Located in Mexico’s southern region, Chiapas borders Tabasco to the north, Guatemala and the Pacific Ocean to the south and Veracruz and Oaxaca to the west.

Famous for its wide variety of festivities, traditions, crafts and cuisine, you’ll also find a lot of natural beauty in Chiapas at such places as Canyon del Sumidero National Park, the Cascadas (waterfalls) de Agua Azul and the Biosphere Reserve of the Montebello Lagoons, where you’ll see turquoise-blue waters surrounded by a forest with native plants and animal species. What’s more, you can visit fascinating Mayan archaeological zones, including those at Tonina, Bonampak, Yaxchilan and mysterious Palenque, where archeologists have made recent discoveries of the rulers’ tombs. In the magical city of San Cristobal de las Casas, you’ll see beautiful religious buildings like the Cathedral and the Church of Santo Domingo. You can also visit the plazas and markets, where you’ll find crafts, garments and wood sculptures made by Tzotzil, Tzeltal and Lacandon indigenous artisans.

In the surrounding areas of Tuxtla Gutierrez, the state capital, where you can marvel at important historic buildings like the Cathedral of San Marcos and the Antiguo Palacio de Gobierno (old Government Palace,) you can also visit the towns of Chiapas de Corzo, San Juan Chamula and Comitan de Dominguez. There you’ll see splendid architecture, take part on various festivities and experience Spanish and Mayan influenced traditions.

Chiapas' thickly wooded jungles, mountains and valleys together with its traditional cultures and indigenous roots have kept its look and show a style very distinct from the rest of Mexico. Although there are some cities, symbols and events here which reveal the area's colonial heritage, the population remains close to its indigenous roots. Life is still lived according to customs and rituals.

Many argue that the natural beauty of this area has no parallel in Mexico; deep green forested valleys, awesome waterfalls and high mountains with deep canyons and gorges, a colossal wealth of flora and fauna and glorious lakes certainly make this area one of Mexico's most unspoiled natural paradises.

Away from the larger towns, Spanish is a second language; people here still retain their indigenous culture and tongue. You'll see a lot of indigenous people going about their everyday life, often wearing their traditional dresses. It's important to remember that the people who live here are extremely sensitive to having their photograph taken, so exercise caution in this respect when you visit.
 

GEOGRAPHIC DATA:
Within the Republic of Mexico, Chiapas is the southern most state and it is located to the southeast of the country. Its geographic regions are: The Pacific coast plains, central depression, northern mountains, gulf coast plains, the mountain range called “Sierra Madre de Chiapas,” central high plains and the eastern mountains.

SURFACE AREA:
Chiapas geographic area is of 75,634.4 km² and it is the 8th largest state in Mexico.

CURRENT POPULATION (2005):
Men: 1.941.880
Women: 1.979.012
Total: 3.920.892

BORDERS:

• To the north is the state of Tabasco
• To the east is the Republic of Guatemala
• To the south are Guatemala and the Pacific Ocean
• To the west are the Pacific Ocean, and the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz

ETHNIC GROUPS:
The culture of Chiapas is to a large extent determined by its ethnic groups, such as:

• Zoques
• Tzotziles
• Tzeltales
• Tojolabales
• Choles
• Lacandones
• Mochos
• Cakchiqueles
• Mames

These ethnic groups are settled in diverse places within Chiapas territory and with very particular cultural expressions.
 

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