Caborca facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Heroica Caborca
City
The historic temple of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady of Caborca, the garden of the Pueblo Viejo square, the University of Sonora Caborca campus and also a view of one of the commercial areas of the city.
Seal
Nickname(s):  La Perla del Desierto
Caborca Location in Sonora Show map of Sonora Caborca Location in Mexico Show map of Mexico
Country	Mexico
State	Sonora
Municipality	Caborca Municipality
Foundation	1693
Government
• Type	Ayuntamiento
Elevation	280 m (918 ft)
Population  (2020)
• Total	67,604
• Demonym	Caborquense
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (No DST observed)
Area code(s)	637
Website	http://www.caborcasonora.gob.mx/

Caborca is a city in the Mexican state of Sonora. It's the main town of the Caborca Municipality. In 2020, about 67,604 people lived in the city. The whole municipality had about 89,122 residents.

History of Caborca

The area around Caborca was first lived in by the Hohokam people. They were here from about 300 B.C. to 1400 A.D.

Founding the Mission

The city started as a mission in 1688. It was called Misión La Purísima Concepción de Nuestra Señora de Caborca. A Jesuit missionary named Francisco Eusebio Kino founded it. This first location is now known as Pueblo Viejo (Old Town).

In 1790, the mission moved to where the city is today. It was built on the east side of the Asunción River. The area was home to the Tohono O'odham people. The name "Caborca" comes from "Kawulk," which means "hill with rocks and boulders."

Important Events

In April 1857, a group of American settlers, led by Henry A. Crabb, arrived. They were defeated in battle by local forces and Tohono O'odham warriors. This event is remembered in the city's name. In April 1948, the city was renamed Heróica Caborca. This means "Heroic Caborca."

When Mexico became independent, Caborca was a church parish. It became a municipality (a local government area) in the late 1800s.

Caborca Mission

Timeline of Caborca

• 1693 Eusebio Francisco Kino founded Caborca.
• 1695 On April 2, a missionary named Francisco Javier Saeta died during a local uprising.
• 1751 Local people set fire to the valley. Father Tomás Tello died during this time.
• 1790 Franciscan friars moved the mission to its current church location.
• 1803 The main church building began construction.
• 1857 A group of foreign invaders was defeated here.
• 1867 The Asunción River flooded, destroying the town.
• 1872 The town was rebuilt in its current spot. Domingo Quiroz y Mora planned the new layout.
• 1933 Caborca was given the status of a "villa" (a small town).
• 1948 Caborca was officially named a "city."

People of Caborca

In 2020, Caborca had 67,604 residents. There were 33,463 men and 34,141 women. The city had 25,377 houses, with 20,460 of them lived in.

A small number of people (0.28%) over three years old speak an indigenous language. Also, 0.93% of residents identify as Afro-Mexican.

Most people (79.93%) in Caborca are Catholic. About 9.23% are Evangelical/Protestant Christians. A small number (0.03%) follow other religions. About 10.61% do not follow any religion.

Geography of Caborca

Caborca is located in a special place. To the north, it borders Pima County, Arizona in the United States. To the east, it borders Altar. To the southeast, it borders Pitiquito. To the northwest, it borders Puerto Peñasco and Plutarco Elías Calles. To the southwest, it meets the Gulf of California.

The city is on Federal Highway 2. This highway connects Hermosillo, the state capital, with Mexicali and Tijuana in Baja California. There's also a four-lane highway connecting Santa Ana to Caborca.

Caborca's Climate

Caborca has a desert climate. This means it has very hot summers and mild winters. Temperatures can go above 38°C (100°F) from May to October.

Because the climate is very dry, strong winds can cause dust storms. You might also see "dust devils," which are small whirlwinds of dust. Rain is rare, but when it does rain, it can be very heavy. This can cause quick, local floods. Like Arizona to the north, Caborca has a monsoon season in late summer. This brings more humidity and often dust storms or rain showers.

Caborca's Economy

Caborca has over 4,000 businesses. These include farms, ranches, shops, mines, and factories. The city also has two large solar energy plants. A freight train station is in the city, and a gas pipeline passes nearby. There is an industrial park and good mobile network coverage. About 94% of people in Caborca have a cell phone. The average income per person in Caborca is about 11,000 US dollars per year.

Farming in Caborca

Farming is the most important part of Caborca's economy. More than 1,000 square kilometers of land are used for crops. The main crops are grapes, cotton, and wheat. Even though the climate is dry, farmers use wells to water their crops. In 2020, Caborca exported 260 million dollars worth of farm products to the United States.

Raising Animals

Ranching in Caborca involves raising different animals. Cattle are the main animals raised. Sheep and goats are also raised, but less often.

Cattle are raised for both milk and meat. Milk is used locally and in nearby towns. Beef cattle are mainly raised to export calves to the United States. Many people say that Caborca's beef is the best in Mexico!

Shopping and Business

A well-known hotel brand on Quiroz y Mora avenue, a major commercial area in Caborca.

Caborca has many shops and businesses. There are 815 stores that sell groceries, medicine, clothes, shoes, and furniture. This sector creates 7,977 jobs. It is the biggest employer in the municipality, providing jobs for 43% of the working population. The city also has two shopping centers with movie theaters, Cinépolis and Cinemex. Many national and international stores and franchises are also found throughout the city.

Mining in Caborca

Mining is a growing industry in Caborca. The area has a lot of gold and silver. Places like San Felipe and San Francisco are known for this.

The La Herradura mine is one of the biggest gold mines in Caborca. It started in 1997. In 2007, this mine produced 6.1 tons of gold. This made it the second-largest gold producer in Mexico that year. Other important mines include Noche Buena Mine and Santa Elena Mine. These mines help Caborca's economy a lot and create thousands of jobs. Mining brought in hundreds of millions of dollars in 2020.

Mining in Caborca

Fun Things to See and Do

Caborca has many interesting places to visit and fun activities.

Important Buildings and Art

The Monuments of the Inmaculada Concepcion de Nuestra Señora de Caborca were built by Franciscan friars. Construction happened from 1803 to 1809. It was officially opened on May 8.

You can also find amazing ancient art here. There are cave paintings, hieroglyphics, and rock carvings. These are located in the Bízani region, near the Caborca coast.

Temple of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady of Caborca.

Festivals and Traditions

Caborca celebrates national holidays in September, like many places in Sonora.

On November 20, people celebrate the Mexican Revolution with a parade.

There are also records of an old annual celebration in January. During this time, there were races between different local groups. These groups were known for being very fast runners!

Places to Visit

Here are some popular tourist spots in Caborca:

• The Temple of the Immaculate Conception, also known as the Historic Temple.
• The Historical and Ethnographic Museum of Caborca.
• The La Proveedora Archaeological Zone, where you can see ancient cave art.
• The Cerro San José Cave Art Archaeological Zone.
• The beautiful beaches of Puerto Lobos, Desemboque, and Santo Tomás.
• The Wine and Asparagus Route, where you can learn about local farming.
• Sporting, artistic, and cultural events.
• Local crafts and products.
• Health tourism, with many medical clinics.
• Food tourism, with lots of restaurants offering local and international dishes.
• 4x4 off-road events.
• Ethnotourism, where you can learn about the Tohono O'otham culture.
• Mountain biking events.
• The traditional Puerto Lobos fishing tournament.
• Other attractions include the La Arboleda Recreational Park, the Lienzo charro La Arboleda (for traditional Mexican rodeo), and the Autodromo Juan Chait (a quarter-mile race track for cars).
• The hill of the virgin and the cavalcade on December 12.
• Horse racing events.

Agrotourism route

La Proveedora Archaeological Zone

Getting Around Caborca

Caborca is well-connected by roads. The Mexico-Tijuana highway links it to the rest of the state. To the north, it connects to San Luis Río Colorado and Puerto Peñasco. To the south, it connects to Pitiquito, Altar, and Santa Ana. The Santa Ana-Caborca highway has four lanes.

The city also has a cargo railway station. There is an intercity bus station, local city buses, and taxi services. For small planes, there is an airstrip.

Cities Caborca is Connected To

Caborca has "sister city" relationships with:

• Prescott, Arizona, United States
• San Rafael, Veracruz, Mexico

Sports in Caborca

Caborca has many sports facilities. These include the Heroes of Caborca Baseball Stadium and the Fidencio Hernández Soccer Stadium. There's also a Municipal Basketball Gym, a Multifunctional Gym, and the "Dr. Enrique García" athletics track. The city has many other sports areas too.

City Planning

The layout of Caborca was planned by Domingo Quiroz y Mora in 1872. One of the city's main avenues is named after him. Caborca's streets are mostly in a grid pattern. This makes it easy for people to get around. Most city blocks are 100 meters by 100 meters. The city covers more than 25 square kilometers and is still growing.

Caborca's Influence in the Region

Caborca is an important city for the surrounding area. The city itself has 67,604 people. The whole Caborca municipality has 89,122 people. If you include nearby municipalities like Pitiquito and Altar, the population is 107,736. The total area influenced by Caborca, including several other municipalities, has about 111,712 people.

The economy and daily life of these smaller towns are connected to Caborca. Caborca is where most schools, businesses, factories, offices, and services for the region are located.

Images for kids

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  Mining in Caborca

See also

In Spanish: Heroica Caborca para niños