Geography[edit]
The Mexicali Valley is one of the largest and most fertile valleys in Mexico.[6] In the Valley, they grow over fifty different crops and it's similar in production to the Imperial Valley. National and international industries have invested in Mexicali and surrounding cities to take advantage of its tax-free status given to industry.[6] The Mexicali Valley is a primary source of water for the region, which is the largest irrigation district in Mexico.
Ecology[edit]
In spite of its arid desert location, Mexicali is watered through a system of aquifers in the valley. Under a 1944 Water Treaty, the city is "...guaranteed [an] annual quantity of 1,500,000 acre feet (1.9 km3) [of water] to be delivered..." from the Colorado River.[7] However, a proposed concrete lining in the United States on the All-American Canal would cut off billions of leaked gallons of water, which is used to irrigate onions, alfalfa, asparagus, squash and other crops in Mexicali.[8]
The nearby Cerro Prieto volcano[9] is adjacent to the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Power Station.[10] which creates high volumes of pollutants, among them, mercury. As of 2014, the government are creating a zone of exclusuion, due to the alarming amount of pollutants and contamination that has permeated throughout miles around the geothermal plant of Cerro Prieto.[11]
Climate[edit]
| Mexicali | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Because of its low annual precipitation, Mexicali has an arid climate (BWh). Under the criteria for the Köppen climate classification, Mexicali maintains desert weather temperatures every year. In December 12, 1932, the city experienced snowfall. Rainfall usually occurs in the winter months of December, January and February. Although Summer is extremely dry in Mexicali, one of every two days there is an end moisture content. In 2008, during the months of July and August there were several heavy thunderstorms that let down large amounts of rain and hail. Summer rainfall in the city is infrequent. During winter time, Mexicali is affected by the snow storms that pass by the town of La Rumorosalocated in the Sierra de Juárez, about 45 minutes west of the city, causing a decrement in temperature that lasts from two days to one week.
The summer temperatures in Mexicali are significantly higher than Tijuana, the other major city in Baja California. This is caused by the temperatures in Tijuana being moderated by the ocean, but nearby inland areas such as Mexicali being significantly hotter. However, the hot desert climate seen in Mexicali is actually not unusual for similar parallels, seen in Baghdad, Iraqfor example.
| [hide]Climate data for Mexicali (1951-2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.0 (93.2) | 34.0 (93.2) | 39.5 (103.1) | 41.0 (105.8) | 47.0 (116.6) | 49.1 (120.4) | 52.0 (125.6) | 49.4 (120.9) | 47.1 (116.8) | 47.4 (117.3) | 39.8 (103.6) | 31.3 (88.3) | 52.0 (125.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 20.5 (68.9) | 23.0 (73.4) | 26.0 (78.8) | 29.7 (85.5) | 35.0 (95) | 40.0 (104) | 42.3 (108.1) | 41.5 (106.7) | 38.7 (101.7) | 32.5 (90.5) | 25.3 (77.5) | 20.4 (68.7) | 31.2 (88.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 13.1 (55.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 18.0 (64.4) | 21.3 (70.3) | 25.8 (78.4) | 30.5 (86.9) | 33.9 (93) | 33.5 (92.3) | 30.4 (86.7) | 24.3 (75.7) | 17.5 (63.5) | 13.1 (55.6) | 23.1 (73.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 5.8 (42.4) | 7.6 (45.7) | 10.0 (50) | 12.8 (55) | 16.7 (62.1) | 20.9 (69.6) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.5 (77.9) | 22.1 (71.8) | 16.1 (61) | 9.8 (49.6) | 5.7 (42.3) | 14.9 (58.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −7 (19) | −3.5 (25.7) | −0.9 (30.4) | 0.0 (32) | 6.0 (42.8) | 9.1 (48.4) | 13.5 (56.3) | 14.5 (58.1) | 8.0 (46.4) | 0.3 (32.5) | −1.5 (29.3) | −8.0 (17.6) | −8.0 (17.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 10.6 (0.417) | 7.2 (0.283) | 5.8 (0.228) | 1.6 (0.063) | 0.5 (0.02) | 0.2 (0.008) | 3.8 (0.15) | 10.1 (0.398) | 7.5 (0.295) | 8.4 (0.331) | 4.9 (0.193) | 10.3 (0.406) | 70.9 (2.791) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 16.0 |
| Source: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional[13] | |||||||||||||
Economy[edit]
In its beginnings Mexicali was an important center for cotton production for export, until synthetic fabrics reduced the worldwide demand for the fiber. Currently, horticulture is the most successful agricultural activity with scallion (green onion), and asparagus being among the most important crops. Cotton and wheat are still grown, but low government price guarantees and subsidies make wheat farmer protests an annual event. There is an annual agri-business fair, which if unfunded by public money given to by the government, it would have been dead a decade ago, named AGROBAJA,Agrobaja in March of every year, drawing people by the thousands, from all over Mexico and before the crisis, from the United States.
The current prospects for economic growth in Mexicali rely on in-bond and assembly plants (maquiladoras), which come due to low wages and loose worker right laws, include companies like, Selther, Daewoo, Mitsubishi, Honeywell, Paccar, Vitro, Skyworks Solutions, CareFusion, Bosch, Price Pfister, Gulfstream, United Technologies Corporation, Kenworth and Kwikset. Mexicali is also home to many food processing plants such as Nestlé, Jumex, Bimbo, Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, and Sabritas.
Silicon Border and Unaccounted Public Money Controversy[edit]
Main article: Silicon Border
Silicon Border is an empty 40-square-kilometre (9,900-acre) development supposedly tailored to the specific needs of high-technology manufacturing and is situated in the outskirts of Mexicali, along the western border of the U.S. and Mexico.[14] The aim of the empty manufacturing park, which began in 2004, was to transform Mexicali into the world's next semiconductor manufacturing center, if the world economy was fine. The Mexican federal and Baja California state governments have given away $2 million of public money to private hands, without a referendum for the design of the project and the laying of a few streets and lamp posts that can be seen on the premises as the only work done, so far. However, no authorities nor the private frontmen of the project, have given the public, any account on what the public money was spent on, so far. To no avail, former President Vicente Fox offered 10 years of a tax rate as low as 3% to foreign owned maquiladora, which is much lower than the paying rate by national industry owners.[15]
The premises sit empty as of February 2014[16] and the current financial crisis makes it very difficult to envisage any change in the coming years, if ever.
Tourism[edit]
Mexicali also relies on tourism as a medium to generate revenue, and visitors cross by foot or by car from Calexico, United States, every day. Tourists are mainly attracted to local taco stands, restaurants, pharmacies, bars and dance clubs. Near the border, in walking distance, there are many shops and stalls selling Mexican curios and souvenirs. Arizona and Nevada residents look for medical and dental services in Mexicali, since they tend to be less expensive than in the United States. Pharmacies sell some drugs without a prescription and at much lower cost than in the US, but some medications still require a doctor's prescription, although several accessible doctor offices are located near the border as well.
Mexico's drinking age is 18 years old (vs. 21 in the United States) which makes it a common weekend destination for many high school and college students from Southern California.
Mexicali hosts Baja Prog, one of the world's most important events in progressive rock. Since 1997, Baja Prog has been in the eyes of the world for being an event gathering the best bands of the progressive rock scene.[citation needed]
Mexicali hosts four main shopping malls, the most visited being Plaza La Cachanilla, located a mile away from the US border. The mall hosts a variety of shops, which sell a wide array of items, ranging from cheap Mexican curios to expensive imports. The Plaza La Cachanilla also represents a common place for people to socialize, especially during Summer days when the weather reaches high temperatures, many families come and spend the day inside the air-conditioned mall.
In regards to recreation, according to its extreme climate, has bath halls, bowling alleys, traditional cantinas, car clubs, strip clubs, movie theaters, museums, a zoo, a convention center, supermarkets, and fast food restaurants for every choice of food.
Galerias del Valle, holds a WalMart Supercenter, a 12-screen movie theater Cinepolis, two casinos, and a food court, plus a large array of stores that sell many items needed for daily living. It is located on Boulevard Lazaro Cardenas at Calle 11.
Cityscape[edit]
City districts[edit]
Main article: Municipality of Mexicali § Boroughs
The municipality of Mexicali is divided into the city main and 14 Administrative Districts, which are mainly located in the outskits of the city and the largest populations in the Mexicali Valley. These Distrital offices offer municipal services such as Urban Planning, Vital Statistics, Street-Vending Inspection, Compliance, Public Works and Community Development and are, each, supervised by a Municipal Delegate.
Civic Center - In this sub-area are located the main federal, state and municipal buildings. Not far from the Civic Center is the New River, where there are other prominent buildings and premises like the CEART (State Center for the Arts) and the Mexicali Zoo.
Chinatown[edit]
Main article: Chinatown, Mexicali
The city claims to have the largest per capita concentration of residents of Chinese origin in Mexico, around 5,000. The Chinese immigrants came to the area as laborers for the Colorado River Land Company, an American enterprise which designed and built an extensive irrigation system in the Valley of Mexicali. Some immigrants came from the United States, often fleeing anti-Chinese policies there, while others sailed directly from China. Thousands of Chinese were lured to the area by the promise of high wages, but that never materialized.[17]
Since 2000, new migrants from China to Mexicali come from many of the same areas as before 1960, with perhaps 90% from Guangdong or Hong Kong.[18]
Demographics[edit]
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1910 | 462 | — |
| 1921 | 6,782 | +1368.0% |
| 1930 | 14,842 | +118.8% |
| 1940 | 18,775 | +26.5% |
| 1950 | 64,609 | +244.1% |
| 1960 | 174,540 | +170.1% |
| 1970 | 263,498 | +51.0% |
| 1980 | 341,559 | +29.6% |
| 1990 | 438,377 | +28.3% |
| 1995 | 505,016 | +15.2% |
| 2000 | 549,873 | +8.9% |
| 2005 | 653,046 | +18.8% |
| 2010 | 689,775 | +5.6% |
| [19] INEGI: Archivo Histórico de localidades | ||
As of 2010, the city of Mexicali had a population of 689,775.[20]
The city itself had a 2005 census population of 653,046, whereas the municipality's population was 895,962. It is the 13th largest municipality in Mexico as of the Census 2005 with population estimates exceeding one million alone. The population is constantly growing due to the number ofmaquiladoras in the area, lack of urban planning, and migrational aspects, like seasonal labor and the constant in-and-out flow of immigrants to the U.S. or into Mexico.
Environment[edit]
A study by Instituto Mexicano de la Competitividad has listed Mexicali as Mexico's most polluted air of large cities, with a PM10 rating of 137 for the year 2010.[21] It is thought that the reason is lack of pavement (dust) and lack of wind, especially in summer. No information for PM5 or PM2.5 was given.Monterrey, Cuernavaca, and Tijuana rounded up the highest PM10 list in the study.
Education[edit]
Main article: List of schools in Mexicali
According to a previous census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI)[22] in 2008, the number of students who have graduated from Mexicali's public and private schools are as follows:
Pre-scholar students: 18,648
Primary school students: 17,272
Secondary school students: 12,337
Technical education students: 531
Baccalaureate students: 6,152
Primary school students: 17,272
Secondary school students: 12,337
Technical education students: 531
Baccalaureate students: 6,152
Some public universities in the city include Autonomous University of Baja California, Campus Mexicali,Universidad Politécnica de Baja California and the Mexicali Institute of Technology. Private universities includeCentro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior, University of the Valley of Mexico and Xochicalco University.
Culture[edit]
The residents of Mexicali (Mexicalenses) call themselves "Cachanillas" (due to a local plant, the cachanilla, used by the Cucapah tribe to build shacks) and are from culturally diverse backgrounds, and it is among the most ethnically diverse cities in Mexico, with people from various Native American, European, African, East Asian, and Middle Eastern origins.[23]
There is a very popular song called "Puro Cachanilla" also known as "El Cachanilla" that identifies people from Mexicali.
No comments:
Post a Comment