| San Luis Potosí Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí |
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| — State — | |||
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| State of San Luis Potosí within Mexico | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Mexico | ||
| Capital | San Luis Potosí | ||
| Largest City | San Luis Potosí | ||
| Municipalities | 58 | ||
| Admission | December 22, 1823[1] | ||
| Order | 6th | ||
| Government | |||
| • Governor | Fernando Toranzo | ||
| • Senators[2] | José Alejandro Zapata Eugenio Govea Arcos Carlos Jiménez Macías |
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| • Deputies[3] | |||
| Area[4] | |||
| • Total | 60,983 km2 (23,545.7 sq mi) | ||
| Ranked 15th | |||
| Highest elevation[5] | 3,180 m (10,433 ft) | ||
| Population (2010)[6] | |||
| • Total | 2,585,518 | ||
| • Rank | 19th | ||
| • Density | 42.4/km2 (109.8/sq mi) | ||
| • Density rank | 20th | ||
| Demonym | Potosino (a) | ||
| Time zone | CST (UTC−6) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC−5) | ||
| Postal code | 78-79 | ||
| Area code | |||
| ISO 3166 code | MX-SLP | ||
| HDI | 0.816 high Ranked 21st | ||
| GDP | US$ 12,231,400.859 th[a] | ||
| Website | Official Web Site | ||
| ^ a. The state's GDP was $156,561,931 thousand of pesos in 2008,[6] amount corresponding to $12,231,400.859 thousand of dollars, being a dollar worth 12.80 pesos (value of June 3, 2010).[7] |
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San Luis Potosí (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsan ˈlwis potoˈsi]) officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí (English: Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí) is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí.
It is located in North-Central Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Coahuila to the north, Nuevo León to the northeast, Tamaulipas and Veracruz to the east, Hidalgo, Querétaro, and Guanajuato to the south, Zacatecas to the northwest, and Jalisco to the west.
In addition to the capital city, the state's largest cities include Ciudad Valles, Matehuala, and Rioverde.
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The state and its capital are both named after Louis IX of France (also known in Mexico as San Luis Rey de Francia, Saint Louis, King of France), its patron saint. The Potosí was added in reference to the fabulously rich mines of Potosí, Bolivia, Believed to have enough gold to build a bridge between Bolivia and Spain, thereafter up on developing of Cerro de San Pedro near the capital city, they found such gold wealth that they compared it to that of Potosi and named it after. comparing the wealth of these mines to that of the local mines at Cerro de San Pedro.
The state lies mostly on the Mexican Plateau, with the exception of the southeastern corner of the state, where the tableland breaks down into the tropical valley of the Panuco River. The surface of the plateau is comparatively level, with some low mountainous wooded ridges. The Sierra Madre Oriental runs north and south through the state, and separates the Mexican Plateau from the Gulf Coastal Plain to the east. The Sierra Madre Oriental is home to the Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests. The Panuco River originates on the Plateau, and flows eastward through a gap in the Sierra Madre to drain into the Gulf of Mexico. The easternmost portion of the state lies on the Gulf Coastal Plain, and covered by the Veracruz moist forests. Its shape resembles a Scottish Terrier.
The Panuco and its tributaries drain the southern and southeastern portion of the state. The northern and central portion of the state, including the capital, lie on an interior drainage basin which does not drain to the sea.
The mean elevation is about 6,000 ft., ensuring a temperate climate. The state lies partly within the arid zone of the north, while the southern half receiving a more liberal rainfall through the influence of the Nortes, which deliver significant amounts of rain. The rainfall, however, is uncertain at the western and northern regions, and much of the state is poorly provided with rivers. The soil is fertile and in favorable seasons large crops of wheat, maize, beans and cotton are grown on the uplands. In the low tropical valleys, sugar, coffee, tobacco, peppers and fruit are staple products. Stockraising is an important industry and hides, tallow and wool are exported. Fine cabinet and construction woods are also exported to a limited extent. Potosi (in Bolivia) was ´believed´ to have enough gold to build a bridge between Potosi and Spain, up on the finding of golden mines in San Luis Potosi, it was then compared to Potosi province in Bolivia and therefore named after it.
At one time San Luis Potosí ranked among the leading mining provinces of Mexico, but the revolts following independence resulted in a great decline in that industry. The area around Real de Catorce has some of the richest silver mines in the country. Other well-known silver mining districts are Peñón Blanco, Ramos and Guadalcázar. The development of Guadalcazar dates from 1620 and its ores yield gold, copper, zinc and bismuth, as well as silver. In the Ramos district, the Cocinera lode was said to have a total yield of over $60,000,000 in the first decade of the 20th century.
Currently one of the mountains, Wirikuta, within the state's declared National Sacred Site is being purchased for silver mining by a Canadian company, “First Majestic Silver Corp”.[8] The mountain is an important site for the Huichol ceremonial migration, Peyote hunt, and deer dance. On October 27, 2000 United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) claimed this site as a protected area for its importance as a cultural route and endemic flora and fauna species. Later on June 9, 2001 it was declared as a National Sacred Site under the State of San Luis Potosi's Natural Protection act. Canada's First Majestic Silver Corp still decided to purchase mineral rights on November 13, 2009 with 80% of their interest within the protected land. The companies current methods includes open pit mining and lixivation through cyanide, using two kilograms of NaCN per tonne of ore. While open pit mining itself removes entire habitats and landscapes, the addition of sodium cyanide, NaCN, is a lethal method requiring only 0.2 grams to kill a person.[8] In April, 2010 the company also opened a new cyanidation plant in Coahila, Mexico where it has started producing 3500 tons of cyanide a day to help them expand their mining efforts.[9] Currently the Huicholes are trying to find outside groups to help them in the conservation of their land and culture by protecting this mountain.
The State of San Luis Potosí is divided into 58 municipalities (Spanish: municipios), each headed by a municipal president (mayor).
The current governor is Fernando Toranzo (2009–2015) of the PRI party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional)
Traditionally, the Real de Minas potosino has driven the industrial engines in the state of San Luis Potosí, and as such, nowadays basic metallurgy still has the largest contribution within the Gross Domestic Product of the entity. The main products extracted across local mines are zinc, copper, lead, gold, silver, mercury, manganese, and arsenic. Other industries following the mining lead are in the sectors of chemicals, foods, beverages, tobacco, and textiles.
The services sector, also known as tertiary, is second regarding contribution to the state's income with a 21%, followed by commerce, hotels and restaurants with 18%. These combined activities employ 51% of the economically active population or EAP.
Agriculture is a traditional activity, still practiced in the Huasteca region. Currently, even if it contributes very little to the state GDP, it nevertheless employs as much as 20% of the EAP of the entity. The main agricultural products grown on Potosí soil are maize, beans, barley, sugar cane, oranges, coffee, sour lemon, prickly pear, and mango. Livestock activities are focused on raising sheep, cattle, and pigs.
General Motors now has a plant under construction, San Luis Potosí Assembly, to employ up to 1800 and assembly up to 160,000 vehicles per year.[10]
Cummins Inc. has had a manufacturing presence in San Luis Potosí since 1980 and employs nearly 2000 people there.
The state of San Luis Potosí reports a population of a little more than 2,400,000 inhabitants, according to the latest census which took place in the year 2005. Population growth rate for the period 2000-2005 was in fact less than 1%.
The state is inhabited by 60% residents under 30 years of age, and reports a life expectancy rate similar to the national average, that is, 72 years for men, and 77 years of age for women.
Regarding cultural and ethnic diversity, as much as 11% of the state population is indigenous, and the most representative language is that of the Nahuatl, followed by the Huasteco. The native peoples of the state are among the tallest in Mexico and include the Huastecs and Pame people. Due to its severe levels of isolation, the state is one of the nine entities in Mexico which report the highest rates of migration into the United States.
The average schooling rate for those over 15 years of age lies at 7.7 years of education, considerably lower than the 8.1% found nationally, while illiteracy rates reach a high 9.2%, in addition to the facts that 28% of the same portion of those older than 15 never finished primary school, and that 4% of children under 14 years do not attend school.
Institutions of higher education include:
Ponciano Arriaga International Airport serves the city.
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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