| Catemaco | |
|---|---|
| — City and municipal seat — | |
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  Catemaco
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| Coordinates: 18°25′0″N 95°07′0″W / 18.416667°N 95.116667°W | |
| Country |  Mexico |
| State | Veracruz |
| Municipality | Catemaco |
| Government | |
| - Municipal President | |
| Elevation | 340 m (1,116 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| - Total | 22,965 |
| - Municipality | 45,383 |
| Time zone | -6 GMT (UTC) |
| Postal code | 95870 |
| Area code(s) | 294 |
Catemaco is a municipality and city in the southeast of Mexican state of Veracruz, in the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas volcanic mountain range, along the Gulf of Mexico. In the 2005 INEGI Census, the municipality reported a total population of 46,702, of whom 22,965 lived in the municipal seat.[1] Ethnic composition is primarily of mestizo origin. Indigenous language speakers number fewer than 500.
The municipality of Catemaco covers a total surface area of 710.67 km² along the Gulf of Mexico between the foothills of Volcano San Martín Tuxtla and the Sierra Santa Marta, and incorporate Laguna Catemaco and Laguna Sontecomapan plus a large part of the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve. Catemaco borders the municipalities of San Andrés Tuxtla to the west, Hueyapan de Ocampo and Soteapan to the south and Tatahuicapan de Juárez and Mecayapan to the east.
Economically Catemaco depends on a mix of tourism, cattle ranching, fishery and agriculture. Statistically the municipality ranks as one of the poorer ones in Veracruz.
The city of Catemaco nestles against Lake Catemaco at 340 meters (1,115 feet) altitude and is surrounded by numerous taller volcanic peaks. To the north, Laguna Sontecomapan occupies a large flood plain and joins the gulf at La Barra de Sontecomapan, Catemaco's most accessible beach.
One of the featured attractions of the town are the "Monkey Islands", populated by abandoned research monkeys originally imported from Thailand. Almost 100 boats compete to ferry tourists out to see these Macaque monkeys imported to the islands in the 1970's.
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Settlements in the municipality
- Catemaco (municipal seat; 2005 population 22,965)
- Sontecomapan (2,397)
- La Victoria, (1,757)
- Zapoapan de Cabañas (1,344)
- Maxacapan (990)
Film location
Mel Gibson filmed parts of Apocalypto (2006) in the vicinity. He joined Sean Connery whose Medicine Man (1992) had also used the Catemaco area as a backdrop for jungle scenes, as have many other films.
Witchcraft festival
Historically an isolated community, the city now has an international reputation for the "Catemaco Brujos", a local phenomenon of witchcraft practitioners with commercial interests.
The Spanish term brujo may be translated as witch, sorcerer, warlock, necromancer, "alternative healer", faith healer and others. Catemaco celebrates an annual brujo festival on the first Thursday and Friday of March. It is called the "Congreso Internacional de Brujos".[1]
References
- ^ Olavarrieta Marenco, Marcela. Magia en los Tuxtlas, Veracruz. Mexico City: Instituto Nacional Indigenista, 1977.
External links
- Catemaco Tourist Guide
- (Spanish) Municipal Official Site
- (Spanish) Municipal Official Information
Coordinates: 18°25′N 95°07′W / 18.417°N 95.117°W
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