Morelos

Morelos, state in central Mexico, directly south of Mexico City. Morelos is Mexico’s second smallest state, after Tlaxcala, but the third most densely populated, after the Distrito Federal and Mexico state. It is bordered by the Distrito Federal on the north, the state of Mexico on the north and west, Guerrero on the southwest, and Puebla on the southeast.

Morelos is characterized by the rugged and scenic landscape of the central Mexican plateau, with peaks reaching as high as 5400 m (17,700 ft). The state’s extreme topography and tropical latitude contribute to a diversified, but generally hot and humid climate. The far northwest corner of the state includes a small portion of Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park, which includes two of Mexico’s three highest peaks. The southern flank of one of these volcanic mountains, Popocatépetl (5,452 m/17,887 ft), falls within the state of Morelos. The state covers an area of 4,968 sq km (1,918 sq mi).

Cuernavaca, the capital and center of the state’s cultural and economic activity, is a permanent residence or vacation home for many Mexico City commuters and is connected to the city by a major toll highway. The nearby town of Tepoztlán, once a small agricultural community, has become an artistic center and vacation home to some of Mexico’s leading cultural and political figures. El Tepozteco National Park, located on a volcanic ridge near the town, is the site of the ruins of a pyramid built to Tepoztécatl, a major Mesoamerican deity. Other important cities include: Cuautla Morelos, known for its nearby hot springs and a center for the production of rice and sugarcane just southeast of Cuernavaca; Puente de Ixtla, a farming and ranching city in the mountains directly south of Cuernavaca; and Yautepec, also known for its thermal springs and a center for the production of sugarcane and rice located between Cuautla and Cuernavaca. The state of Morelos has one of Mexico’s most urbanized populations. During the 1980s it attracted numerous immigrants from rural areas. The state’s population in 2005 was 1,612,899.

Despite the high level of urbanization, Morelos is also one of the most agriculturally productive states in Mexico—a leading producer of corn, rice, sugarcane, beans, and wheat. Tourism is also important to the state’s economy. A major highway passes through Morelos, connecting it to Acapulco to the south. Another route connects the state to Oaxaca to the southeast.

During the pre-Hispanic period, a number of Native American cultures flourished in what is now Morelos. The state includes numerous archaeological sites, including the Xochialco and Teopancolco pyramids. Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conqueror of the Aztec Empire, built his palace in Cuernavaca. The city’s cathedral is the site of an important 16th-century Franciscan monastery. Morelos is named after one of the major heroes of the Mexican struggle for independence, the priest and revolutionary José María Morelos y Pavón. The state played a key role in the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), with rebels from Morelos helping to bring about the downfall of Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz. Emiliano Zapata, a native of Morelos, gathered an army in his home state and led thousands of peasant soldiers during the revolution. Zapata, along with Francisco “Pancho” Villa, represented the more radical elements among the revolutionary forces. Zapata’s 1911 Plan of Ayala, issued from the town of Ayala, Morelos, became the revolution’s most important summary of peasant demands for land redistribution and political reform.