The natural resources of Oaxaca include forest resources, including pine and oak forests; fishery 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 south coast of the country. It is the fifth largest state in extent.
Its boundaries 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.
The name of the state comes from the word Hauxyacac , native of the Aztec Nahuatl language. Hauxyacac means"at the top of the guaje tree".
Guaje (Leucaena leucocephala) is a shrub or tree with a long life without spines that can reach heights of 7 to 20 meters. This tree is common throughout the state.
The 7 most important natural resources of Oaxaca
1- Forest resources
Forests are among the largest natural resources in Oaxaca. These cover approximately half of the land surface of the state.
There are temperate forests and tropical forests, as well as high, medium and low forests. A good part of the territory is occupied by forests of pine, pine-oak and oak.
2- Fishing resources
In its 597 kilometers of coastline, Oaxaca has a great variety of fish, like smooth, snapper, sailfish, carp, shrimp and lobster.
It also has 61 lagoon systems in 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 catching shrimp. This activity is mainly carried out in the area of the Port of Salina Cruz.
3- Mineral Resources
Among the natural resources of Oaxaca, minerals occupy a preponderant place. Since the pre-Hispanic period, gold and silver have been extracted from the mines of the region.
There are currently unquantified reserves of copper, silver, gold, zinc and antimony. There are also deposits of non-metallic minerals, among them: micas, zeolites, marble, travertines and granite.
4- Soils
The land of Oaxaca is fertile, so much of its citizens are farmers. The most important crops are mangos and coffee, which are the main ones for local consumption.
Other important crops are maize, 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 by-products used by the Pacific coastal region.
Explorations are constantly carried out in deep and shallow waters to discover more oil sources.
6- R water resources
Oaxaca has several water resources such as rivers, waterfalls and lagoons. The largest river is the Papaloapan River, which forms when several small rivers meet near the border with Veracruz.
Among the waterfalls most famous 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 Upper and Lower in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
7- Flora and fauna
The abundance of natural resources in Oaxaca comes from its biodiversity, which is the largest in the Mexican republic.
The entity has about thirty thousand species of different plants. In addition to its timber trees, it has coconut palms and mangroves (a tropical evergreen tree). Also common are plants such as fennel, thyme and laurel.
In relation to the fauna, small animals such as squirrels, tlacuaches (Mexican worms) and armadillos inhabit this area.
Larger mammals include deer, wildcats, leopards, wild boars, tapirs and spider monkeys. Among the birds can be mentioned the tzentzontles (the bird of a thousand voices), goldfinches, sparrows, hawks and eagles.
References
- Oaxaca. (s / f). In Nations Encyclopedia. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from nationsencyclopedia.com
- About Oaxaca (s / f). The oaxaca Fund Initiative. Recovered on September 20, 2017, from oaxaca.icf-xchange.org
- Oaxaca (2013, July 10) In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from britannica.com
- Suttie, J.M. (S7F). Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from fao.org
- Mesófilo Group. (2003). Oaxaca, diagnosis of the forest sector. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from grupomesofilo.org
- Center for the Study of Sustainable Rural Development and Food Sovereignty. (2008). Fishing in Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from cedrssa.gob.mx
- CG Mining. (2012). Mining panorama of the state of Oaxaca. Retrieved on September 20, 2017, from 3sector.files.wordpress.com