CHIHUAHUA, che-wa'wa, Mexico, state bounded on the north by the United States, on the east of Coahuila, on the south by Durango and on the west by Sinaloa and Sonora. It is the largest of the Mexican states, having an area of 89,998 square miles, or about double that of the State of New York. The Sierra Madre Range traverses the state, and the Sierra de Tarahumares lifts its peaks (Bufa de Cerro Prieto, Jesus y Maria, Mesa de Tabascotes, etc.) to a considerable height; otherwise the surface is an undulating table-land, the eleva tion of which varies from 3,500 to 7,000 feet above sea-level. The largest of the elevated plains lying between the mountain ranges are the Chilicote, Gigantes, Bois& de Mapimi, etc. The Rio Grande forms the northern boundary, separating the state from the United States; but this river, which rises in Colorado and flows through New Mexico, is almost dry by the time it reaches Mexico territory, the greater portion of its waters having been utilized for the irrigation of lands in the country of its origin. The climate is temperate and healthful and the soil fertile wherever watered. Agri cultural products consist of corn, wheat, several kinds of vegetables and fruit, including grapes. Cotton is also grown successfully in the Torreon district. The forests are found mostly in the mountainous districts of the west. Chihuahua has considerable mineral de posits, its silver mines being among the richest in the republic. Some of them were
worked by the Indians at the time of the Spanish Conquest. The state's production of lead is also noteworthy and zinc is also abun dant. Over 5,250 mining properties are recorded for its entire area. The state is traversed from north to south by the Mexican Central Rail way. A considerable portion of the population is creole or white; the rest consists of Indians partly civilized. There are some Apaches in the mountains. In recent years large numbers of foreigners, chiefly Americans, have secured control of the industries and have already raised the state to a leading place in the republic. A flourishing Mormon agricultural colony was founded in 1886 west of Ciudad Juarez. The state suffered severely in the many revolutions which followed the fall of the Diazme, being overrun with bandits, who despoiled the residents, both native and foreign, and prac tically brought the various industries to a stand still. The state was invaded by United States troops under General Pershing in March 1916, who were dispatched to capture the bandit, Francisco Villa, who had made a murderous raid on Columbus, N. M., a few weeks pre viously. Pop. (1910) 495,265. The capital is Chihauhua.