^ a. 2010 and later. Baja California is the only state to use the U.S. DST schedule state-wide, while the rest of Mexico (except for small portions of other northern states) observes standard time year-round.[7]^ b. The state's GDP was 294.8billionpesos in 2008,[8] an amount corresponding to 23.03billionUnited States dollars, with US$1 valued at 12.80 pesos (value of 3 June 2010).[9]
Baja California,[a][b] officially theFree and Sovereign State of Baja California,[c] is a state inMexico. It is the northwesternmost of the32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of Baja California (Territorio Norte de Baja California). It has an area of 70,113 km2 (27,071 sq mi) (3.57% of the land mass of Mexico) and comprises the northern half of theBaja California peninsula, north of the28th parallel, plus oceanicGuadalupe Island. The mainland portion of the state is bordered on the west by thePacific Ocean, on the east bySonora and the northernGulf of California, on the north by theUnited States and on the south byBaja California Sur.
The state has an estimated population of 3,769,020 as of 2020,[1] significantly higher than the sparsely populated Baja California Sur to the south, and similar toSan Diego County, California, to its north. Over 75% of the population lives inMexicali (the state's capital city),Ensenada, orTijuana (the state's largest city). Other important cities includeSan Felipe,Rosarito, andTecate.
Baja California is the 12th-largest state by area in Mexico. Its geography ranges from beaches to forests and deserts. The backbone of the state is the Sierra de Baja California, wherePicacho del Diablo, the highest point of the peninsula, is located. This mountain range effectively divides the weather patterns in the state. In the northwest, the weather is semi-dry andMediterranean. In the narrow center, the weather changes to be more humid due to altitude. It is in this area where a few valleys can be found, such as theValle de Guadalupe, the major wine-producing area in Mexico. To the east of the mountain range, theSonoran Desert dominates the landscape. In the south, the weather becomes drier and gives way to theVizcaíno Desert. The state is also home to numerous islands off both of its shores. Baja California is also home toGuadalupe Island, the westernmost point of Mexico. TheCoronado Islands,Todos Santos islands, andCedros Island are also on the Pacific shore. On the Gulf of California, the largest island isAngel de la Guarda Island, separated from the peninsula by the deep and narrowCanal de Ballenas.
The first people came to the peninsula at least 11,000 years ago. At that time, two main native groups are thought to have been present on the peninsula – theCochimí in the south, and several groups belonging to theYuman language family in the north, including theKiliwa,Paipai,Kumeyaay,Cocopa, andQuechan. These peoples were diverse in their adaptations to the region. The Cochimí of the peninsula's Central Desert were generalized hunter-gatherers who moved frequently; however, the Cochimí on Cedros Island off the west coast developed a strong maritime economy. The Kiliwa, Paipai, and Kumeyaay in the better-watered northwest were also hunter-gatherers, but that region supported denser populations and a more sedentary lifestyle. The Cocopa and Quechan of northeastern Baja California practiced agriculture in the floodplain of the lowerColorado River.
Another group of people was the Guachimis, who came from the north and created much of theUNESCO World Heritage-recognizedSierra de Guadalupe cave paintings. Not much is known about them except that they lived in the area between 100BC and 1300AD.[14]
Europeans reached the present state of Baja California in 1539, whenFrancisco de Ulloareconnoitered its east coast on the Gulf of California and explored the peninsula's west coast at least as far north as Cedros Island.Hernando de Alarcón returned to the east coast and ascended the lower Colorado River in 1540, andJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo (or João Rodrigues Cabrilho(in Portuguese)) completed the reconnaissance of the west coast in 1542.Sebastián Vizcaíno again surveyed the west coast in 1602, but outside visitors during the following century were few.
TheJesuits founded a permanent mission colony on the peninsula atLoreto in 1697. During the following decades, they gradually extended their sway throughout the present state of Baja California Sur. In 1751–1753, the Croatian Jesuit mission-explorerFerdinand Konščak made overland explorations northward into the state of Baja California. Jesuit missions were subsequently established among the Cochimí atSanta Gertrudis (1752),San Borja (1762), andSanta María (1767).
TheDominicans took over management of the Baja California missions from the Franciscans in 1773. They established a chain of new missions among the northern Cochimí and western Yumans, first on the coast and subsequently inland, extending fromEl Rosario (1774) toDescanso (1817), just south of Tijuana below thePalóu Line.
Mexican liberals were concerned that theRoman Catholic Church retained too much power in the post-independence period and sought to undermine it by mandating thesecularization of missions in 1833. In the aftermath of theMexican American War (1846–1848) and theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the United States gained sovereignty over territory previously held first byNew Spain and then Mexico, most of which was sparsely settled. Alta California was incorporated into the U.S., and during theCalifornia Gold Rush, quickly gained enough population to be admitted to the union as a state. Baja California gains control of where is now the cities ofTijuana,Mexicali, andTecate from Alta California after the treaty and remained under Mexican control. In 1853, soldier of fortune (mercenary)William Walker capturedLa Paz, declaring himself president of theRepublic of Baja California. The Mexican government forced his retreat after several months.
1917: On 11 December, "[a] prominent Mexican, close friend of PresidentCarranza" offered toU.S. SenatorHenry Ashurst to sell Baja California to the U.S. for "fifty million dollars gold".[17]
1931: Baja California is further divided into Northern and Southern territories.
1952: TheNorth Territory of Baja California becomes the 29th state ofMexico, Baja California. The southern portion (below 28°N) remains a federally administered territory.
1974: TheSouth Territory of Baja California becomes the 31st state, Baja California Sur.
Baja California encompasses a territory withinthe Californias region of North America, which exhibits diverse geography for a relatively small area. ThePeninsular ranges of the California cordillera run down the geographic center of the state. The most notable ranges of these mountains are theSierra de Juárez and theSierra de San Pedro Mártir. These ranges are the location of forests reminiscent ofSouthern California'sSan Gabriel Mountains. Picacho del Diablo is the highest peak on the peninsula. Valleys between the mountain ranges are located within a climate zone that is suitable for agriculture. Such valleys include the Valle de Guadalupe and the Valle de Ojos Negros, areas that produce citrus fruits and grapes. The mineral-rich mountain range extends southwards to the Gulf of California, where the western slope becomes wider, forming the Llanos del Berrendo on the border with Baja California Sur. The mountain ranges located in the center and southern part of the state include theSierra de La Asamblea, Sierra de Calamajué, Sierra de San Luis and theSierra de San Borja.
Temperate winds from the Pacific Ocean and the coldCalifornia Current make the climate along the northwestern coast pleasant year-round.[19] As a result of the state's location on the California Current, rains from the north barely reach the peninsula, thus leaving southern areas drier. South of theEl Rosario River, the state changes from a Mediterranean landscape to a desert one. This desert exhibits diversesucculent species that flourish in part due to thecoastal fog.
To the east, the Sonoran Desert enters the state from both California and Sonora. Some of the highest temperatures in Mexico are recorded in or nearby the Mexicali Valley.[d] However, with irrigation from the Colorado River, this area has become a trueagricultural center. TheCerro Prieto geothermal province is near Mexicali as well (this area is geologically part of a largepull apart basin); it produces about 80% of the electricity consumed in the state and enough additional power to export to California.Laguna Salada, a saline lake below sea level lying between the rugged Sierra de Juárez and the Sierra de los Cucapah, is also in the vicinity of Mexicali. The state government has recently been considering plans to revive Laguna Salada.[e] The highest mountain in the Sierra de los Cucapah is Cerro del Centinela orMount Signal. The Cucapah are the primary indigenous people from the mountains north toYuma, Arizona.
There are numerous islands on the Pacific shore. Guadalupe Island is located in the extreme west of the state's boundaries and is the site of large colonies ofsea lions. Cedros Island exists in the southwest of the state's maritime region. The Todos Santos islands and Coronado Islands are located off the coasts of Ensenada and Tijuana, respectively. All of the islands in the Gulf of California on the Baja California side belong to the municipality of Mexicali.
Baja California obtains much of its water from the Colorado River. Historically, the river drained into theColorado River Delta and then flowed into the Gulf of California, but due to large demands for water in theAmerican Southwest, less water now reaches the Gulf. TheTijuana metropolitan area also relies on theTijuana River as a source of water. Much of rural Baja California depends predominantly on wells, a few dams and even oases. Tijuana also purchases water from San Diego County's Otay Water District. Potable water is the largest natural resource issue of the state.
Baja California's climate varies fromMediterranean toarid. The Mediterranean climate is found in the northwestern corner of the state, where the summers are dry and mild and the winters cool and rainy. This climate is observed in areas from Tijuana toSan Quintín and nearby interior valleys. The cold oceanic California Current often creates a low-level marine fog near the coast. The fog occurs along any part of the Pacific coast of the state.
The change of altitude towards the Sierra de Baja California creates analpine climate in this region. Summers are cool, while winters can be cold with below freezing temperatures at night. It is common to see snow in the Sierra de Juárez, Sierra de San Pedro Mártir and in the valleys in between the two ranges from December to April. Due toorographic effects, precipitation is much higher in the mountains of northern Baja California than on the western coastal plain or eastern desert plain. Pine, cedar and fir forests are found in the mountains.
The mountains produce arain shadow to the east of their peaks, creating an extremely arid environment. The Sonoran Desert region of Baja California experiences hot summers and nearly frostless mild winters. The Mexicali Valley (which is below sea level) experiences the highest temperatures in Mexico, frequently surpassing 47 °C (116.6 °F) in mid-summer, and exceeding 50 °C (122 °F) on some occasions.
Further south along the Pacific coast, the Mediterranean climate transitions into a desert climate, but it is milder and not as hot as along the gulf coast. Transition climates, from Mediterranean to desert, can be found from San Quintín toEl Rosario. Further inland and along the Gulf of California, the vegetation is scarce and temperatures are very high during the summer months. The islands in the Gulf of California also have a desert climate. Some oases can be found in the desert where few towns are located – for instance,Catavina, San Borja and Santa Gertrudis.[which?][20]
In Baja California, state elections are held every two years (every three years prior to 2019) for the positions ofstate governor, 25 state deputies of theCongress of Baja California, and 5 municipal mayors. Of the 25 state deputies, 17 are elected by relative majority in each of the electoral districts, while another 8 are elected by proportional representation. The 17 deputies elected by relative majority may be re-elected for up to four consecutive terms, while the other 8 deputies can only serve one term.
During the 2019 Baja California state election,Jaime Bonilla Valdez of theMorena-ledJuntos Hacemos Historia coalition won by a margin of 27.58% to become the governor of Baja California. In addition, 21 out of 25 state deputy positions and all 5 municipal mayoral positions were won by candidates aligned with the Juntos Hacemos Historia coalition.
During the 2021 Baja California state election,Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda of the Morena-ledJuntos Hacemos Historia coalition won by a margin of 17.49% to become the first female governor of Baja California. Of the state's 25 local deputies, 13 were won by Morena-aligned candidates, followed in a distant second place by candidates of theSolidarity Encounter Party (PES),National Action Party (PAN), andLabor Party (PT) with 3 seats each. All 5 municipal mayoral positions were again won by Morena-aligned candidates.
Los Pioneros monument inMexicali, dedicated to the pioneers who settled the region
Although the state is predominantly European in ancestry, it has historically seen asizable East and Southeast Asian immigrant population. Mexicali has a large Chinese community, as well as manyFilipinos who arrived to the state during the eras of Spanish Philippines and American rule (1898–1946) in much of the 19th and 20th centuries. Tijuana and Ensenada were major ports of entry for East Asians entering the U.S. ever since the firstAsian Americans were present in California.[citation needed]
According to the 2020 Census, 1.71% of Baja California's population identified as Black,Afro-Mexican, or of African descent.[31]
Since 1960, large numbers of migrants from southern Mexican states have arrived to work in agriculture (especially the Mexicali Valley and nearbyImperial Valley, California, U.S.) and manufacturing. The cities of Ensenada, Tijuana, and Mexicali grew as a result of migrants, primarily those who sought U.S. citizenship. Those temporary residents awaiting their entry into the United States are calledflotillas, which is derived from the Spanish wordflota, meaning 'fleet'.[citation needed]
There is also a sizable immigrant community from Central and South America, and from the United States and Canada. An estimated 200,000+ Americanexpatriates live in the state, especially incoastal resort towns such as Ensenada, known for affordable homes purchased by retirees who continue to hold U.S. citizenship. San Felipe, Rosarito and Tijuana also have a large American population (second largest in Mexico after Mexico City), particularly for their cheaper housing and proximity to San Diego.[citation needed]
Some 60,000 Oaxacans live in Baja California. Some 40% of them lack proper birth certificates.[32]
According to aConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Conacyt) investigator, a little under a million people were classified as "poor" in the state, up from 2008 when there were roughly 810,000. Exactly who these people are, whether locals, interstate or international migrants, was not explained.[33]
Baja California offers one of the best educational programs in the country, with high rankings in schooling and achievement.
The state government provides education and qualification courses to increase the workforce standards, such as school–enterprise linkage programs which help the development of a labor force according to the needs of the industry.
91.60% of the population from six to fourteen years of age attend elementary school. 61.95% of the population over fifteen years of age attends or has already graduated from high school. Public school is available in all levels from kindergarten to university.
The state has 32 universities offering 103 professional degrees. These universities have 19 research and development centers for basic and applied investigation in advanced projects related to biotechnology, physics, oceanography, computer science, digitalgeothermal technology, astronomy, aerospace, electrical engineering and clean energy, among others. At this educational level, supply is steadily growing. Baja California has developed a need to be self-sufficient in matters of technological and scientific innovation and to be less dependent on foreign countries. Current businesses demand new production processes as well as technology for the incubation of companies. The number of graduate degrees offered, including PhD programs, is 121. The state has 53 graduate schools.[34]
As of 2005, Baja California's economy represents 3.3% of Mexico'sgross domestic product, or US$21.996 billion.[36][full citation needed] Baja California's economy has a strong focus on tariff-free export oriented manufacturing (maquiladora). As of 2005, 284,255 people are employed in the manufacturing sector.[36] There are more than 900 companies operating under the federalProsec program in Baja California.
As of September 2021, Baja California receives the third highest amount offoreign direct investment of any state in Mexico, constituting about 7.7% of the national total and behind onlyNuevo León (7.7%) andMexico City (16.5%). About 81.4% of Baja California's foreign domestic investment comes from theUnited States, of which 50.3% comes from the construction ofnatural gas pipelines and 8.2% comes car and truck manufacturing.[37]
The Foreign Investment Law of 1973[38][39] allows foreigners to purchase land within the borders and coasts of Mexico by way of a trust handled through a Mexican bank (Fideicomiso). This trust assures to the buyer all the rights and privileges of ownership, and it can be sold, inherited, leased, or transferred at any time. Since 1994, the Foreign Investment Law stipulates thatthe Fideicomiso must be to a 50-year term,[clarify] with the option to petition for a 50-year renewal at any time.[40]
Any Mexican citizen buying a bank trust property has the option to either remain within the trust or opt out of it and request the title inescritura.[further explanation needed]
Mexico's early history involved foreign invasions and the loss of vast amounts of land; in fear of history being repeated, the Mexican constitution established the concept of the "Restricted Zone".[41] In 1973, in order to bring in more foreign tourist investment, the Bank Trust of Fideicomiso was created, thus allowing non-Mexicans to own land without any constitutional amendment necessary.[42] Since the law went into effect, it has undergone many modifications in order to make purchasing land in Mexico a safer investment.
Mexican Federal Highway 1 or the Transpeninsular Highway, completed 1973, south from Tijuana 713 km (436 miles) via Ensenada and El Rosario to Baja California Sur at Guerrero Negro.
Mexican Federal Highway 2 from Tijuana 214 km east via Tecate, La Rumorosa and Mexicali to Sonora at San Luis Rio Colorado.
Mexican Federal Highway 3 south from the US border at Tecate 112 km (70 miles) to Highway 1 at El Sauzal Rodriguez, just north of Ensenada (bypassing Tijuana), with a second segment from Highway 1 in Ensenada 196 km (122 miles) south-east via Real del Castillo to Highway 5 near the east coast in El Chinero, 55 km (34 miles) north of San Felipe (where all vehicles are subject to a military inspection).
Mexican Federal Highway 5 south from Mexicali 401 km (249 miles) to Highway 1 in San Felipe on the east coast, where a state highway continues to Puertecitos.
Ferromex in Mexicali connects withUnion Pacific's formerSouthern Pacific Railroad line at Calexio and runs east to Sonora at Riíto, with another line connecting with Yuma, Arizona across the Colorado River at Algodones.
However,San Diego International Airport is also used by air travellers from the state. It is located 34 kilometres (21 mi) north west of Tijuana city centre. The airport can be accessible byCross Border Xpress.
Newspapers of Baja California include[43]El Centinela,El informador de Baja California,El Mexicano (edición Tijuana),El Mexicano Segunda Edición,El Sol de Tijuana,El Vigía,Esto de las Californias,Frontera,La Crónica de Baja California,La Voz de la Frontera, andSemanario Zeta.[44][45]
^This state is often informally referred to asBaja California Norte (literally "Lower California North" or "North Lower California" in English) orBaja Norte, to distinguish it from both theBaja California peninsula as a whole, of which it forms the northern half, andBaja California Sur, the adjacent state that covers the southern half of the peninsula. WhileBaja Norte andBaja California Norte are well-established terms for the northern half of the Baja California peninsula, they do not officially exist as political designations for any state or region. The latter name (Baja California Norte) was officially adopted from 1974 to 1979,[11] and endured unofficially thereafter.[12] In other words, "The northern state is officially known as Baja California, but since that name is easily confused with the name for the entire peninsula, it is commonly referred to by visitors and locals alike as Baja Norte."[13]
^Spanish:Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California
^Delta in the northeast recorded 54.0 °C (129.2 °F) on 3 August 1998.
^The state is currently (2008) looking at a plan bySDSU Adj. Professor Newcomb (ICATS)[further explanation needed] to do this using his geothermal desalination system to supply water locally.SEMARNAT believes this to be the first viable plan presented.[citation needed]
^Ashurst, Henry Fountain (1962). Sparks, George F. (ed.).A Many-Colored Toga: The Diary of Henry Fountain Ashurst. Tucson, AZ:The University of Arizona Press. p. 74.
^Dibble, Sandra (2 July 2012)."PAN loss in Baja California mirrors Mexico's trend".San Diego Union-Tribune.Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved14 June 2024.Following the national trend, voters across this northwest border state — long viewed as a stronghold of the PAN — backed Enrique Peña Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party in the presidential race.
^"Education System".Invest in Baja. Mexicali, Baja California: Secretariat of Economic Development. 2014. Archived fromthe original on 11 October 2014.
^Muttalib, Bashirah (21 May 2007)."Twentieth Century Fox sells Baja".Variety.Archived from the original on 14 May 2018.The studio ultimately became one of the industry's premier water-tank facilities.
^"Foreign Investment Law"(PDF).gob.mx. Government of Mexico. 9 March 1973.Archived(PDF) from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved24 September 2017.
^Manuel Ortiz Marín, ed. (2006).Los medios de comunicación en Baja California (in Spanish). Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.ISBN978-970-701-735-1.
Dwyer, John J. (September 2008).The Agrarian Dispute: The Expropriation of American-Owned Rural Land in Postrevolutionary Mexico. Durham, NC:Duke University Press.ISBN978-08223-4309-7.
Kerig, Dorothy Pierson (1989).Yankee Enclave: The Colorado River Land Company and Mexican Agrarian Reform in Baja California 1902–1944 (PhD).University of California, Irvine.
León-Portilla, Miguel; Piñera Ramírez, David (2010).Baja California: historia breve [Baja California: brief history] (in Spanish). Mexico City:El Colegio de México: Fideicomiso Historia de las Américas: Fondo de Cultura Económica.ISBN9786074621891.
Martínez, Pablo L. (1956).Historia de Baja California [History of Baja California] (in Spanish). Mexico City: Editorial Baja California.
Schantz, Eric M. (February 2010). "Behind the Noir Border: Tourism, the Vice Racket, and Power Relations in Baja California's Border Zone, 1938–65". In Berger, Dina; Wood, Andrew Grant (eds.).Holiday in Mexico: Critical Reflections on Tourism and Tourist Encounters. Durham, NC:Duke University Press. pp. 130–160.ISBN978-0-8223-4571-8.
Stern, Norton B. (1973).Baja California: Jewish Refuge and Homeland. Baja California Travels series #32. Los Angeles, CA:Dawson's Book Shop.ISBN0870932322.
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