Tunkás Municipality (In the Yucatec Maya language: “bad or ugly stone”) is a municipality in the Mexican state of Yucatán containing 514.79 square kilometres (198.76 sq mi) of land and located roughly 98 kilometres (61 mi) east of the city of Mérida.[2]
Tunkás | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Region 3 Centro #097 | |
  Tunkás | |
| Coordinates: 20°54′04″N 88°45′05″W / 20.90111°N 88.75139°W | |
| Country |  Mexico |
| State |  Yucatán |
| Government | |
| • Type | .svg){kind=logo} 2012–2015[1] |
| • Municipal President | Maria Elena Dominguez Kuh[2] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 514.79 km2 (198.76 sq mi) |
| [3] | |
| Population (2010 [4]) | |
| • Total | 3,464 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time) |
| INEGI Code | 097 |
| Major Airport | Merida (Manuel Crescencio Rejón) International Airport |
| IATA Code | MID |
| ICAO Code | MMMD |
The municipality relies on farming for the majority of its economy, along with remittances from emigrants. Tunakseños migrate to the beach resorts of Quintana Roo, mostly Cancún and Playa del Carmen, as well as to the United States. Large concentrations of people from Tunkás can be found in Inglewood and Anaheim, both in California.[citation needed]
History
editIn ancient history, the area belonged to the chieftainship of Cupul until the conquest. At colonization, Tunkás became part of the encomienda system and the encomenderos listed in 1735 were Diego Ramón del Castillo y Juan and Baltazar de la Cámara. In 1821, Yucatán was declared independent of the Spanish Crown. In 1825 the area was part of the Valladolid region.[2]
Governance
editThe municipal president is elected for a term of three years. The president appoints four Councilpersons to serve on the board for three year terms, as the Secretary and councilors of public services, public security, and ecology.[5]
Communities
editThe head of the municipality is Tunkás, Yucatán. There are 15 inhabited communities in the municipality: Canasultun, Ebulá, Franz, Kancabal, Kancabchen, Onichén, San Antonio Chuc, San Dimas, San José Pibtuch, San Román, Tabichén, Tunkás, Xcauil, Yaxhá, and Yohuas. The major population areas are shown below:[2]
| Community | Population |
|---|---|
| Entire Municipality (2010) | 3,464[4] |
| San Antonio Chuc | 248 in 2005[6] |
| San José Pibtuch | 188 in 2005[7] |
| Tunkás | 2812 in 2005[8] |
Local festivals
editEvery year from 20 to 24 December the area celebrates a festival for St. Thomas the Apostle, patron of the town. From 30 January to 2 February, an annual fair is held which attracts people from other areas of the region.[3]
Tourist attractions
edit- Templo de Tunkás, the colonial-era church
- Municipal Palace
- Cenote Chan
- Cenote Chan Lukun X’azul
- Cenote Mumundzonot
- Cenote X’tekdzonot
References
edit- ^ "Gobiernos: Presidentes Municipales". Partido Acción Nacional (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico: Partido Acción Nacional. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Municipios de Yucatán » Tunkás". Gobierno del Estado de Yucatán (in Spanish). Mérida, Mexico: Gobierno del Estado de Yucatán. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ a b "Nuestros municipios - Tunkás". Archived from the original on 15 September 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
- ^ a b "Mexico In Figures: Motul, Yucatán". INEGI (in Spanish and English). Aguascalientes, México: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI). Archived from the original on 6 May 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ "Tunkás". inafed (in Spanish). Mérida, Mexico: Enciclopedia de Los Municipios y Delegaciones de México. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- ^ "San Antonio Chuc". PueblosAmerica (in Spanish). PueblosAmerica. 2005. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ "San José Pibtuch". PueblosAmerica (in Spanish). PueblosAmerica. 2005. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ "Tunkás". PueblosAmerica (in Spanish). PueblosAmerica. 2005. Retrieved 3 June 2015.