain ranges.

Its highest elevations are in the Sierra de Guanajuato (up to 2,500 m). The Guanajuato subprovinces are: Plains of Ojuelos-Aguascalientes, Sierras and Plains of the North of Guanajuato, Sierra Cuatralba and Sierra de Guanajuato.

Now, its topoforms are:

-Sierra (19.86%)

-Plain (9.49%)

-Lomerío plain (6.54%)

-Plate with glens (5.00%)

-Lomerío (2.44%)

-Plain with ravines (0.61%)

-Lomerío with ravines (0.57%)

-Plate (0.40%)

-Valley (0.40%)

Sierra Madre Oriental

The Sierra Madre Oriental constitutes only 5.32% of the relief of Guanajuato. Located in the east of the country, this province has a northwest-southeast direction, while its most common type of rock is sedimentary.

In the case of Guanajuato, the only subprovince is Carso Huasteco with two topoforms: sierra (4.83%) and canyon (0.49%).

References

1. National Institute of Statistic and Geography. (2015). Statistical and geographic yearbook of Guanajuato 2015. Mexico: INEGUI.
2. Bocco, G.; Mendoza, ME; Priego, A. and Burgos, A. (2009). The cartography of natural systems as a basis for territorial planning. Mexico DF: National Institute of Ecology.
3. General Coordination of the National Services of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (s / f). Geographical Synthesis of Guanajuato. Retrieved on November 5, 2017, from internet.contenidos.inegi.org.mx.
4. Edaphological, physiographic, climatic and hydrographic characteristics of Mexico. (2008, January 29). Retrieved on November 5, 2017, from inegi.org.mx.
5. White, M; Parra, A. and Ruiz Medrano, E. (2016). Guanajuato. Brief story. Mexico City: Fund for Economic Culture.