Chihuahua

Chihuahua, state, Mexico

Chihuahua (chēwä`wä), state (1990 pop. 2,441,873), 94,831 sq mi (245,612 sq km), N Mexico, on the border of N.Mex. and Texas. The city of Chihuahua is the capital. Largest of the Mexican states, Chihuahua is divided into two regions—the mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental to the west, and the vast, cactus-and-greasewood desert basins, broken by scattered barren ranges, to the north and east. In extreme E Chihuahua and W Coahuila is a desolate basin, the Bolsón de Mapimí. At Nuevo Casas Grandes, in NW Chihuahua, is Paquimé, a vast and important archaeological site.

Chihuahua is a leading national mineral producer; the mines of the Sierra Madre yield silver, gold, zinc, lead, and other minerals and constitute the state's most valuable industry. Cattle raising on the wide plains, which was practiced from the 16th cent. until it was virtually halted by the depredations of Francisco Villa, has been revived. Long considered unsuitable for agriculture, the state has seen reclamation of some river valleys, notably that of the Conchos. The newly irrigated areas and upland mountain valleys produce grains, cotton, and fruit. Chihuahua is one of Mexico's chief agricultural states and has become a center for foreign investment in manufacturing. Foreign (particularly U.S.) corporations have taken advantage of the large and rapidly expanding population and built manufacturing plants (maquiladoras) in N Chihuahua. Among the products are electronics and automobiles.

Chihuahua was first known to the Spanish through Cabeza de Vaca, and after the settlement of Durango in 1562 by Francisco de Ibarra, Chihuahua and Durango were called Nueva Vizcaya. Chihuahua became a state after the Mexican revolution against Spain. During the 19th cent. Chihuahua was a center of Apache and Yaqui activity; today the Tarahumara inhabit some of the remote regions of Chihuahua.

Of considerable importance to Chihuahua's economic and political development was the westward expansion of the United States; during the 19th and early 20th cent. foreign investment was considerable, with the border city of Juárez as the commercial link. Chihuahua was occupied by American forces in the Mexican War

Causes

While the immediate cause of the war was the U.S. annexation of Texas (Dec., 1845), other factors had disturbed peaceful relations between the two republics.
.....  and played a prominent part in the turbulent years following the revolution in 1910. In 1961, in an attempt to open some of the most valuable timber and mining lands in the nation, Mexico inaugurated the 560-mi (901-km) Chihuahua-Pacific RR, which borders the gigantic Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon). There has been significant outmigration from Chihuahua to the United States in recent years.

---

Chihuahua, city, Mexico

Chihuahua, city (1990 pop. 516,153), capital of Chihuahua state, N Mexico. It lies in a valley almost encircled by hills. Chihuahua is the commercial and processing center of a vast central area. Agriculture, livestock, and mining are the economic mainstays of the surrounding region. The revolutionist Hidalgo y Costilla was executed in the city in 1811. Chihuahua was occupied briefly by U.S. forces in 1846 during the Mexican War and served as the headquarters of Benito Juárez until French troops took it in 1865. It has many American residents. There are several prime examples of 18th-century colonial architecture, including the aqueduct.

---

Chihuahua, breed of dog

Chihuahua (chəwä`wə), a breed of small toy dog probably of Asian origin and introduced into Mexico by Spanish settlers. It stands about 5 in. (12.7 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 1 to 6 lb (0.5–2.7 kg). There are two varieties: the smooth, with a short, close-lying, glossy coat, and the long-coated, with soft-textured, flat or slightly wavy hair that forms a fringe of longer hair on the neck, legs, and tail. The coat may be any color but is usually tan. Named after the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, this tiny dog was long believed to have been indigenously Mexican. However, there exist no archaeological remains to support this belief; the animal generally claimed to be the Chihuahua depicted in Toltecan and Aztecan art and described in the writings of early explorers of Mexico is most probably a variety of rodent. It is much more likely that the ancestors of the breed were brought by Spanish merchants by way of their trade route from China, where the practice of dwarfing both plants and animals has had a long history. Today the Chihuahua is widely popular as a house pet. See dog.

---

Chihuahua

State (pop., 2000: 3,052,907), northern Mexico. The country's largest state, it covers 94,571 sq mi (244,938 sq km) and borders the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. Its capital is Chihuahua city. It consists largely of an elevated plain sloping northward toward the Rio Grande. Its western area is broken by the Sierra Madre Occidental. Chihuahua's Copper Canyon (Barranca del Cobre) resembles the U.S. Grand Canyon in scale but is almost inaccessible. In Spanish colonial times it was ruled with Durango but was made a separate state in 1823. The state's principal industry is mining; livestock raising is also important to the economy.

---

Chihuahua

City (pop., 2000: 657,876), capital of Chihuahua state, Mexico. Founded in 1709, it was a prosperous mining centre during the colonial era. It was twice captured by U.S. forces during the Mexican War (1846–48). Now the centre of a cattle-raising area, it has many noteworthy buildings, including the Church of San Francisco, one of the best examples of 18th-century Mexican colonial architecture.

---

Chihuahua

Smallest recognized dog breed, named for the Mexican state where it was first noted in the mid-19th century. It probably derived from the Techichi, a small, mute dog kept by the Toltec people as long ago as the 9th century. Typically a feisty-looking, alert dog that is sturdier than its small build would suggest, it stands about 5 in. (13 cm) high and weighs 1–6 lb (0.5–2.7 kg). It has a rounded head, large, erect ears, prominent eyes, and a compact body. The coat varies in colour and may be either smooth and glossy or long and soft.