The relief of Oaxaca is mainly mountainous, does not have considerable valleys and has numerous canyons and ravines that are distributed in the mountains of the region. Its topography is one of the most rugged and varied in all of Mexico.
The state of Oaxaca is one of the 31 states that make up the United States of Mexico and is located southwest of the Mexican territory.
The capital of the state of Oaxaca is Ciudad Juárez. Its limits are the states of Puebla and Veracruz to the north; the Pacific Ocean to the south; the state of Chiapas to the east and the state of Guerrero to the west.
It is the fifth largest state in the country, with a territorial extension of 93,757 km² and thanks to its geographical characteristics, it has the greatest variety of climates in all its territory: low temperatures in its mountains and a fairly hot climate on its coast, ravines and in the region of the isthmus.
Variety of the relief of Oaxaca
The relief of Oaxaca is rugged and varied, ranging from sea level to 3,750 meters above sea level (masl).
This relief is comprised of seven of the basic types, which are divided in percentage terms in the territory of Oaxaca as follows:
-Saws: 81.62%.
-Plains: 7.77%.
-Lomeríos: 5.91%.
-Valley: 3.19%.
-Beaches 0.64%.
-Cañadas 0.64%.
-Mests: 0.23%.
Likewise, in the state of Oaxaca the 5 topographic formations of the most important in the country converge, these are:
-The Sierra Madre del Sur makes up 70% of the territory of Oaxaca. This topographic formation covers the center, south and west of the state. It includes the Southern Coastal Mountain Range, the Eastern Sierras, the Central Sierras of Oaxaca, the Southern Coasts, the Mixteca Alta, the Valleys and Sierras of Oaxaca.
-The Central American Cordillera makes up 64% of the territory of Oaxaca. This topographic formation encompasses the entire eastern area of Oaxaca and includes the Sierras and plains of Chiapas and the plains of the isthmus of Tehuantepec.
-The Coastal Plain of the South Gulf makes up 9.59% of the state's territory. This topographic formation encompasses the Veracruz Coastal Plain in the northeastern part of the state, on the border with the state of Veracruz.
-The Sierras of Chiapas and Guatemala make up 1.93% of the state's territory. This topographic formation encompasses the Sierras del Norte de Chiapas, in the vertex that forms the limits between Oaxaca, Chiapas and Veracruz.
-The Neovolcanic Axis makes up 0.84% of the territory of Oaxaca. This topographic formation includes the Sierras del Sur de Puebla, in the limits of the state.
Main elevations of the relief of Oaxaca
The main elevations located in the state of Oaxaca ordered by their height are:
-Nube Flane (Quie Yelaag): located at 3,720 meters above sea level.
-Cerro Quiexobee: located at 3,640 meters above sea level.
-Cerro Piedra de Olla: located at 3,340 meters above sea level.
-Cerro Zempoaltépetl: located at 3,280 meters above sea level.
-Cerro Volcán Prieto: located at 3,250 meters above sea level.
-Cerro Humo Grande: located at 3,250 meters above sea level.
-Cerro Negro: located at 3,200 meters above sea level.
-Cerro Peña San Felipe: located at 3,100 meters above sea level.
-Cerro Verde: located at 2,880 meters above sea level.
-Sierra El Cerro Azul: located at 2,300 meters above sea level.
References
- Abisaí J. García-Mendoza, AJ, Ordóñez Díaz, M. d., & Briones-Salas, M. (2004). Biodiversity of Oaxaca.
- Gonzalez, VM (2014). Oaxaca, Monte Alban, Puerto Escondido, Huatulco Bays, Travel Guide: All the State of Oaxaca (Mexico). Solaris Communication.
- (1998). Oaxaca today 1997. INEGI.
- (2000). Mexico today 1999. INEGI.
- Martínez, BG (2008). The regions of Mexico: geographical and historical breviary. The College of Mexico AC.
- Sánchez, MC (2001). Geography 2 of Mexico. Editorial Progreso.
- Saragoza, A. (2012). Mexico Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Republic, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO.
- Stacy, L. (2002). Mexico and the United States. Marshall Cavendish.