With a length of 1,247 km (775 miles), its width ranges from 40 km (25 miles) at its narrowest to 320 km (200 miles) at its widest point and has approximately 3,000 km (1,900 miles) of coastline and approximately 65 islands. The total area of the Baja California peninsula is 143,390 km2 (55,360 sq mi).
The peninsula is separated from mainland Mexico by the Gulf of California and theColorado River. There are four main desert areas on the peninsula: the San Felipe Desert, the Central Coast Desert, theVizcaíno Desert, and the Magdalena Plain Desert.
The name of California existed as a myth among European explorers before it was discovered. The earliest known mention of theidea of California was in the 1510 romance novelLas Sergas de Esplandián by Spanish authorGarci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The book described theIsland of California as being west of theIndies, "very close to the side of the Terrestrial Paradise; and it is peopled by black women, without any man among them, for they live in the manner ofAmazons".[1]
The Baja peninsula was originally believed by the first Spanish sea explorers to be an island, and acquired the name California, after the mythical paradise. FollowingHernán Cortés'sconquest of Mexico, the search for the fabledStrait of Anián connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific helped motivate him to send several expeditions to the west coast ofNew Spain in the 1530s and early 1540s. In 1539, explorerFrancisco de Ulloa proved that Baja California was a peninsula rather than an island,[2] and named the water separating it from the mainland the "Vermillion Sea" (sometimes referred to as the "Red Sea"). The Spaniards gave the nameLas Californias to the peninsula and lands to the north, including both Baja California andAlta California, the region that became parts of the present-day U.S. states ofCalifornia,Nevada,Utah,Arizona, and parts ofColorado andWyoming.[citation needed] Over time the name "Sea of Cortez" replaced Vermillion Sea, and today the term "Gulf of California" is used by some.[3]
Although cartographers such as Abraham Ortelius showed the Baja as an extensive peninsula in hisTheatrum Orbis Terrarum, published inAntwerpen in 1589, and on the mapMaris Pacifici from 1589, in the first half of the 17th century the idea of California as an island spread again; this persisted well into the 18th century, and was included in many erroneous maps that did not have the knowledge of the Spanish sailors about the Pacific coast of North America.[4] It is believed to have originated with Carmelite friar Antonio Ascension, who around 1620 drew a map of California depicting it as an island, supposedly on a misconception of reports by Spanish navigatorsJuan de Fuca and Martin d'Aquilar.[5] A copy of this map was sent to Spain and was seized by the Dutch on its way and then reproduced in the Netherlands, and eventually found its way toHenry Briggs in London who widely disseminated this misinformation. The first printed map showing California as an island was published by Briggs in 1622 (this map was also included inHakluytus Posthumus bySamuel Purchas, 1625), where it was written that it was sometimes supposed to be a peninsula, but had since been shown by the Dutch to be an island. The idea was warmly accepted by cartographers and presented even in c. 1720 onCarte Nouveelle de la Mer du Sud, published in Amsterdam by Andries andHendrik de Leth [nl].[6] Garcia and Jorge opined in 2023 that a reason for such a mistake could have originated in the secret in which the Spaniards held their cartography from other European powers' eyes.[7]
The final blow to the notion of California as an island was struck by an influential map created by Italian Jesuit priestEusebio Kino during his mission in thePimería Alta. It was titledPaso por tierra a la California y sus confinantes nuevas Naciones y Misiones nuevas de la Compañía de JHS [Jesús] en la América Septentrional ("Overland Passage to California and its Contiguous New Nations and New Missions of the Society of Jesus in Northern America").[8] Originally, in 1695, it depicted California as a peninsula but based on the presence of blue abalone shells (most likelyHaliotis fulgens) from the Pacific coast in the Pimería Alta, the information from natives, and his own travels and sightings, Eusebio Kino redrew the map in 1701.[9] The map was printed in 1707 inHamburg andLeipzig and became one of the best-known maps of northern New Spain. A notable colleague of Eusebio Kino who accompanied him on one of his major travels (in 1694) and acted as the intermediary in the publication of this map and dissemination of Kino's knowledge in Europe wasCarniolan priestMarcus Antonius Kappus [es].[10]
"At the time of contact, Baja California Norte was primarily inhabited by several indigenous groups belonging to theYuman language branch of theHokan linguistic family." Other indigenous groups in Baja California at the time of first contact include thePaipai,Kumeyaay (Kumiai),Cochimí,Cucapás (Cocopá),Kiliwa,Guaycura (Guaicura or Waicuri), andPericú peoples.[11]
1532:Hernán Cortés sends three ships north along the coast of Mexico in search of theIsland of California. The three ships disappear without a trace.
1533: Cortés sends a follow-up mission to search for the lost ships. PilotFortún Ximénez leads a mutiny and founds a settlement in theBay of La Paz in today's Baja California before being killed.
1539: Francisco de Ulloa explores both coasts, confirms the Baja as a peninsula.
1539: Domingo del Castillo a cartographer in the Francisco de Ulloa expedition draw his map with an accurate rendering of the peninsula.[7]
1622: A map by Michiel Colijn of Amsterdam showed California as apeninsula rather than an island. Previous maps show the Gulf terminating in its correct location.
1690s–1800s: Spanish settlement and colonization in lower Las Californias (Baja California peninsula), the firstSpanish missions in Baja California are established byJesuit missionaries.
1701: Explorations byEusebio Kino expanded knowledge of the Gulf of California coast.
1769: Franciscans go with thePortola expedition to establish new missions in Alta California. Control of the existing Baja missions passes to theDominican Order.
1773:Francisco Palóu'sline demarcates Franciscan and Dominican areas of mission control.
1804:Las Californias divided into Alta ("Upper") and Baja ("Lower") California, using Palóu's line.
1853:William Walker, with 45 men, captures the capital city ofLa Paz and declares himself President of the Republic of Lower California. Mexico forces him to retreat a few months later.
1952: The North territory becomes the 29thState of Mexico,Baja California. The southern portion, below 28°N, remains a federally administered territory.
1973: The 1,700 km (1,056 mi) long Trans-Peninsular Highway (Mexican Federal Highway 1), is finished. It is the first paved road that spans the entire peninsula. The highway was built by the Mexican government to improve Baja California's economy and increase tourism.[13]
1974: The South territory becomes the 31st State of Mexico,Baja California Sur.
Mexico in 1854, with Baja California Territory in gray (left)Municipalities in Baja California Peninsula since 2022; includes both Baja California and Baja California Municipalities.
The province ofthe Californias was united until 1804, in the Spanish colonialViceroyalty of New Spain, when it was divided into Alta (upper) and Baja (lower) California.
The two Californias division was kept after Mexican independence in 1821. The SpanishBaja California Province became MexicanBaja California Territory, and remained a separate territory until 1836. In 1836, theSiete Leyes constitutional reforms reunited both Californias in theDepartamento de las Californias. After 1848, the Baja California peninsula again became a Mexican territory when Alta California was ceded to the United States (see 1854 map).
The northern part is the state ofBaja California. It is sometimes informally referred to asBaja California Norte, to distinguish it from both the Baja California peninsula and the adjacent state Baja California Sur. The citizens of Baja California are namedbajacalifornianos ("Lower Californians" in English).Mexicali is the capital.
The southern part, below 28° north, is the state ofBaja California Sur. The citizens of Baja California Sur are namedsudcalifornianos ("South Californians" in English).La Paz is its capital.
The Baja California peninsula was once a part of theNorth American Plate, thetectonic plate of which mainland Mexico remains a part. About 12 to 15 million years ago theEast Pacific Rise began cutting into the margin of the North American Plate, initiating the separation of the peninsula from it. Spreading within the Gulf of California consists of short oblique rifts or ridge segments connected by long northwest trendingtransform faults,[14] which together comprise theGulf of California Rift Zone. The north end of the rift zone is located in theBrawley seismic zone in theSalton Sea basin between theImperial Fault and theSan Andreas Fault.[14] The Baja California peninsula is now part of thePacific Plate and is moving with it away from the East Pacific Rise in a north northwestward direction.
Researchers fromScripps Institution of Oceanography have found a 2,000-year-old layer of non-decomposed roots, orpeat, up to 4 metres (13 ft) under the desert mangroves. The peat layer acts like a sponge for stored atmospheric carbon, a record of sea-level-rise is also recorded in the peat layer.
The desert mangroves restricted to rocky inlets on the rugged coast of Baja California have been growing over their own root remains over thousands of years to compensate for sea-level rise, accumulating a thick layer of peat below their roots. However, mangroves in flat coastal floodplains have accumulated a thinner peat layer.[16]
ThePeninsular Ranges form the backbone of the peninsula. They are an uplifted and erodedJurassic toCretaceousbatholith, part of the same original batholith chain which formed much of theSierra Nevada mountains in U.S. California. This chain was formed primarily as a result of the subduction of theFarallon Plate millions of years ago all along the margin of North America.
The volcanic complex ofTres Vírgenes lies in Baja California Sur, near the border with the state of Baja California, forming the ranges south of the Sierra de San Borja.
TheSierra de la Giganta runs along the shore of the Gulf of California south of the Tres Vírgenes complex.
At the south end of Baja California Sur, theSierra de la Laguna forms an isolated mountain range rising to 2,090 metres (6,860 ft)
Another isolated range, the Sierra Vizcaino, juts out into the Pacific between Punta Eugenia and Punta Abreojos.
Climate
The climate of Baja California peninsula is predominantly ahot desert climate, with the northern parts featuring a Mediterranean climate, and contains some dots ofMediterranean andhot semi arid climate along all of the peninsula.
The two most prominent capes along the Pacific coastline of the peninsula arePunta Eugenia, located about halfway up the coast, andCabo San Lázaro, located about a quarter of the way north from Cabo San Lucas.
TheSebastián Vizcaíno Bay, the largest bay in Baja, lies along the Pacific coast halfway up the peninsula. The largeCedros Island is situated between the bay and the Pacific, just north of Punta Eugenia. Onshore southeast of the bay is theDesierto de Vizcaino, an extensive desert lying between the Sierra Vizcaino to the west, and the Tres Virgenes range which runs along the Gulf of California to the east.
The peninsula is home to several distinctecoregions. Most of the peninsula isdeserts and xeric shrublands, although pine-oak forests are found in the mountains at the northern and southern ends of the peninsula. The southern tip of the peninsula, which was formerly an island, has many species with affinities to tropical Mexico.
The traditional/indigenous clothing ofBaja California is a pivotal part of the vibrant culture of the peninsula. The area is home to fiveYuman groups: the Cucapá, Kiliwa, Pai Pai, Cochimí, and Kumiai.[17] Each group exhibits distinct clothing traditions deeply connected to their cosmovision.
Cucapá willow bark skirt and knit top
Cucapá (Water people): TheCucapá use natural pigments derived from minerals for body paint, employing colors such as yellow, red, white, and black. Married women traditionally painted a red circle with two sidebars on their foreheads, while single women marked their foreheads with a cross. Men adorned themselves with piercings in their ears and noses and wore accessories such as bracelets, belts, and necklaces made from bones or feathers. Women traditionally wore skirts made from willow bark.[18]
Kiliwas (Those who snuggle): Historically, theKiliwa crafted clothing from the leather of animals they hunted. However, contact with other cultures has led to significant changes. While some continue to use traditional materials likemanta fabric, contemporary Kiliwa clothing has incorporated more modern influences. Long hair, often braided, remains a common feature among some Kiliwa men and women.[19]
Pai pai (Unbaptized people): The ancestors of thePai Pai initially wore no clothing. Over time, women began wearing skirts and blouses made from willow husks, while men donned leather loincloths and went barefoot. Traditional adornments included leather ribbons and feathers. Today, Pai Pai women often wear ankle-length blouses and skirts or dresses, frequently accompanied by headbands. Men commonly wear long pants and shirts.[20]
Cochimí (Foreigners/North people):Cochimí men traditionally wore little clothing, using ornaments made from reeds, shells, and snails. Women wore petticoats crafted from thin reeds woven with vegetable fibers and draped animal skins over their backs. They accessorized with belts at the waist and head coverings fashioned from netting. Footwear included sandals made from leather orixtle fibers. Following the missionary period, Cochimí descendants adopted elements ofcowboy culture, influenced by sustained contact with cattle and sheep ranchers of European and North American descent. This cultural shift significantly altered their clothing, architecture, and social practices.[21]
Kumiai (Those of high places): In earlier times, bothKumiai men and women covered their bodies with the hides of animals they hunted. Deer hides were preferred for their size, while rabbit skins were valued for their warmth and were often used to make blankets for protection against the cold. Over time, the influences of modern civilization have significantly impacted Kumiai traditions, particularly among younger members of the community, who have gradually shown less interest in preserving their ancestral clothing practices. Today, Kumiai men typically wear long pants and shirts, while only older women continue to wear ankle-length dresses made from simple, pale-colored fabrics. Their hair is often styled in long braids.[22]
Flor de Cucapá dress
Flor de Cucapá: Flor de Cucapá is the traditional attire of Baja California, created in 1954 as a symbol of cultural and regional identity for one of Mexico's youngest states. This iconic outfit was designed by María de la Cruz Pulido following a state-wide contest organized by the government to represent Baja California's rich natural and cultural heritage. Inspired by the region’s diversity, the attire consists of five pieces made of white cotton fabric, each imbued with symbolic meaning. The circular skirt features embroidered details of cacti and marine elements, representing the deserts and theSea of Cortés.[23] The blouse includes an embroidered depiction of a woman with open arms, symbolizing the warmth and hospitality of the people of Baja California.[24]
^Nabergoj, Tomaž (2009). "Marko Anton Kappus (1657–1717): misijonar, ki je odkrival Ameriko" [Marcus Antonius Kappus (1657–1717): The Missionary Who Was Discovering the America].Vigenjc: Glasilo Kovaškega muzeja v Kropi: Rodbina Kappus pl. Pilchstein [Vigenjc: Newsletter of the Blacksmith Museum in Kropa: The Kappus von Pilchstein family] (in Slovenian). Vol. IX. Museums of the Municipality of Radovljica. pp. 29–30.ISSN1580-6529. Retrieved2023-10-13.
^Von der Porten, Edward (2019).Ghost Galleon: The Discovery and Archaeology of the San Juanillo on Shores of Baja California. Texas A&M University Press. p. 208.
^Barkenbus, Jack, "The Trans-Peninsular Highway: A New Era for Baja California",Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, Vol. 16, No. 3. (Aug., 1974), pp. 259–273.
^León-Portilla, Miguel; Piñera, David (2016).Baja California. Historia breve (in Spanish). Fondo de Cultura Economica.ISBN978-607-16-4036-9.
^Vázquez, Francisco (2011).Los Cucapá: Su pasado y el presente [The Cucapá: Their past and the future] (in Spanish). Tijuana, Mexico: Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes.ISBN9786074557244.
^"Kiliwa".Instituto Nacional de los Pueblos Indígenas.
^"Paipai".Secretaría de Cultura/Sistema de Información Cultural (in Spanish). Retrieved2024-11-30.
^"Cochimíes".Secretaría de Cultura/Sistema de Información Cultural (in Spanish). Retrieved2024-11-30.
^"Kumiais".Secretaría de Cultura/Sistema de Información Cultural (in Spanish). Retrieved2024-11-30.
MacDonald, Gregory (2019).Isle of the Amazons In the Vermilion Sea. Kansas City, MO: 39 West Press.ISBN978-1-946358-14-1. An anthology of writings that describe Baja California, and the Gulf of California, from sources dated from the mid-sixteenth century to present.
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