DURANGO, doo-ran'gO, Mexico, an in land state of the North, bounded by Chihuahua on the north, Coahuila on the northeast, Zacatecas and Tepic on the southeast and south, and Sina loa on the west. Its area is 38,009 square miles. It is one of the largest and richest states in the republic. The Sierra Madre range (altitude 8,125 feet to 11,375 feet) traverses the western and southern portions. Less important ranges are the Copolquina, Topia, Cavelas, Amacuti, Tominil, Muinora, Guanaccoi and San Juan de Camarones; these, as well as the isolated peaks, Cerro del Mercado, Panne° de Avino, etc., are ore-bearing. The Cerro del Fraile is an tinct volcano. Among the rivers, the Naaas, in the northern part of the state, with its afflu ents, the Santiago and San Juan; the Tuna!, which rises west of the city of Durango, and its affluent, the Suchil; the Rio Chico, or Alapo kieta and the Aguanaval, may be mentioned. There are small lakes, mineral springs, etc. Gold, copper and silver are the chief mineral products, and the best mining districts are those of San Dimas, Guarisamey, Buenavista, Gavi lanes, Guanacevi, Mapimi, El Oro and Inde. In the San Dimas district is the celebrated Can delaria mine, where the ore assays between $70 and $140 a ton. This mine is said to have yielded over $100,000,000 before the close of the 19th century. The Cerro del Mer cado, near Durango city, contains an im mense deposit of high grade iron ore and Is estimated to contain 300,000000 tons of that metal. Near it are iron and steel works. The mines are controlled chiefly by American capital. Sulphur, copper, iron, cinnabar, tin, coal and rubies are also found. With the ex ception of silver, the mineral resources of the state have been but slightly developed owing to inadequate and costly transportation facilities.
The Mexican Central Railroad crosses the east ern side of the state from north to south, and the Mexican International crosses it from northeast to southwest, running through the capital and connecting it with the port of Mazat lan on the Pacific coast. The climate varies with the altitude of the different localities, being cool or cold in the mountainous western regions, and temperate, or warm, in the valleys extend ing from the base of the mountains and in the Nazas basin. There is very little rainfall in the eastern part of the state. The climate is gener ally dry and healthful, but hot on the western slope of the Sierra: The soil of the plateaus is generally of good quality and with irrigation could be made very productive. Cotton is pro duced to a small extent. Wheat, maize, tobacco, sugar-cane and grapes are also grown in certain districts, and stock-raising is successfully prac tised in the higher valleys of the Sierras. Since the beginning of the 20th century manufactur ing has been making considerable progress. There are several cotton mills in operation, con suming annually about 500,000 kilos, and with an output valued approximately at 600,000 pesos. Soap and candle factories, tanneries, pottery works, etc., are also in operation. Durango originally formed part of the province of Nueva Vizcaya. The capital is Durango (pop. 32,263), and among the principal towns are Quanacevi (pop. 6,859), El Oro, Nombre de Dios, San Juan de Guadalupe, San Dimas and Villa Terdo. Pop. 510,000. The inhabitants are largely of Indian blood, are almost entirely Roman Call]: olics, and about 84 per cent are illiterate.