Global InformationBaja California information
Baja California | |
|---|---|
State | |
| Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California (Spanish) | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Anthem: "Canto a Baja California" | |
 State of Baja California within Mexico | |
| Coordinates: 30°00′N 115°10′W / 30.000°N 115.167°W | |
| Country | Mexico |
| Before statehood | North Territory of Baja California |
| Admission | 16 January 1952[2] (29th) |
| Capital | Mexicali |
| Largest city | Tijuana |
| Largest metro | Tijuana |
| Government | |
| • Governor |  Marina del Pilar Ávila |
| • Legislature | Congress of Baja California |
| • Senators | Jaime Bonilla Valdez Alejandra León Gastélum Gina Cruz Blackledge |
| • Deputies | Federal Deputies |
| Area [3] | |
| • Total | 71,450 km2 (27,590 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 12th |
| Population (2020)[4] | |
| • Total | 3,769,020 [1] |
| • Rank | 14th |
| • Rank | 19th |
| Demonym | Bajacaliforniano(a) |
| GDP [5] | |
| • Total | MXN 1.082 trillion (US$53.9 billion) (2022) |
| • Per capita | (US$14,185) (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT[a]) |
| Postal code | 21, 22 |
| Area code | Area codes |
| ISO 3166 code | MX-BCN |
| HDI |  0.809 Very high Ranked 2nd |
| Website | Official website |
| ^ 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.[6] ^ b. The state's GDP was 294.8 billion pesos in 2008,[7] an amount corresponding to 23.03 billion United States dollars, with US$1 valued at 12.80 pesos (value of 3 June 2010).[8] | |
Baja California[note 1] (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbaxa kaliˈfoɾnja] ⓘ; 'Lower California'), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California (English: Free and Sovereign State of Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 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 the Baja California Peninsula, north of the 28th parallel, plus oceanic Guadalupe Island. The mainland portion of the state is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean; on the east by Sonora, the U.S. state of Arizona, and the Gulf of California; on the north by the U.S. state of California; and on the south by Baja 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 to San Diego County, California, to its north. Over 75% of the population lives in Mexicali (the state's capital city), Ensenada, or Tijuana (the state's largest city). Other important cities include San Felipe, Rosarito, and Tecate. The population of the state is primarily composed of Mestizos, mostly migrants from other parts of Mexico, and as with most northern Mexican states, a large population of Mexicans of Spanish ancestry, and also a large minority group of people with East Asian, Middle Eastern, and indigenous descent. Additionally, there is a large immigrant population from the United States due to its proximity to San Diego and the significantly lower cost of living compared to that city. There is also a significant population from Central America. Many immigrants moved to Baja California for a better quality of life and the number of higher-paying jobs in comparison to the rest of Mexico and Latin America.
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, where Picacho 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 and Mediterranean. 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 the Valle de Guadalupe, the major wine-producing area in Mexico. To the east of the mountain range, the Sonoran Desert dominates the landscape. In the south, the weather becomes drier and gives way to the Vizcaíno Desert. The state is also home to numerous islands off both of its shores. Baja California is also home to Guadalupe Island, the westernmost point of Mexico. The Coronado Islands, Todos Santos islands, and Cedros Island are also on the Pacific shore. On the Gulf of California, the largest island is Angel de la Guarda Island, separated from the peninsula by the deep and narrow Canal de Ballenas.
- ^ a b "México en cifras". January 2016.
- ^ "Transformación Política de Territorio Norte de la Baja California a Estado 29" [Political Transformation of the North Territory of Peninsula de California to the 29th State] (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
- ^ "Medio Físico del Estado de Baja California" [Landscape of the State of Baja California]. Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ "Encuesta Intercensal 2015" [Inter-census Survey 2015] (PDF) (in Spanish). INEGI. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
- ^ Citibanamex (13 June 2023). "Indicadores Regionales de Actividad Económica 2023" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ "Daylight Saving Time Around the World 2023". timeanddate.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Sistema de Cuantas Nacionales de México" (PDF) (in Spanish). INEGI. 2010. p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- ^ "Reporte: Jueves 3 de Junio del 2010. Cierre del peso mexicano" [Report: Thursday, 3 June 2010. Close of the Mexican peso] (in Spanish). PesoMexicano. 3 June 2010. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- ^ Saldierna, J. F. Promexico. Editorial Emán. p. 68.
- ^ Lands and Peoples: North America (Volume 5 of Lands and Peoples, Grolier, 2005), p. 390.
- ^ "Baja California Embraces New Branding to Boost Tourism During Pandemic Recovery", Times of San Diego (23 Apr 2021).
- ^ Jones, Fred and Jones, Gloria. Baja Camping: The Complete Guide, p. 6 (Avalon Travel Publishing, 1994).
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