The State of México (often abbreviated to "Edomex" from Estado de México in Spanish) is a state in the center of the nation of Mexico. The State's capital is the city of Toluca.
   The Pre-Columbian ruins of the city of Teotihuacan are located in the State of México.

Geography

Political geography

Borders

Political division

• Toluca, which has 24 municipalities
• Zumpango, which has 30 municipalities
• Texcoco, which has 25 municipalities
• Tejupilco, which has 5 municipalities
• Atlacomulco, which has 9 municipalities
• Coatepec Hatinas, which has 12 municipalities
• Valle de Bravo, which has 9 municipalities
• Jilotepec, which has 7 municipalities

  Biospheres

  The state is characterized by large plains divided by mountain ranges. To the north is a dry region called "Los Llanos", with vegetation such as mezquites and paddle cactus. In this region there are oak trees and holm oak like in Cuzdha and El Rosal in the municipality of San Miguel Calpulalpan. Toluca and Lerma are in the central valleys, where industrial parks are the source of income. In the surrounding hills, the vegetation consists of pines and oaks. There are white cedars at the National Park of Bancheves. Ocotes, that are aromatic resins, are very common in El Oro, a municipality located in the north-east part of the state. In the central valley are industries and cultivated lands. In the lower, warm elevations to the south, the vegetation is tropical. Here are found guajes (fruits of climber), papelillos (trees whose crust is withdrawed by itself), acacias, palo de Brasil (red tree), guacima (small tree with rounded crown) and amate(tree whose bark is used to paint or write).

  Mountains and valleys

  The state is divided into two unequal parts: the cross-sectional volcanic axis, which is formed by peaks, the Mountain Range of Queretaro and Hidalgo, and the Sierra Madre del Sur, which is formed by the depression of the Balsas River, in addition to valleys which begin in Guerrero. Inside this system are included the Sierra de Ajusco and Montes de las Cruces, which form a wooded ridge across it from east to west, with a general elevation of about 3000 meters above sea-level. These ranges are part of a broken irregular chain which sometimes bears the name of Anahuac. The colonial era codices not only contain Aztec pictograms, but also Classical Nahuatl (in the Latin alphabet), Spanish, and occasionally Latin. Examples of these Aztec codices include:as Tlacotepec, Xilotepec codex, Tezcoco-Acampan codex.
     The State of Mexico is part of a cultural area called Mesoamerica characterized by homogeneous cultural elements despite the presence of multiple linguistic groups.
     Different ethnic groups including the Otomi, Mazahua, Matlatzinca and Chichimeca have made the State of Mexico their home.
     Toluca was conquered by the Mexicas. The Mexicas had to fight against Azcapotzalco.
     Some of the more important Aztec emperors settled in the Valley of Mexico were Cuauhtitlan, Tezozomoc, Azcapotzalco, Tlalmanalco, Opochihuacan and Xaltocan.

  Colonial period

  The first incursions of Spaniards to the State of Mexico were led by Andrés de Tapia who destroyed the population of Malinalco in 1521. Later, Gonzálo de Sandoval arrived in Toluca valley and defeated the Matlazincas who were allied with the Aztecs. After the fall of the Aztec empire, some Mazahuas were taken to rebuild Mexico City. Evangelization began in 1523 in Texcoco by Brother Pedro de Gante, who funded the Padua School. In 1524, the first religious order formed by the Franciscans came.
     When Cortez arrived, the conditions of the political situation were on his side. The heirs of the Tetzcoco crown were having a conflict. Cortez took advantage of and conquered what is now the State of Mexico. The Colonial period was when the original inhabitants formed a new world. They established new values, structures and created what now is known as the State of Mexico. This period began with the creation of small villages, territory delimitation, and the most important characteristic: the establishment of the original authority. Since this period, religion has been a very important of Mexican culture. The influence of the Dominicans and Augustinians was as greatimportant as that of the Franciscans” left. Education was well organized until “Jesus Company” arrived. In the 17th century, the native communities’ culture started to fall apart. In 1799, the town of Toluca was declared a city by Carlos V.
     In this period the State of Mexico was too big (107,619 square kilometers). The "Congreso de la Union" decided to took Querétaro, D.F., Guerrero, Tlalpan, Hidalgo, Morelos and Calpulalpan(Total: 86,466 square kilometers) from it. Also the capital D.F. was taken because the "Congreso de la Union" said that the capital must not be part of one state.

  Independence of Mexico (1810-1821)

  At the beginning of the independencemovement in 1810, Miguel Hidalgo visited Mexico City. On his way there, he passed through many towns of Toluca, gathering supporters among the people of Toluca. On October 24, 1810, Hidalgo fought against Agustin de Iturbe and won. On October 28, Hidalgo entered Toluca with his army and put the army of Torcuato Trujillo to flight.

  From the Revolution to 1990

  In this period, State of Mexico’s population increased considerably; to around 12 million inhabitants, and became the state with the largest population.
     During this period the State suffered a big transformation of the economic activities. The first type of industrial investment was done during this period. The State of Mexico with a stock-breeder history, transformed itself into an industrial economic Mexican place. Two cities from the state of Mexico, Lerma and Toluca, became the centers of many important industrial activities, not only for the state, but also for the country.
     Due to the industrialization the State of Mexico's economic transformation during this period produced a dual society; an urban one and a rural one. The urban society was known as the rich group from the state, which considerably had the highest incomes of the country in comparison to other urban groups from other states. The rural society is characterized of being a population where the presence of poverty is really marked.
     One of this period’s consequences is the partition of land. The State of Mexico gained from the 50’s land partition, after the Mexican Revolution, about . In spite of new land for the state, it didn't help to decrease the poverty rate.

  Demographics

  In the 2005 census, the state had a population of about 14,007,495 people. (The population in 1900 was 934,468-largely Native American.) The majority of the present-day population in the state is located within the Greater Mexico City metropolitan area surrounding the Distrito Federal. The state's population is rapidly increasing due to urbanization. The Mexico State is the most populated state in The Mexican Republic.
     The migration is one of the most important problems in the society. The State of Mexico has a very high level of migration to The United States it´s about 75.7% of the total population that migrates. The three places with a higher population density in Mexico are: Mexico City (5799 hab/km^2), State of Mexico (586 hab/km^2) and Morelos (318 hab/km^2).
     Outside of the urban areas, the principal industries of the state are agricultural, and principal products are cereals, sugar, maguey (from which pulque is made), coffee and fruit. Stock-raising has also had a profitable development, owing to the proximity of the national capital. The manufacturing industries produces useful items for community such as cotton and woollen fabrics, flour, dairy products, glass-ware, pottery, bricks, wines and spirits. To contrast, in 1900, the making of pulque from the sap of the maguey plant (Agave americana) was the chief industry of the state, and the product is exported in large quantities to the national capital. Also, the state was traversed by the Central, National, Mexican International and Interoceanic railways, and by short lines from the national capital to neighbouring towns.
     Some of the most principal companies in the State of Mexico are Alpura, Bacardi y CIA., Bic, Bimbo, BMW, Central de Abastos, Comercial Mexicana, Daimler Chrysler, Holiday Inn, Jugos Del Valle, Nestlé, Nextel, Panasonic, Robert Bosch, Telemark and Yakult. Today, the auto industry is a major industry in the state, and for most people is considered the key activity for the Mexican economy.

  Tourism

  The State of Mexico offers a number of tourist attractions. Visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the most variable landscapes, warm climate; fertile and green valleys; lakes, forest and Great Mountains. The most notable tourist sites are Valle de Bravo and Ixtapan de la Sal.
     Other tourist attractions are the pre-Hispanic monuments of Teotihuacan, a civic and religious center. Malinalco with its archeological zone carved over the mountain rocks and the archeological zone of Teotenango “El lugar de la muralla sagrada” (The place of the sacred wall).

  Valle de Bravo

  This place was originally named Temascaltepec and San Francisco del Valle de Temascaltepec later. The peculiar urban physiognomy of this place is given by typical houses of white walls with “guardapolvos” of rust color, wide rooftops and portals and balconies. The sloping streets and cobblestone alleys, reach "Plaza Principal" or beautiful neighborhoods like "Santa Maria" and "El Santuario". Art production in Valle de Bravo is based on ceramic and fabric. Valle de Bravo since four decades has become one of the most important tourist places in Mexico. In Valle de Bravo, one can practice golf, equitation, tennis, sky-diving, skiing and fishing.

  Ixtapan de la Sal

  Ixtapan de la Sal is located 66 km from Toluca and 120 km from Mexico City. Its original name means "over the salt" and it's 1,900 meters above sea level. Its principal attractions are thermal springs and water parks with indoor pools and other services like private pools and spa. The Church of El señor del Perdón (Lord of Forgiveness) has kept its original facade from the 16th century. 16 km away are located the Grutas de la Estrella (Caves of the Star).

  Government and politics

  The Constitution of the State of Mexico provides that the government of the State of Mexico, like the government of every other state in Mexico, consists of three powers: the executive, the legislative and the judiciary.
     Executive power rests in the Governor of the State of Mexico, who is directly elected by the citizens, using a secret ballot, to a 6-year term with no possibility of reelection. Legislative power rests in the Congress of the State of México which is a unicameral legislature. Judicial power is invested in the Superior Court of Justice of the State of México.

  Municipalities

  The State of Mexico is divided into 125 municipalities (countys), each headed by a municipal president (mayor). Most municipalities are named after the city that serves as municipal seat; for example the municipal seat of the Municipality of Nezahualcóyotl is the City of Nezahualcóyotl (aka Ciudad Neza). Typically, the city contains the majority of the population within the municipality.

Major communities