Quintana Roo
—  State  —
Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo
Flag Seal
Anthem: Himno a Quintana Roo
State of Quintana Roo within Mexico
Coordinates: 19°35′44″N 87°54′47″W / 19.59556°N 87.91306°W / 19.59556; -87.91306Coordinates: 19°35′44″N 87°54′47″W / 19.59556°N 87.91306°W / 19.59556; -87.91306
Country	Mexico
Capital	Chetumal
Largest City	Cancún
Municipalities	10
Admission	October 8, 1974[1]
Order	30th
Government
• Governor	Roberto Borge
• Senators[2]	Pedro Joaquin Ludivina Menchaca José Luis García
• Deputies[3]	Federal Deputies • Susana Hurtado • Carlos Manuel Joaquín • Rosario Ortiz Yeladaqui • Gustavo Ortega Joaquín
Area[4]
• Total	42,361 km2 (16,356 sq mi)
	Ranked 19th
Highest elevation[5]	230 m (750 ft)
Population (2010)[6]
• Total	1,325,578
• Rank	26th
• Density	31/km2 (81/sq mi)
• Density rank	24th
Demonym	Quintanarroense
Time zone	CST (UTC−6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC−5)
Postal code	77
Area code	Area codes • 983 • 984 • 987 • 997 • 998
ISO 3166 code	MX-ROO
HDI	0.854 high Ranked 7th
GDP	US$ 10,286,552.031 th[a]
Website	Official Web Site
^ a. The state's GDP was $131,667,866 thousand of pesos in 2008,[5] amount corresponding to $10,286,552.031 thousand of dollars, being a dollar worth 12.80 pesos (value of June 3, 2010).[7]

Quintana Roo (Spanish pronunciation: [kinˈtana ˈro]), officially Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo (Spanish: Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 10 municipalities and its capital city is Chetumal.

It is located in Southeastern Mexico, on the eastern part of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is bordered by the states of Yucatán to the northwest and Campeche to the west. To the north, Quintana Roo borders the Gulf of Mexico and to the south, Belize. It also claims territory which gives it a small border with Guatemala in the southwest of the state, although this disputed area is also claimed by Campeche.

Quintana Roo is home of the world famous city of Cancún, the islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, the towns of Bacalar, Playa del Carmen and Akumal, as well as the ancient Maya ruins of Chacchoben, Coba, Kohunlich, Muyil, Tulum, Xel-Há, and Xcaret. The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve is also in the state.

The state officially covers an area of 42,361 square kilometers (16,356 sq mi), but since 1997 there is a boundary dispute with the states of Yucatán and Campeche over an area of approximately 10,200 square kilometers (3,900 sq mi).^[8][9]

The statewide population is expanding at a rapid rate due to the construction of hotels and the demand for workers. Many immigrants come from Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco, and Veracruz. The state is frequently hit by severe hurricanes due to its exposed location, the most recent and severe being Hurricane Dean in 2007, making landfall with sustained winds of 280 km/h (175 mph), with gusts up to 320 km/h (200 mph).

History[link]

Tulum ruins.

The main building of Tulum, known as "El Castillo".

The area that makes up modern Quintana Roo was long part of Yucatán, sharing its history. With the Caste War of Yucatán starting in the 1840s, all non-natives were driven from the region and the independent Maya nation of Chan Santa Cruz was centered on what is now the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

Quintana Roo was made a territory of Mexico by decree of President Porfirio Díaz on November 24, 1902. It was named after an early patriot of the Mexican Republic, Andrés Quintana Roo. The Mexican army succeeded in defeating most of the Maya population of the region during the 1910s, and in 1915 the area was again declared to be legally part of the state of Yucatán.

Quintana Roo was granted statehood within the United Mexican States on October 8, 1974.^[1] It is the Mexican Republic's youngest state.

Municipalities[link]

The State of Quintana Roo is divided into 10 municipalities (Spanish: municipios), each headed by a municipal president:^[10]

Tourism, ecotourism, and globalization[link]

Tourism[link]

Aerial view of Cancún.

Beach of Contoy Island.

Beach of Punta Sur at south at the Cozumel Island.

Quintana Roo's tourist boom began in the 1970s.^[11] Tourism resulted in the development of coastal hotels and resorts, in addition to ecotourism inland and in coastal regions, which have increased the development of the region as well as the gross domestic product.^[12] Quintana Roo ranks sixth among Mexican states according to the United Nations Human Development index (HDI).^[13]

Biotic situation of the Yucatán Peninsula[link]

The Yucatán Peninsula is one of the most forested areas of the world when considering biotic mass per hectare.^[11] However, anthropological, biological and governmental experts have determined that Quintana Roo is 'facing a faunal crisis'.^[11] Many medium to large game animals are disappearing due to hunting and habitat loss. While its population is relatively small, Quintana Roo is experiencing both a population influx and an increase in tourism.^[11][13] This only increases the pressure on the plants and animals native to the area.

Ecosystems and animals[link]

There are four generalized ecosystems in Quintana Roo—tropical forests, or jungle, savanna, mangrove forests, and coral reefs. One of the byproducts of traditional and large-scale agriculture is the creation of additional habitats, such as second growth forests and fields/pastures.^[14] Tourism has caused Quintana Roo to become famous around the world in the last thirty or so years for its beaches and coastline. Biological experts consider the coastline of Quintana Roo one of the best manatee habitats worldwide.^[15] Queen conchs are also noted for their inhabitation of coastal territory.^[15] The wide variety of biotic organisms such as these has decreased drastically in the last fifteen years.^[12][16]

Avifauna[link]

Also affected by the loss of habitat due to both agriculture and development, birds are one of the region's most varied animal assets.^[11] Hundreds of species reside in Quintana Roo permanently, with hundreds of others either wintering there or using it as a stopover on the long journey into South America.^[15] As a result, many birders come to the area annually in search of the rare and unexpected.^[11]

Effects of tourism[link]

Many blame the environmental damage in Quintana Roo on either the regional government or outside investors.^[12] However, resorts and hotels in Quintana Roo have created jobs and increased economic activity, which in turn has resulted in growth.^[12][16]

Tourism projections and the native Maya[link]

Projections for the tourism economy of Quintana Roo were exceedingly optimistic. It houses multiple tourist attractions from the Maya ruins to the lush forests and beautiful beaches. However, the long-term effects were not foreseen. The effect on the local environment was not properly considered. Economic stresses of development and population were virtually ignored.^[16] The effect on the native population was not properly considered. The 'economic marginalization' of the Maya has had drastic effects on their sense of place and identity.^[12] For tourism to truly benefit the region, attention must go to both the environment^[11][15][16] and the area's original occupants.

Education[link]

Universities[link]

• Instituto Tecnológico de Cancún, Cancún
• University of Quintana Roo, Chetumal
• Universidad Intercultural Maya de Quintana Roo, José María Morelos
• Universidad Anáhuac Cancún, Cancún
• Universidad del Caribe, Cancún
• Universidad Tecnológica de la Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen
• Universidad La Salle Cancún, Cancún

Sports[link]

The Atlante F.C. was founded in 1916 in Mexico City and they now play association football (soccer) in the Primera División de México. Their home ground (since 2007) is the Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo in Cancún.^[17]

After playing the 1955–2001 seasons in Mexico City and the 2002–2005 seasons in Puebla the Quintana Roo Tigers have been playing baseball with a home field at the Estadio de Béisbol Beto Ávila in Cancún since the 2006 season.^[18] The Tigers made it to the Mexican League series in 2009, but lost to the Saraperos de Saltillo 4 games to 2.^[19]

Flora and Fauna[link]

Flora and fauna of Quintana Roo
Trichechus	Mazama americana	Eretmochelys imbricata	Crax rubra	Caiman
Ateles paniscus	Sarcoramphus papa	Tamandua mexicana	Nasua	Boa constrictor
Ceiba pentandra	Enterolobium cyclocarpum	Mangle	Haematoxylum campechianum	Bixa orellana

See also[link]

	Geography portal
	North America portal
	Latin America portal
	Mexico portal

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Dumond, Don E.1985 The Talking Crosses of Yucatán: A New Look at their History. Ethnohistory 32(4):291–308.
• Freidel, David., Schele, Linda., et al. 1993 Maya Cosmos: Three thousand years on the Shaman's Path. New York: W. Morrow
• Harrison, Peter D. 1985 Some Aspects of Preconquest Settlement in Southern Quintana Roo, Mexico. Lowland Maya Settlement Patterns edited by Wendy Ashmore Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, A School of American Research Book.
• Villa Rojas, Alfonso. 1945 The Maya of East Central Quintana Roo:The Pagan-Christian Religious Complex. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Institution.

Further reading[link]

• Anderson, E. N. and Felix Medina Tzuc. Animals and the Maya in Southeast Mexico. University of Arizona Press. Tucson, Arizona. 2005.
• Brannon, Jeffery T. and Gilbert M. Joseph. Eds. 1991 Land, labor & capital in modern Yucatán: essays in regional history and political economy. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.
• Barton Bray, David, Marcelo Carreon, Leticia Merino, and Victoria Santos. "On the Road to Sustainable Forestry: The Maya of Quintana Roo are Striving to Combine Economic Efficiency, Ecological Sustainability, and a Democratic Society." Cultural Survival Quarterly 17.1, 38-41. 1993.
• Daltabuit, Magali and Oriol Pi-Sunyer. 1990. Tourism Development in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Cultural Survival Quarterly 14.2, 9-13. http://209.200.101.189/publications/csq/csq-article.cfm?id=837
• Dumond, Don E. 1997 The Machete and the Cross. Campesino Rebellion in Yucatán. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press.
• Encyclopædia Britannica 2008. Quintana Roo. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Accessed 2008-02-21.
• Forero, Oscar A. and Michael R. Redclift. "The Role of the Mexican State in the Development of Chicle Extraction in Yucatán, and the Continuing Importance of Coyotaje." Journal of Latin American Studies 38.1, 65-93. 2006.
• Gabbert, Wolfgang. Becoming Maya—Ethnicity and Social Inequality in Yucatán Since 1500. University of Arizona Press. Tucson, Arizona. 2004.
• Hervik, Peter. Mayan People Within and Beyond Boundaries—Social Categories and Lived Identity in Yucatán. Harwood Academic Publishers. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 1999.
• Jones, Grant D. Maya Resistance to Spanish Rule—Time and History on a Colonial Frontier. University of New Mexico Press. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 1989.
• Juarez, Ana M. 2002. "Ecological Degradation, Global Tourism, and Inequality: Maya Interpretations of the Changing Environment in Quintana Roo, Mexico". Human Organization 61.2, 113-124.
• Morely, Sylvanus Griswold. The Ancient Maya. Stanford University Press. Stanford, California. 1947.
• Morely, Sylvanus Griswold and George W. Brainerd. The Ancient Maya, 3rd ed. Stanford University Press. Stanford, California. 1956.
• Pi-Sunyer, Oriol and R. Brooke Thomas. 1997. Tourism, Environmentalism, and Cultural Survival in Quintana Roo. "In" Life and Death Matters: Human Rights at the End of the Millennium. Barbara R. Johnston, ed. p. 187-212. Walnut Creek, California. Altamira Press.
• Roys, Ralph L. The Political Geography of the Yucatán Maya. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 613. Washington, D. C. 1957.
• Rugeley, Terry. 2004 Yaxcab´a and the Caste War of Yucat´an: An Archaeological Perspective. Rani T. Alexander. Albuquerque:University of New Mexico Press
• Schlesinger, Victoria. Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya—A Guide. University of Texas Press. Austin, Texas. 2001.
• Sharer, Robert J. The Ancient Maya, 4th ed. Stanford University Press. Stanford, California. 1983.
• Villa Rojas, Alfonso. The Maya of East Central Quintana Roo. Carnegie Institute of Washington Publication 559. Washington, D. C. 1945.
• Young, Peter A, ed. Secrets of the Maya. Hatherleigh Press. Long Island City, New York. 2003
• Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática

External links[link]

• (Spanish) Quintana Roo State Government
• (English) Tierramayaimports.com
• (English) Famsi.org

v t e  State of Quintana Roo Chetumal (capital) Municipalities (seats) Bacalar (Bacalar) Cozumel (San Miguel de Cozumel) Felipe Carrillo Puerto (Felipe Carrillo Puerto) Isla Mujeres (Isla Mujeres) Othón P. Blanco (Chetumal) Benito Juárez (Cancún) José María Morelos (José María Morelos) Lázaro Cárdenas (Kantunilkín) Solidaridad (Playa del Carmen) Tulum (Tulum) Places of interest Akumal Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park Banco Chinchorro Chacchoben Coba Isla Contoy Isla Holbox Kohunlich Mahahual Muyil Puerto Morelos Punta Allen Punta Sur Riviera Maya San Gervasio Sian Ka'an Tulum Xcalak Xcaret Xelha Yo'okop

v t e States of Mexico States Aguascalientes Baja California Baja California Sur Campeche Chiapas Chihuahua Coahuila Colima Durango Guanajuato Guerrero Hidalgo Jalisco México Michoacán Morelos Nayarit Nuevo León Oaxaca Puebla Querétaro Quintana Roo San Luis Potosí Sinaloa Sonora Tabasco Tamaulipas Tlaxcala Veracruz Yucatán Zacatecas Federal District Mexico City