Baja California

Baja California is the peninsula in the west of Mexico.

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Baja California is also a state of Mexico, most of which is the northern half of the peninsula. To avoid confusion it is also called Baja California Norte.

The state is bordered on the north by the United States, the west by the Pacific Ocean, the east by Sonora and the Sea of Cortez, and the south by Baja California Sur.

The state has a population of 2,752,800 (2003 estimate), much more than Baja California Sur, over 75% of whom live in the cities of Tijuana and Mexicali, the state capital. The state has an area of 70,113 km². ISO 3166-2 is MX-BCN.

Table of contents

1 History 2 Municipalities 3 External links

History

• ...

• 1690s-1700s: Spanish settlement in California

• 1804: The Spanish colony of California is divided into Alta ("high") and Baja ("low") California at the line separating the Franciscan missions in the north from the Dominican missions in the south.

• In 1850, after Alta California has been annexed by the United States to become the US state of California, Baja California is further divided into northern and southern territories.

• 1952: Northern Baja California becomes the 29th state of Mexico.

• 1974: The southern territory becomes the 31st state, Baja California Sur.

Municipalities

Baja California is divided into five municipalities:

Ensenada, Mexicali, Playas de Rosarito, Tecate, and Tijuana.

External links

• http://www.bajacalifornia.gob.mx/ - Baja California state government (in Spanish and, partially, English)