Baja California

"Baja California es uno de los treinta y un estados que, junto con la Ciudad de México, conforman las treinta y dos entidades federativas de México. Está ubicado en el extremo noroeste de México. Comparte la península de Baja California con el estado de Baja California Sur. Antes de alcanzar categoría de estado en 1952, tenía el nombre de Territorio Norte de Baja California. Tiene un área de 71 576 km², es decir, el 3,57 % del país. Limita al oeste con el océano Pacífico, al este con el mar de Cortés o golfo de California, el estado de Sonora y el estado estadounidense de Arizona, al sur con el estado de Baja California Sur y al norte con el estado estadounidense de California. Se distingue de otros estados por un modelo económico y social que ha rendido frutos: 3,5% de su población en extrema pobreza, contra el 11% a nivel nacional y el 25% en muchos otros estados. Es el número 10 en competitividad, que se distingue por su apertura al mundo y una sociedad altamente participativa. Pero el que 110 mil personas todavía estén en extrema pobreza sigue siendo un reto. Se divide en 5 municipios. Su capital es Mexicali. Esta ciudad, junto con Tijuana y Ensenada, son las más pobladas del estado. Las dos primeras están ubicadas sobre la frontera con Estados Unidos. Otras localidades importantes son Tecate, La Rumorosa (municipio de Tecate), Rosarito (municipio de Playas de Rosarito), San Quintín (municipio de Ensenada), San Felipe, Ciudad Guadalupe Victoria, Ciudad Morelos, Los Algodones, Tecolotes, Batáquez (estas últimas en el municipio de Mexicali)."

"Baja California (Spanish: [baxa kalifornja] ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California (Spanish: Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, comprises the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North Territory of Baja California (El Territorio Norte de Baja California). It has an area of 70,113 km2 (27,071 sq mi), or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises the northern half of the Baja California Peninsula, north of the 28th parallel, plus oceanic Guadalupe Island. The mainland portion of the state is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the east by Sonora, the U.S. State of Arizona, and the Gulf of California (also known as the "Sea of Cortez"), and on the south by Baja California Sur. Its northern limit is the U.S. state of California. The state has an estimated population of 3,165,776 (June 2009) much more than the sparsely populated Baja California Sur to the south, and similar to San Diego County, California on its north. Over 75% of the population lives in the capital city, Mexicali, in Ensenada, or in Tijuana. Other important cities include San Felipe, Rosarito and Tecate. The population of the state is composed of Mestizos, mostly immigrants from other parts of Mexico, and, as with most northern Mexican states, a large population of Mexicans of European ancestry, and also a large minority group of East Asian, Middle Eastern and indigenous descent. Additionally, there is a large immigrant population from the United States due to its proximity to San Diego and the cheaper cost of living compared to San Diego. There is also a significant population from Central America. Many immigrants moved to Baja California for a better quality of life and the number of higher paying jobs in comparison to the rest of Mexico and Latin America. Baja California is the twelfth largest state by area in Mexico. Its geography ranges from beaches to forests and deserts. The backbone of the state is the Sierra de Baja California, where the Picacho del Diablo, the highest point of the peninsula, is located. This mountain range effectively divides the weather patterns in the state. In the northwest, the weather is semi-dry and mediterranean. In the narrow center, the weather changes to be more humid due to altitude. It is in this area where a few valleys can be found, such as the Valle de Guadalupe, the major wine producing area in Mexico. To the east of the mountain range, the Sonoran Desert dominates the landscape. In the south, the weather becomes drier and gives way to the Vizcaino Desert. The state is also home to numerous islands off both of its shores. In fact, the westernmost point in Mexico, the Guadalupe Island, is part of Baja California. The Coronado, Todos Santos and Cedros Islands are also on the Pacific Shore. On the Gulf of California, the biggest island is the Angel de la Guarda, separated from the peninsula by the deep and narrow Canal de Ballenas."