Durango City

Durango, officially Victoria de Durango and also known as Ciudad de Durango, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Durango. It stands at an altitude of 1,880 metres (6,170 ft).

The city was founded on July 8, 1563 by Spanish Basque explorer Francisco de Ibarra. During the Spanish colonial era the city was the capital of the Nueva Vizcaya province of New Spain, which consisted mostly of the present day states of Durango and Chihuahua.

As of 2010, the city had a total population of 518,709, up from 463,830 as of 2005. It serves as municipal seat of Durango Municipality which had a population of 582,267 in 2010. The municipality has a relatively large land area of 10,041 km² (3,877 sq mi) and includes such outlying communities as El Nayar and Cinco de Mayo.

History

The city of Durango was built on a wide valley in which a primitive Spanish village named Nombre de Dios was founded. By the 16th century, the first conquerors who crossed through its territory were Cristobal de Oñate, José Angulo and Gines Vazquez del Mercado, the latter attracted by the illusion of the existence of a large supply of silver; he had ultimately discovered a special deposit of iron, which now bears his name. In 1562 Don Francisco de Ibarra, the son of one of the celebrated founders of Zacatecas, explored the region and founded the Villa de Guadiana, near the old settlement of Nombre de Dios which soon became known as the Nueva Vizcaya in memory of the western Basque area he was originating from, called back then Biscay. Due to untamed territory and also to prevent a reduction in population, Ibarra bought a mine that offered the Indigenous peoples and the Spanish explorers work, with the sole condition that they in turn would settle in the new-founded city.

Durango

Durango ( duˈɾaŋɡo ), officially Free and Sovereign State of Durango (Spanish: Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango) ( Tepehuan: Korian) (Nahuatl: Tepēhuahcān), is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, compose the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja California Sur. The city of Victoria de Durango is the state's capital, named after the first president of Mexico, Guadalupe Victoria.

History

Pre-colonization

Durango, along with the states of Chihuahua, Sonora and Sinaloa, formed the historical and geographical unity of Northern Mexico, for what was the majority of the last millennium; it was not until the territories were reorganized after the independence struggle that they emerged as independent entities. This broad area represents the natural corridor that the Sierra Madre Occidental offered to the Toltec and Nahuatlaca tribes, both whom took advantage of the large accidental stone conformations to survive in the wilderness of the territory. The new formations formed as the only security for the tribes that moved among Northern Mexico and the Valley of Anahuac, eventually becoming a home-state for these tribes who then began to form small communities, united by language and region. The Tepehuános, Huichol, Cora, Tarahumara incorporated perfectly distinct nations, each with evident sedentary purposes, and a strong family structure, all whilst setting aside the bellicose attitude of the Chichimec tribe of the center of the then-current Republic. Sedentary life began in Durango around 500 B.C. in response to population growth. The exceptions were the Acaxee, Humas, and Xiximes who were constantly at war but always on the look-out for final settlements in the region of the Quebradas.

Durango, Biscay

Durango is a city and municipality of the historical territory and province of Biscay, located in the Basque Country, Spain. It is the capital city of Durangaldea, one of the comarcas of Biscay. Because of its economical activities and population, Durango is considered one of the most important cities in Biscay after the ones that compose the conurbation of Greater Bilbao.

Durango has 28,618 inhabitants (2012). The town is crossed by three rivers (as illustrated in the town symbol). The Ibaizabal river is the main river, and lies in the middle of its wide valley, with the scenic Urkiola mountain range and natural park to the south. The most important peak is the majestic Anboto (1,331 m (4,367 ft) in elevation). In addition, inside the town stand out two mountains: Pagasarri mountain (838 mts.)and Neberondo (453 mts.).

Etymology

There are many differing opinions about the origin of the name Durango. Basque linguistic Alfonso Irigoyen has suggested its origin to be in the name Duranco, probably used in the early Middle Ages. Other authors suggest the name to be a derivation of Urazango or an evolved form of Padurango. In the confirmation of the town's fuero it is referred to as Tavira de Durango; Tavira was probably the primitive name of the settlement and Durango the name of the region surrounding it. Until the 16th century, the town was known as Uribarri de Durango, Uribarri being Basque for "New town".

Durango (film)

Durango is a 1999 drama film directed by Brent Shields, starring Matt Keeslar and Patrick Bergin. The journey of young Irishman Mark Doran (Matt Keeslar), a cattle farmer who decides to walk 40 miles with his cows to the village of Trallock to get a fair price for his herd rather than sell.

Cast

References

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