Municipio de Catemaco, Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico
City of Catemaco, Veracruz
City of Catemaco, Veracruz
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Officially Catemaco was founded in 1774 and received "villa" status in 1823 with a population of 1100. In
1996 the villa was declared a ciudad (city).
The name of the municipio possibly derives from the Nahuatl language and has been interpreted various
ways, ranging from "place of burned houses" to "Quetzalcoatl´s sweat bath" and others. Claims that
someone named Juan Catemaxca founded the city are nonsense.
That the city was founded in 1774 is even more nonsense.
Drill cores from surrounding lakes date agricultural activity in the Catemaco and the Tuxtlas area to 7000
years ago. Olmecs are alleged to have initiated Mesoamerican civilization in the Tuxtlas region, beginning
perhaps 1600 BC.
A civilization influenced by the Teotihuacan empire has also been documented in Los Tuxtlas, with a
settlement of perhaps 35,000 near Catemaco between 200 and 1000 AD.
Numerous archaeological artifacts have been discovered in the Catemaco area and most any construction
site will unearth shards of pre hispanic pottery.
Population:
As of the 2000 census, app. 24,000
inhabitants live in Catemaco city plus another
22,000 who are spread around the county in
hundreds of small communities.
Ethnic composition is primarily mestizo, with only
an insignificant number of Amerindian language
speakers (500+/-) and less than 100 foreigners.
Geography:
The city of Catemaco nestles against Laguna
Catemaco at 1115 feet avove gulf level.
The county's 275 square milesoccupy the flanks
of the two tallest volcanoes in the Sierra de Los
Tuxtlas, San Martin Tuxtla (1737 m) and
Santa Marta.
Laguna Catemaco apparently was created when volcanic outflow from the last eruptions of the San Martin
Tuxtla volcano disrupted the outflow of water to the gulf and created a shallow lake. At present the
outflow via de Rio Grande de Catemaco is dammed to provide a source for hydroelectric energy.
Aside from Laguna Catemaco, the county also hosts Laguna Sontecomapan, a substantial Gulf of Mexico
lagoon. Numerous other lakes abound and dozens of small rivers, riddled with rapids and waterfalls,
crisscross the landscape. Catemaco´s water ways are known to thousands of fish tank owners
worldwide for some of their unique aquarium size fishes and international epicureans drool over
Catemaco's native snails and fish dishes.
Biosfera Los Tuxtlas:
This federal Mexican nature reserve, created in 1998, occupies most of Catemaco county and the
surrounding municipios. Laguna Catemaco and the city of Catemaco are not part of the biosphere.
Political:
Catemaco is part of the Veracruz political region "Los Tuxtlas", including the larger municipio of San Andres
Tuxtla and others. Catemaco is also part of a federal and a state electoral district headquartered in San
Andres Tuxtla.
Fauna & Flora
Despite recent environmental destruction, Catemaco and Los Tuxtlas still retain a significant number of
endemic species, possibly saved by isolated environment and climactic variety. In addition more than 550
bird species, zillions of butterflies and some of the most remarkable insects and bats of the world inhabit
the Catemaco landscape. The presence of the Los Tuxtlas biological research station has made Catemaco
a reference point for 100´s of scientific studies of anything that appears green, crawls or flies in Los
Tuxtlas, making it one of the world´s best studied regions.
Economy:
Catemaco enjoys a rich mix of tourism, cattle ranching, fishery and agriculture. Nevertheless, statistically
the municipio ranks as one of the poorer counties of Veracruz.
1996 the villa was declared a ciudad (city).
The name of the municipio possibly derives from the Nahuatl language and has been interpreted various
ways, ranging from "place of burned houses" to "Quetzalcoatl´s sweat bath" and others. Claims that
someone named Juan Catemaxca founded the city are nonsense.
That the city was founded in 1774 is even more nonsense.
Drill cores from surrounding lakes date agricultural activity in the Catemaco and the Tuxtlas area to 7000
years ago. Olmecs are alleged to have initiated Mesoamerican civilization in the Tuxtlas region, beginning
perhaps 1600 BC.
A civilization influenced by the Teotihuacan empire has also been documented in Los Tuxtlas, with a
settlement of perhaps 35,000 near Catemaco between 200 and 1000 AD.
Numerous archaeological artifacts have been discovered in the Catemaco area and most any construction
site will unearth shards of pre hispanic pottery.
Population:
As of the 2000 census, app. 24,000
inhabitants live in Catemaco city plus another
22,000 who are spread around the county in
hundreds of small communities.
Ethnic composition is primarily mestizo, with only
an insignificant number of Amerindian language
speakers (500+/-) and less than 100 foreigners.
Geography:
The city of Catemaco nestles against Laguna
Catemaco at 1115 feet avove gulf level.
The county's 275 square milesoccupy the flanks
of the two tallest volcanoes in the Sierra de Los
Tuxtlas, San Martin Tuxtla (1737 m) and
Santa Marta.
Laguna Catemaco apparently was created when volcanic outflow from the last eruptions of the San Martin
Tuxtla volcano disrupted the outflow of water to the gulf and created a shallow lake. At present the
outflow via de Rio Grande de Catemaco is dammed to provide a source for hydroelectric energy.
Aside from Laguna Catemaco, the county also hosts Laguna Sontecomapan, a substantial Gulf of Mexico
lagoon. Numerous other lakes abound and dozens of small rivers, riddled with rapids and waterfalls,
crisscross the landscape. Catemaco´s water ways are known to thousands of fish tank owners
worldwide for some of their unique aquarium size fishes and international epicureans drool over
Catemaco's native snails and fish dishes.
Biosfera Los Tuxtlas:
This federal Mexican nature reserve, created in 1998, occupies most of Catemaco county and the
surrounding municipios. Laguna Catemaco and the city of Catemaco are not part of the biosphere.
Political:
Catemaco is part of the Veracruz political region "Los Tuxtlas", including the larger municipio of San Andres
Tuxtla and others. Catemaco is also part of a federal and a state electoral district headquartered in San
Andres Tuxtla.
Fauna & Flora
Despite recent environmental destruction, Catemaco and Los Tuxtlas still retain a significant number of
endemic species, possibly saved by isolated environment and climactic variety. In addition more than 550
bird species, zillions of butterflies and some of the most remarkable insects and bats of the world inhabit
the Catemaco landscape. The presence of the Los Tuxtlas biological research station has made Catemaco
a reference point for 100´s of scientific studies of anything that appears green, crawls or flies in Los
Tuxtlas, making it one of the world´s best studied regions.
Economy:
Catemaco enjoys a rich mix of tourism, cattle ranching, fishery and agriculture. Nevertheless, statistically
the municipio ranks as one of the poorer counties of Veracruz.
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