Chiapas

**Chiapas** is the southernmost state of Mexico. It is towards the southeast of the country. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west. To the east Chiapas borders Guatemala, and to the south the Pacific Ocean.

Chiapas has an area of . The 2005 census population was 4,293,459 people.

In general Chiapas has a humid, tropical weather. In the north, in the area bordering Tabasco, near Teapa, rainfall can be more than 3,000 mm (118 in) per year . In the past, natural vegetation at this region was lowland, tall perennial rainforest, but this vegetation has been destroyed almost completely to give way to agriculture and ranching. Rainfall decreases moving towards the Pacific Ocean, but it is still abundant enough to allow the farming of bananas and many other tropical crops near Tapachula. On the several parallel "sierras" or mountain ranges running along the center of Chiapas, climate can be quite temperate and foggy. This allows the development of cloud forests like those of the Reserva de la Biosfera el Triunfo, home to a handful of quetzals and horned guans.

The state capital is Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Other cities and towns in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las Casas, Comitán, and Tapachula. Chiapas is also home to the ancient Maya ruins of Palenque, Yaxchilan, Bonampak, Chinkultic, and Tonina.

Most people in Chiapas are poor, rural small farmers. About one quarter of the population are of full or predominant Maya descent, and in rural areas many do not speak Spanish. The state suffers from the highest rate of malnutrition in Mexico. This rate is estimated to affect over 40% of the population.

Other social issues involve the increasing presence of the Central American gangs known as Maras, and illegal immigration from Central America in general. This migration is mostly directed towards the United States, but it makes local poverty even worse. Many times, there are abuse and Human Rights violations that touch these migrants.

In 1994, there was an outbreak of violence between the Mexican Government and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (the EZLN or Zapatistas). Today, the EZLN (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, named in honour of Emiliano Zapata) has rejected the use of force and seek to be recognized as a voice of the poor. There are currently 32 "rebel autonomous zapatista municipalities" (independent Zapatista communities, MAREZ in Spanish), controlled by the EZLN in Chiapas: examples of these communities are Ocosingo and Las Margaritas.

## Infobox (settlement)

- **official name**: Chiapas
- **settlement type**: Political divisions of Mexico, State
- **image flag**: Flag of Chiapas.svg
- **flag size**: 140px
- **image shield**: Coat of arms of Chiapas.svg
- **shield size**: 80px
- **image map**: Mexico map, MX-CHP.svg
- **mapsize**: 255px
- **map caption**: Location within Mexico
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision name**: Mexico
- **subdivision type1**: Capital
- **subdivision name1**: Tuxtla Gutiérrez
- **subdivision type2**: Municipalities of Mexico, Municipalities
- **subdivision name2**: Municipalities#, 118
- **subdivision type3**: List of cities in Mexico, Largest City
- **subdivision name3**: Tuxtla Gutiérrez
- **leader title**: List of Mexican state governors, Governor
- **leader name**: Juan José Sabines Guerrero
 (Party of the Democratic Revolution, PRD)
- **leader title1**: Chamber of Deputies of Mexico, Federal Deputies
- **leader name1**: Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI: 7
Partido de la Revolución Democrática, PRD: 5
- **leader title2**: Senate of Mexico, Federal Senators
- **leader name2**: PRI: 1
PRD: 1
PVEM: 1
- **area footnotes**:
 List of Mexican states by area, Ranked 8th
- **area total km2**: 74211
- **population as of**: 2005
- **population total**: 4,293,459(List of Mexican states by population, Ranked 7th)
- **blank name**: HDI (2004)
- **blank info**: 0.7076 - <span style="color:#fc0">medium</span>
List of Mexican states by HDI, Ranked 32nd
- **blank1 name**: ISO 3166-2
- **blank1 info**: MX-CHP
- **blank2 name**: Postal abbr.
- **blank2 info**: Chis.
- **website**: [http://www.chiapas.gob.mx/ Chiapas State Government]