Puerto Peñasco Municipality

Geography

The municipality lies at the northern end of the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez).

As municipal seat, the city of Puerto Peñasco has governing jurisdiction over 27 other named communities, which cover a territory of 9,774.5 km2. The municipality has a total population of 62,177 inhabitants. The municipality borders with the municipalities of San Luis Río Colorado Municipality, Plutarco Elías Calles Municipality, and Caborca Municipality. To its north-northwest is Yuma County, Arizona, in the United States, and to the south is the Gulf of California.

Adjacent municipalities (municipios) and counties

• San Luis Río Colorado - west
• Caborca - southeast
• Plutarco Elías Calles - northeast
• Yuma County, Arizona - northwest

The municipality

The land is generally flat with the small mountain range of Sonoyta to the north and east of the area. Most of the territory is the Altar Desert, which extends north and east of the city, and a volcanic zone called Sierra El Pinacate. The municipality has 110 km of beaches. Near the city are fields of sand dunes of the Altar Desert, which is one of the driest in the world. ATVs and motocross are permitted on the sand dunes. Most vegetation and animal life is typical for sandy deserts, scrub brush, reptiles (including the Gila monster) and small mammals.

Farming and livestock is nearly non-existent due to the dry conditions. Some industry exists, associated with fishing such as canning and freezing. The commercial sector of the economy support 57% of the population selling food, clothes, pharmaceuticals and other items to both the local population and to tourists. The second most important economic sector is fishing, especially shrimp fishing. Tourism drives most of the commercial sector. The municipality receives about 1,000 visitors a day, with about 85% coming from the U.S. state of Arizona.

El Pinacate is a volcanic region and a biosphere reserve that covers 714,556.6 hectares which covers parts of the municipalities of Puerto Peñasco, San Luís Río Colorado and Plutarco Elías Calles. This area has been considered one of the most arid and inhospitable of the Sonoran Desert. In spite of this, the area contains a wide variety of wildlife and evidence of human habitation from ancient times, which has attracted the attention of both tourists and researchers. It contains 553 species of plants with cactuses such as saguaros, chollas and ocotillos dominating. With the rainy season, the area explodes with short-lived wildflowers. The area also contains 41 species of mammals, 237 species of birds, 45 species of reptiles, and four types of amphibians. It was declared a protected biosphere reserve by the Mexican government in 1993. The entrance to the biosphere park is located 50 km from the city of Puerto Peñasco. The nucleus of the biosphere consists of the Sierra el Pinacate, Adair Bay and Sierra del Rosario which cannot be developed under any circumstances. The main attraction for tourists is the volcanic craters. The major ones are named Badillo, Molina (or Trébol), McDougal (the largest) and Caravajales. In addition, there is the Grande Volcano which stands at 3,200 feet tall, and has a depth of 950 ft.

San Jorge Island, also known as Bird Island, is really a small group of rocky outcroppings that are just above the surface of the sea about 40 km southeast of the city. The rocks are capped in white like the Alps, not with snow, but with the guano of innumerable sea birds such as seagulls and pelicans, which live here. Below the birds live approximately 3,000 sea lions very close to the water. It is the largest concentration of sea lions in Mexico. It is possible to kayak and/or snorkel here.

Nine native cultures can be found in the municipality. The Guarijíos have a wide variety of crafts such as figures made with natural materials such as palm fronds and clay. They also make hats from a variety of natural fibers. The Mayos, who call themselves the Yoreme, have a rich oral tradition. Other groups include the Opatas, the Papagos, the Pimas, the Seris, the Yaquis, the Cucapa, and the Kikapu, all of whom are noted for basketmaking using desert plants.

Government

Municipal presidents

References

References

1. "Número de habitantes. Sonora".
2. "-". [[Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal]].
3. "INEGI Census 2010".
4. "Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Sonora Puerto Peñasco". INAFED.
5. Romo Cedano, Luis. (June 2007). "Puerto Peñasco: Mar y desierto al extremo". Revista Travesias.
6. "Destinos de Sonora-Puerto Peñasco". Government of Sonora.
7. "Sobre Puerto Peñasco". Explorando Mexico.
8. "El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar - Reservas Ecológicas de Sonora". Government of Sonora.
9. "Puerto Peñasco". Buen Viaje Diario Turistico on line.
10. "National Institute for Federalism and Municipal Development (Inafed). On the left column, please click on "Información Histórica". Then, from the drop-down menu, select "Presidentes Municipales". Search for the state or federal entity and then the desired municipality. Sonora. Puerto Peñasco".
11. "Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México. Estado de Sonora. Puerto Peñasco".
12. "Mapa de Municipios gobernados por partido político. Período constitucional 1991–1994". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
13. "Mapa de Municipios gobernados por partido político. Período constitucional 1994–1997". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
14. "Mapa de Municipios gobernados por partido político. Período constitucional 1997–2000". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
15. "Mapa de Municipios gobernados por partido político. Período constitucional 2000–2003". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
16. "Resultados oficiales de la elección de Ayuntamientos. 2003. Puerto Peñasco PRI: 6016 votos. PAN: 5813 votos. PRD: 252 votos. PT: 132 votos". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
17. "Mapa de Municipios gobernados por partido político. Período constitucional 2003–2006". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
18. "Resultados oficiales de la elección de Ayuntamientos. 2006. Puerto Peñasco. PRI: 9117 votos. PAN: 7107 votos. Coalition for the Good of All (PRD-Convergencia-PT): 528 votos". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
19. "Mapa de Municipios gobernados por partido político. Período constitucional 2006–2009". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
20. "Resultados oficiales de la elección de Ayuntamientos. 2009. Puerto Peñasco. PAN: 9730 votos. Alianza (PRI-PVEM-Panal): 7567 votos. PRD: 2912 votos. Convergencia: 405 votos. PT: 192 votos". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
21. "Proceso Electoral 2011–2012. Elección de Ayuntamiento. 2012. Puerto Peñasco. PRI-PVEM: 11561 votos. PAN-Panal: 9325 votos. PRD: 277 votos. MC: 269. PT: 196 votos". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
22. "Mapa de Municipios gobernados por partido político. Período constitucional 2012–2015". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
23. "Proceso electoral 2014–2015. Cómputo por municipio. Elección de Ayuntamiento. Puerto Peñasco. PAN: 12853 votos. PRI: 8197 votos. Morena: 367 votos. MC: 358 votos. Partido Encuentro Social (PES): 295 votos. PRD: 160 votos. PT: 120 votos. Partido Humanista (PH): 82 votos. PVEM: 77 votos". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
24. "Mapa de Municipios gobernados por partido político. Período constitucional 2015–2018".
25. "Memoria Estadística 2017–2018. Puerto Peñasco. Coalición "Por Sonora al Frente" (PAN-PRD): 8279 votos. Coalición "Todos por Sonora" (PRI-PVEM-Panal) 5455 votos. Coalición "Juntos Haremos Historia (PT-Morena-PES): 3389 votos". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
26. "IEESonora. Resultados 2021. Ayuntamiento Puerto Peñasco. PAN-PRI-PRD: 7737 votos. Morena: 7359 votos. Partido Encuentro Solidario (PES): 4785 votos. Fuerza por México (Force for Mexico) FXM: 637 votos. MC: 294 votos. PVEM: 193 votos". IEES. Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana de Sonora.
27. "Elecciones Sonora. 2 de Junio de 2024. Municipio: Puerto Peñasco". Instituto Estatal Electoral y de Participación Ciudadana. Sonora.