Xocchel Municipality
Xocchel Municipality (pronounced [ʃokˈtʃʼel], in the Yucatec Maya Language: “counting jays”) is one of the 106 municipalities in the Mexican state of Yucatán containing (53.65 km2) of land and located roughly 45 km southeast of the city of Mérida.[2]
Xocchel | |
---|---|
Municipality | |
Xocchel Location of the Municipality in Mexico | |
Coordinates: 20°51′00″N 89°11′20″W | |
Country | Mexico |
State | Yucatán |
Government | |
• Type | 2012–2015[1] |
• Municipal President | Leydi Guadalupe Castro Gamboa[2] |
Area | |
• Total | 53.65 km2 (20.71 sq mi) |
[2] | |
Elevation | 14 m (46 ft) |
Population (2010[3]) | |
• Total | 3,236 |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central Standard Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time) |
INEGI Code | 009 |
Major Airport | Merida (Manuel Crescencio Rejón) International Airport |
IATA Code | MID |
ICAO Code | MMMD |
History
During pre-Hispanic times, the area was part of the chieftainship of Ah Kin Chel. After the conquest the area became part of the encomienda system. In 1753, two women were the encomenderas for Xocchel, Catalina Guerrero y Ulbarri and María Enríquez de Novoa, responsible for 207 indigenous people.[2]
Yucatán declared its independence from the Spanish Crown in 1821.[2] On 30 November 1840 a partition was made assigning Xocchel to the Izamal Municipality.[4] In 1988, it was made its own municipality.[5]
Governance
The municipal president is elected for a three year term. The town council has four councilpersons, who serve as Secretary and councilors of public service, nomenclature, cemeteries, and parks.[6]
Communities
The head of the municipality is Xocchel, Yucatán. The other populated areas are Much, El Paraíso, Santa Cruz, X-lelbé, and Yaxquil. The significant populations are shown below:[2]
Community | Population |
---|---|
Entire Municipality (2010) | 3,236[3] |
Xocchel | 2905 in 2005[7] |
Local festivals
Every year from 24 to 29 June, the feast of San Juan Bautista, patron saint of the village, is held.[2]
Tourist attractions
- Church of San Juan Bautista
References
- "Nuevo local del PRD en Yucatán" (in Spanish). Mérida, Mexico: Diario de Yucatán. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- "Municipios de Yucatán »Xocchel" (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- "Mexico In Figures: Xocchel, Yucatán". INEGI (in Spanish and English). Aguascalientes, México: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI). Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- División territorial del Estado de Yucatán de 1810 a 1995 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1. ed.). Aguascalientes, Mexico: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática. 1997. pp. 101–102. ISBN 970-13-1518-9. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- División territorial del Estado de Yucatán de 1810 a 1995, pp 123-124
- "Xocchel". inafed (in Spanish). Mérida, Mexico: Enciclopedia de Los Municipios y Delegaciones de México. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- "Xocchel". PueblosAmerica (in Spanish). PueblosAmerica. 2005. Retrieved 10 June 2015.