Introducing Chiapas
Chilly pine forest highlands, sultry rainforest jungles and attractive colonial cities exist side by side within Mexico’s southernmost state, a region awash with the legacy of Spanish rule and the remnants of the ancient Maya civilization. The state has the second-largest indigenous population in the country, and the modern Maya of Chiapas form a direct link to the past, with a traditional culture that persists to this day. Many indigenous communities rely on subsistence farming and have no running water or electricity, and it was frustration over lack of political power and their historical mistreatment that fueled the Zapatista rebellion, putting a spotlight on the region’s distinct inequities.
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Chiapas contains swathes of wild green landscape that have nourished its inhabitants for centuries. From the Lacandón Jungle to the reserves of El Triunfo and Selva El Ocote, Chiapas offers incredible opportunities for outdoor adventures. But a rich trove of natural resources also makes it a contentious prize in the struggle for its water, lumber and oil and gas reserves.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: Best beachy places in Chiapas, Oaxaca - Lugares mejores c playas en Chiapas
by lake_wobegon 13 September 2011
*" ... the beach looked very uninviting."* (#6) I've had the opposite experience, thinking the beach is one of the best I've been on…
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RE: Best beachy places in Chiapas, Oaxaca - Lugares mejores c playas en Chiapas
by lotusland2 13 September 2011
We drove around Puerto Arista while on a birding trip a couple of years ago. Good birds, but the wind never stopped, and the beach looked…
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Re: Best beachy places in Chiapas, Oaxaca - Lugares mejores c playas en Chiapas
by thedeeperyougo 13 September 2011
I only went to two beaches places (both in Oaxaca) while I was in the area and they were both incredible, though worlds apart. The first…
