La Paz Ciudad La Paz
Seaside of La Paz
Location of La Paz in Baja California Sur
Country	Mexico
State	Baja California Sur
Founded	May 3, 1535
named La Paz	1596
Government
- Municipal president	Víctor Castro Cosío (PRD)
Area
- Total	20,275 km² (7,828.2 sq mi)
Population (2005)
- Total	189,176
Time zone	Pacific Standard Time (UTC-8)
1 INEGI, Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México
Website: http://www.lapaz.gob.mx

The Bay of La Paz, as seen from the International Space Station

La Paz Entrance Sculpture

La Paz is the capital of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and an important regional commercial center. The city had a 2005 census population of 189,176 persons. Its surrounding Municipality of La Paz, which is the fourth-largest municipality in Mexico in geographical size, reported a population of 219,596 persons living on a land area of 20,275 km² (7,828.2 sq mi). Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixels, file size: 167 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Baja California Sur (English: South Lower California) is one of the 31 States of Mexico, occupying the part of the Baja California Peninsula south of the 28th parallel. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... The United Mexican States are a federation made up by thirty-one free and sovereign states. ... Baja California Sur (English: South Lower California) is one of the 31 States of Mexico, occupying the part of the Baja California Peninsula south of the 28th parallel. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... pie is nice Year 1535 was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Events February 5 - 26 catholics crucified in Nagasaki, Japan. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... The Pacific Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... The Bay of La Paz. ... The Bay of La Paz. ... ISS redirects here. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The United Mexican States or Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos or México) is a federal republic made up of 31 states (estados) and one Federal District, (Distrito Federal), which contains the capital, Mexico City. ... Baja California Sur (English: South Lower California) is one of the 31 States of Mexico, occupying the part of the Baja California Peninsula south of the 28th parallel. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... La Paz is a municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. ...

History

La Paz was first inhabited by neolithic hunter-gatherers at least 10,000 years ago who left traces of their existence in the form of rock paintings near the city and throughout the Baja peninsula. On May 3rd 1535, Hernan Cortez arrived in the bay near La Paz after having conquered the Aztec empire in Central Mexico and named it Villa de la Santa Cruz but abandoned his colonization efforts after several years due to logistical problems. In 1596 Sebastian Vizcaino arrived, giving the area its modern name, La Paz. Hernán Cortés Hernán Cortés (1485 - December 2, 1547) (who was known as Hernando or Fernando Cortés during his lifetime and signed all his letters Fernán Cortés) was the conquistador who conquered Mexico for Spain. ... Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political and military dominance over large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the Late post-Classic... Sebastian Vizcaino was a Spanish captain and ambassador to Japan. ...

The city features in the John Steinbeck book, The Pearl. John Ernst Steinbeck (February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was one of the best-known and most widely read American writers of the 20th century. ... Pearl may mean several different things: pearl, a round shiny object produced by molluscs and used in jewelry a whitish iridescent color similar to the color of pearls The Hymn of the Pearl, a passage of the apocryphal Acts of Thomas The Pearl, a book by John Steinbeck and the...

Geography

The city is located between the coastal mountains and the Bay of La Paz, on the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez. The Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez or Sea of Cortés; locally known in the Spanish language as Mar de Cortés or, much less frequently, Golfo de California) is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. ...

Climate

During the summer the cooling Coromuel winds, a weather phenomenon unique to the La Paz area, blow during the night from the Pacific over the Peninsula and into the Bay of La Paz. The Coromuel wind is a weather phenomenon unique to the La Paz area of the Baja California Peninsula and adjoining Gulf of California(Sea of Cortez). ...

Economy

La Paz's population has greatly increased from the 2000 census and now stands at approximately a quarter of a million people. This growth is largely because this city enjoys the highest standard of living/quality of life in the Mexican Republic with average wages in the range of $27 USD per day, whereas minimum wages in the country stand at closer to $4.25 USD per day. Many of the poorer southern States workers often have to work for half of that. For this reason many migrate to La Paz and Baja California Sur to enjoy a better standard of living and remit portions of their incomes to families in their home States. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Eco-Tourism is by far its major source of tourists income as people come to enjoy its marine wonders, as well as its diverse and often unique terrestrial species endemic to the region. All of the islands in the Gulf of California are now under UNESCO protection as World Heritage Bio-Reserves and the Espiritu Santos Islands group, which borders the south eastern portion of the Bay of La Paz and are considered the crown jewels of the islands of the Gulf (also referred to as the Sea of Cortez/Mar de Cortes), the primary tourist destination of the area. Its diving, snorkeling, and kayaking are considered second to none.

La Paz is also favored by water enthusiasts for its marinas (Paraiso del Mar[1], Costa Baja Marina, Marina de La Paz, Palmira Marina, and Marina Sur, soon to open) as well as its four boatyards, marine supply stores and cruiser club activities. The surrounding waters are full of adventure for experienced captains. Novice captains enjoy its nearby island coves for day or overnight trips along with a wealth of experienced sailors and boaters willing to share their expertise.

Industries include silver mining, agriculture, fishing and pearls. Tourism is also an important source of employment for this coastal community. This article is about the chemical element. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ... For other uses, see Pearl (disambiguation). ...

Transportation

La Paz is served by Manuel Márquez de León International Airport. Two ferry services operate from the port of Pichilinque outside the city, connecting the Baja California peninsula to the mainland at Mazatlán and Topolobampo, near Los Mochis. Manuel Márquez de León International Airport (IATA: LAP, ICAO: MMLP) is an international airport located at La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. ... The ferryboat Dongan Hills, filled with commuters, about to dock at a New York City pier, circa 1945. ... Coordinates: , Country State Municipality Mazatlán Government  - Mayor Alejandro Higuera Osuna Area  - Municipality 3,068. ... Topolobampo is a port on the Gulf of California in Sinaloa, Mexico. ... Location of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico Coordinates: , Country State Municipality Ahome Founded in 1893 Founded by Benjamin F. Jonhston Government  - Mayor Policarpo Infante Fierro PRI Elevation 10 m (33 ft) Population (2005)  - City 231,977 Time zone Pacific Time zone (UTC-7)  - Summer (DST) Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-6) 1...

Education

La Paz is the State Capital and center of commerce, as well as the home of the three leading Marine Biology Institutes in Latin America (UABCS, CIBNOR & CICIMAR), largely because it sits on the Gulf of California which is the most bio-diverse body of water in the world. It also supports several other university level institutes of learning. The combination of those makes La Paz one of the best educated per capita in the nation and thus gives it the largest per capita number of environmental experts/investigators in the country, and likely in one of the highest in the world.

References

• Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática

In addition to John Steinbeck's novel, "The Pearl", La Paz is mentioned extensively and lovingly in another Steinbeck non-fiction work, "The Log from the Sea of Cortez", 1941.

The city is also mentioned in the children's novella The Black Pearl by Scott C. O'Dell. The book was chosen as a Newbury Honor Book in 1967. Mr. O'Dell is also the author of the Newbury Award winning novel, Island of the Blue Dolphins.

External links

• La Paz Tourist Information Hotels, Attractions, maps and activities in La Paz
• Viva La Paz! La Paz Tourism Website
• Ayuntamiento de La Paz Official Website of Municipality of La Paz
• La Paz, B.C.S. Informational Site
• Virtual Baja Sur
• Marina Costa Baja Marina, Hotel, Condominiums, Golf, Etc.
• Marina Palmira Marina, Hotel, Condominiums, Etc.
• Haciendas Palo Verde Neighborhood

Maps

• Maps and aerial photos for 24°08′26″N 110°18′44″W / 24.1405, -110.3123Coordinates: 24°08′26″N 110°18′44″W / 24.1405, -110.3123
  • Maps from MapQuest, Multimap and Yahoo! Maps
  • Satellite images and maps from Google Maps and Live Search
  • Other mapping from GlobalGuide and WikiMapia

	Baja California Sur La Paz, capital
Municipalities	Comondú | La Paz | Loreto | Los Cabos | Mulegé Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Image File history File links Municipalities_of_Baja_California_Sur. ... Baja California Sur (English: South Lower California) is one of the 31 States of Mexico, occupying the part of the Baja California Peninsula south of the 28th parallel. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Comondú is a municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. ... La Paz is a municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. ... Loreto is a municipio (2nd-level municipality) of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. ... Los Cabos is a municipality located at the tip of Baja California, Mexico. ... Mulegé is the northernmost municipality of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. ...
Cities	Cabo San Lucas | Ciudad Constitución | La Paz | San José del Cabo Cabo is well known for its pristine beaches Lands End is at southern tip of Baja and its arch can be seen in a December sunset San Lucas Marina This view of Cabo San Lucas shows the rapid growth of the area (November 5, 2005). ... Ciudad Constitución is a town in Baja California Sur, Mexico. ... San José del Cabo is a city located in Baja California Sur, Mexico, and the seat of the municipality of Los Cabos, at the south end of the Baja California peninsula. ...