Altar Municipality facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Altar (municipality)
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Location of the municipality in Sonora.
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| Country |  Mexico |
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| State | Sonora | |
| Capital | Altar | |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 9,049 | |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain Standard Time) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (No DST) | |
Altar is a municipality located in the state of Sonora, in north-western Mexico. A municipality is like a local government area. In 2010, about 9,049 people lived here. Most of them, around 7,927 people, lived in the main town, also called Altar. There are no other towns in the municipality with more than 1,000 residents.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The land where Altar is today was first home to the O'odham people. They lived there long before anyone else.
In 1755, people from Spain arrived and built a fort. They called it Presidio Santa Gertrudis del Altar. This fort was built after a local uprising in 1751. Later, its name was changed to Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe del Altar.
Where is Altar?
The total size of the Altar municipality is about 3,944.90 square kilometers. This includes both the towns and the countryside. As mentioned, most people live in the main town of Altar.
Altar is surrounded by other municipalities. These include Sáric, Tubutama, Atil, Trincheras, Pitiquito, Caborca, and Oquitoa. To the north, Altar shares a border with Pima County, Arizona in the U.S. state of Arizona.
Climate and Landscape
The land in Altar is between 200 and 400 meters above sea level. It slopes down towards the Gulf of California.
The weather in Altar is very dry. Summers are extremely hot. Temperatures can sometimes go above 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius). From May to September, Altar is one of the hottest places in the world!
How People Make a Living
The main ways people earn money in Altar are through farming and raising cattle. Farmers grow important crops like wheat, cotton, corn, beans, and sorghum. They also grow table grapes.
Towns and Villages
Here are the largest towns and villages in the Altar municipality:
| Name | 2010 Census Population |
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| Altar | 7,927 |
| Llano Blanco (Rancho Seco) | 460 |
| 16 de Septiembre | 296 |
| Total Municipality | 9,049 |
Adjacent Municipalities and Counties
- Sáric Municipality - northeast
- Tubutama Municipality - east
- Atil Municipality - southeast
- Oquitoa Municipality - southeast
- Trincheras Municipality - south
- Pitiquito Municipality - southwest
- Caborca Municipality - west
- Pima County, Arizona - north
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Altar para niños
