Sonoyta
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| Sonoyta | |
  Sonoyta
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Mexico |
| State | Sonora |
| Municipality | Plutarco Elías Calles |
| Founded | 1694 (San Marcelo de Sonoitac) |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Raul Martiniano Contreras García |
| Elevation | 400 m (1,312 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| - Total | 10,061 |
| - Density | 4.59/km² (11.9/sq mi) |
| - Demonym | Sonoitita Culon |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| Postal code | 83570 - |
| Area code(s) | 651 |
| Website: www.sonora.gob.mx/portal/ | |
Sonoyta, Sonora is a town in the northern Mexican state of Sonora. It stands on the U.S.-Mexico border, facing Lukeville, Arizona, in the United States. It is the municipal seat of the municipality of Plutarco Elías Calles.
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[edit] Demographics
According to the 2005 census, the city had 10,061 inhabitants while the surrounding municipality had 12,416 inhabitants. 5,142 inhabitants were male and 4,919 inhabitants were female. 76.1 percent of the population over five years of age are Roman Catholic, 13.0 percent are Evangelicals, and the remaining 10.9 percent belong to other religions.
[edit] History
The first inhabitants of this region were the Tohono O'odham, who lived in the regions of Pinacate, Quitovac, and Sonoyta. The arrival of Jesuit missionaries to this zone changed their way of life. Therefore, compact communities were formed mainly on the banks of lakes and of the river. At the foothills of a spot known as Loma Alta, sprouted water from a fountain, called by the naturals Ṣon Oidag, O'odham for "base of the water". A missionary community was founded in Sonoyta in 1694. It was called San Marcelo de Sonoyta.
In 1836 they discovered adjoining mines. Sonoyta was dependent to the municipality of the District of Altar during periods of the 19th century. After the Revolution it belonged to the municipality of Caborca, Sonora through the Law No. 136 of July 9, 1952. Then it separated from the municipality of Caborca and belonged to the municipality of Puerto Peñasco, Sonora until August 1989, when a new municipality was created and called General Plutarco Elías Calles, as a social, political, and historic need.
[edit] Education
The Municipality counts on an educational infrastructure of 10 preschools, 15 elementary schools, 5 junior high and high schools, 2 medium professional and a 1 accredited college.
[edit] Traffic
Sonoyta is situated at an important crossroads. Federal highway 2 Mexicali-Caborca crosses here. A road leading toward Lukeville, Arizona (U.S.-Mexico border of Sonoyta) crosses the city. This road also travels to Puerto Peñasco, Sonora.
[edit] Present Day
Sonoyta is well known as an immigrant crossing-point to the United States. Many migrants use the town to make final preparations for a treacherous trek through the Sonoran desert.[citation needed] On this long desert march, migrants often face death, especially during the summer season.
Conversely, the town is used as a crossover point for American tourists headed to Puerto Peñasco, Sonora or other cities in Northern Mexico. Puerto Peñasco, a popular beach city, is located about 60 miles (100 km) southwest on Highway 8.
Sonoyta features many urbanizations as well as a downtown filled with many small stores and markets. There are also services of major companies, such as Pemex and Banamex, available. The town has no airport(it does but only for small planes/jets), but major airports are located in the nearby cities of Mexicali, Baja California; Hermosillo, Sonora; Yuma, Arizona; Phoenix, Arizona; and Tucson, Arizona, all of which are accessed by car in five hours or less. An international airport in Puerto Peñasco is scheduled to open in 2008.( There are direct flights from Los Angeles three times a week as well from Phoenix and also from some major cities in Mexico.
The border between Sonoyta and Lukeville, Arizona, closes at midnight MST every day and re-opens at 06:00 AM MST the following day.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Aerial Photos Google Maps
