Salina Cruz
Encyclopedia
Salina Cruz is a major seaport on the Pacific
coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca
. It is the state's third-largest city and is municipal seat of the municipality
of the same name.
It is part of the Tehuantepec District
in the west of the Istmo Region
.
The city had a 2005 census population of 71,314 persons, while its municipality, with an area of 113.55 km² (43.8 sq mi) had a population of 76,219, the state's fourth-largest municipality in population.
The port expanded in the late 19th century due to its location at the southern terminus of the Tehuantepec National Railway, which carried freight across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. It is situated near the mouth of the Río Tehuantepec, on the open coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
on the Gulf of Tehuantepec
, and has no natural harbour. There was only a small Native
village before Salina Cruz was chosen as the Pacific terminus of the railway, whereupon a modern town was laid out and built on adjacent higher ground. The new port was opened to traffic in 1907 and in 1909 its population was largely composed of labourers. A costly artificial harbour was built by the Mexican government to accommodate the traffic of the Tehuantepec railway. It is formed by the construction of two breakwaters, the western 3260 ft (993.6 m) and the eastern 1900 ft (579.1 m) long, which curve toward each other at their outer extremities and leave an entrance 635 ft (193.5 m) wide. The enclosed space is divided into an outer and inner harbour by a double line of quays wide enough to carry six great warehouses with electric cranes on both sides and a number of railway tracks. Connected with the new port works was one of the then-largest dry docks in the world 610 ft (185.9 m) long and 89 ft (27.1 m) wide, with a depth of 28 ft (8.5 m) on its sill at low water. The works were planned to handle an immense volume of transcontinental freight, and before they were finished four steamship lines had arranged regular calls at Salina Cruz.
Agua Blanca, Boca del Río, Colonia el Bosque, Colonia el Mirador, Colonia Estibadores, Colonia Granadillo, Colonia la Brecha, Colonia Miramar, Colonia Santita, Colonia Vista Hermosa, El Ciruelo, El Puentecito, Ensenada de la Ventosa, La Brecha (Rancho Moisés Aquino), La Hacienda (Palo Grande), Las Escolleras, Palo Grande, Playa Azul, Playa Brasil (Brasilito), Salinas del Marqués, San Antonio Monterrey, and San José del Palmar
across France, Spain, USA, Mexico and finally Salina Cruz.
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
. It is the state's third-largest city and is municipal seat of the municipality
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in Mexico . There are 2,438 municipalities in Mexico, making the average municipality population 45,616...
of the same name.
It is part of the Tehuantepec District
Tehuantepec District, Oaxaca
Tehuantepec District is located in the west of the Istmo Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.It includes the cities of Salina Cruz and Tehuantepec.-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:...
in the west of the Istmo Region
Istmo de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca
Istmo de Tehuantepec is the largest region in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. It covers the southern part of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the shortest route between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean before the Panama Canal was opened....
.
The city had a 2005 census population of 71,314 persons, while its municipality, with an area of 113.55 km² (43.8 sq mi) had a population of 76,219, the state's fourth-largest municipality in population.
The port expanded in the late 19th century due to its location at the southern terminus of the Tehuantepec National Railway, which carried freight across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. It is situated near the mouth of the Río Tehuantepec, on the open coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Isthmus of Tehuantepec
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is an isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and prior to the opening of the Panama Canal was a major shipping route known simply as the Tehuantepec Route...
on the Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec is a large body of water on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, southeastern Mexico, at . Most of the hurricanes that form in the Eastern Pacific organize in or near this body of water...
, and has no natural harbour. There was only a small Native
Indigenous peoples of Mexico
Mexico, in the second article of its Constitution, is defined as a "pluricultural" nation in recognition of the diverse ethnic groups that constitute it, and in which the indigenous peoples are the original foundation...
village before Salina Cruz was chosen as the Pacific terminus of the railway, whereupon a modern town was laid out and built on adjacent higher ground. The new port was opened to traffic in 1907 and in 1909 its population was largely composed of labourers. A costly artificial harbour was built by the Mexican government to accommodate the traffic of the Tehuantepec railway. It is formed by the construction of two breakwaters, the western 3260 ft (993.6 m) and the eastern 1900 ft (579.1 m) long, which curve toward each other at their outer extremities and leave an entrance 635 ft (193.5 m) wide. The enclosed space is divided into an outer and inner harbour by a double line of quays wide enough to carry six great warehouses with electric cranes on both sides and a number of railway tracks. Connected with the new port works was one of the then-largest dry docks in the world 610 ft (185.9 m) long and 89 ft (27.1 m) wide, with a depth of 28 ft (8.5 m) on its sill at low water. The works were planned to handle an immense volume of transcontinental freight, and before they were finished four steamship lines had arranged regular calls at Salina Cruz.
The municipality
As municipal seat, Salina Cruz has governing jurisdiction over the following communities:Agua Blanca, Boca del Río, Colonia el Bosque, Colonia el Mirador, Colonia Estibadores, Colonia Granadillo, Colonia la Brecha, Colonia Miramar, Colonia Santita, Colonia Vista Hermosa, El Ciruelo, El Puentecito, Ensenada de la Ventosa, La Brecha (Rancho Moisés Aquino), La Hacienda (Palo Grande), Las Escolleras, Palo Grande, Playa Azul, Playa Brasil (Brasilito), Salinas del Marqués, San Antonio Monterrey, and San José del Palmar
Popular culture
Salina Cruz features as the focus for the novel Last Stop Salina Cruz (2007) by British novelist David Lalé. The novel tells the story of a young man following in the footpaths of modernist legend Arthur CravanArthur Cravan
Arthur Cravan was known as a pugilist, a poet, a larger-than-life character, and an idol of the Dada and Surrealism movements. He was the second son of Otho Holland Lloyd and Hélène Clara St. Clair of Armenian desent. His brother, Otho, was born in 1885...
across France, Spain, USA, Mexico and finally Salina Cruz.
- Review of Last Stop Salina Cruz on The Independent
- Last Stop Salina Cruz on Amazon
External links
- Municipio de Salina Cruz Official website
- Page related to Salina Cruz History and folklore General Information
- Port of Salina Cruz