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| Valles Centrales | |
|---|---|
| Name | Valles Centrales |
| Settlement type | Region |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | Mexico |
| Subdivision type1 | State |
| Subdivision name1 | Oaxaca |
| Area total km2 | 5000 |
| Population total | 700000 |
| Population as of | 2020 |
Valles Centrales Valles Centrales is a central highland region in the Mexican state of Oaxaca notable for its intermontane basins, concentric cultural landscapes, and role as a political and cultural hub. The region includes major urban centers and archaeological sites that connect pre-Columbian, colonial, and modern narratives through trade routes, religious networks, and indigenous governance. Its valleys have been focal points for interactions among Zapotec, Mixtec, Spanish colonial authorities, Mexican republican institutions, and contemporary civil society organizations.
The region encompasses multiple basins framed by the Sierra Madre del Sur, Sierra Norte de Oaxaca, and Sierra Sur de Oaxaca and contains river systems feeding the Balsas River and internal drainage basins. Principal municipalities include Oaxaca de Juárez, San Pablo Etla, San Felipe del Agua, San Jacinto Amilpas, and Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, which lie between ridgelines, isolated cerros, and fertile alluvial plains. Prominent archaeological sites such as Monte Albán, Mitla, Dainzú, Yagul, and Huijazoo occupy elevated terraces and dominate the geomorphology, while colonial-era landmarks like the Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Oaxaca) complex and the Temple of San Pablo (Oaxaca) shape urban morphology. Ecologically, the region transitions from tropical dry forest on lower slopes to pine–oak woodlands on higher elevations near the Benito Juárez National Park and corridors connecting to the Sierra Madre del Sur Biosphere Reserve.
Microclimates across the valleys derive from elevation gradients between roughly 1,500 and 2,200 meters above sea level, producing temperate highland climates influenced by the North American Monsoon and Pacific moisture fluxes. The rainy season typically coincides with the monsoon system and regional teleconnections to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation, affecting precipitation, agrometeorology, and hydrology in the basins. Urban centers such as Oaxaca de Juárez experience milder temperatures and diurnal ranges compared with higher towns like San Sebastián Tutla or San Agustín Etla, while valleys exhibit pronounced seasonal variability that shapes cropping calendars tied to staple crops cultivated since the eras of the Zapotec civilization and Mixtec culture.
Prehispanic settlement in the valleys dates to the Formative and Classic periods with major polities including the Zapotec civilization centered at Monte Albán and contemporaneous interactions with Teotihuacan, Mixtec polities, and southern Mesoamerican trade networks. During the colonial era, institutions such as the Royal Audiencia of New Spain and missionary orders like the Dominican Order established administrative and religious centers, producing hybridity evident in sites like the Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Oaxaca) monastery. In the 19th century the region featured in conflicts involving the Mexican War of Independence, the Pastry War era politics, and reform-era frameworks tied to the Lerdo Law and the Reform War. In the 20th century revolutionary and agrarian movements connected local ejidos and indigenous communities with national currents including the Mexican Revolution, land reform policies under presidents such as Lázaro Cárdenas, and later indigenous rights mobilizations interacting with organizations like the Zapatista Army of National Liberation indirectly through discourse.
The population combines urban residents in Oaxaca de Juárez and surrounding municipalities with rural indigenous communities speaking languages from the Zapotec languages and Mixtec languages families. Ethnolinguistic diversity includes subgroups tied to towns such as Teotitlán del Valle, San Martín Tilcajete, Arrazola, and San Antonio Huitepec, where traditional crafts and communal governance persist. Migration flows link the region to national circuits involving Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, as well as international diasporas in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and New York City, shaping remittance economies and transnational cultural exchange. Demographic indicators reflect urbanization trends, age-structure shifts, and bilingualism patterns shaped by education systems like the Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca.
Economic activity blends agriculture, artisanal production, tourism, and services with markets anchored in municipal markets such as the 20 de Noviembre Market and craft fairs in Tlacolula de Matamoros and Ocotlán de Morelos. Staple agriculture includes maize, beans, agave cultivation for mezcal production centered in nearby districts, and horticulture sold in regional supply chains connecting to wholesalers in Oaxaca City and distribution networks reaching Veracruz and Pacific ports. Artisanal economies include textile weaving in Teotitlán del Valle, alebrije carving in San Martín Tilcajete, and pottery in Santa María Atzompa. Cultural tourism leverages UNESCO-listed heritage at Monte Albán and festivals like the Guelaguetza, while economic development initiatives interface with institutions such as the National Institute of Anthropology and History and the Ministry of Tourism (Mexico).
The valleys are renowned for syncretic religious festivals, elaborate artisanal traditions, culinary specialities, and musical forms rooted in indigenous and colonial histories. Annual events including the Guelaguetza, Day of the Dead, and local patron saint fiestas orchestrate dance troupes, traditional music with influences from the jarana and marimba repertoires, and ritual practices maintained by confraternities linked to churches like Santo Domingo de Guzmán (Oaxaca). Gastronomy features moles, tlayudas, and mezcal pairings prominent in markets such as the Mercado Benito Juárez and attracts culinary researchers and chefs from institutions like the Oaxaca Culinary Institute and international gastronomy circuits. Textile arts, backstrap-loom weaving, and codex traditions continue in workshops associated with communities like Teotitlán del Valle and are subjects of study by museums such as the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca.
Transportation infrastructure centers on road corridors connecting Oaxaca City to coastal highways toward Salina Cruz and inland routes to Puebla and Mexico City via the federal highway network, with regional airports including Oaxaca International Airport serving domestic and limited international flights. Urban transit in Oaxaca de Juárez includes bus lines, taxis, and informal colectivo services linking markets, neighborhoods, and peripheral communities such as Santa María Ixcotel. Water and sanitation projects have been implemented in coordination with state agencies and international development programs, while heritage conservation involves collaboration with the National Institute of Anthropology and History and municipal preservation offices to manage archaeological zones, colonial monuments, and sustainable tourism infrastructure.
Category:Regions of Oaxaca