Santa Catarina Juquila facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Santa Catarina Juquila
Municipality and town
Santa Catarina Juquila Location in Mexico
Country	Mexico
State	Oaxaca
Population  (2005)
• Total	5,579
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central Standard Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time)

Santa Catarina Juquila is a town in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. It is also the main town of the municipality that shares its name.

This area is part of the Juquila District in the central part of the Costa Region. The name "Juquila" comes from an old word, "Xuhquililla." It means "Place of blue milkweed."

Geography and Climate

The municipality of Santa Catarina Juquila covers a total area of 811.42 square kilometers. This land is very hilly, located in the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains.

The weather here is usually mild and humid. Temperatures are typically around 16°C (61°F). The highest temperatures reach about 20°C (68°F), and the lowest are around 12°C (54°F). It rains a lot, especially from May to September.

Plants and Animals

Many different types of trees grow in this region. You can find pine, oak, mahogany, and cedar trees. Other trees include coral, topehuaje, blackwood, ebony, jacaranda, and ash.

There are also many fruit trees. These include orange, lemon, mamey, banana, pomegranate, and guava.

The area is home to various wild animals. Some of the animals you might see are deer, badgers, iguanas, and armadillos.

The Town of Juquila

Virgen de Juquila

The town of Santa Catarina Juquila has about 5,579 people living there. It sits high up, at 1,462 meters (4,797 feet) above sea level. You can find it north of Puerto Escondido along Federal Highway 131.

The town is famous for the Santuario (Sanctuary) de Juquila. This special church holds a small statue, only 30 centimeters (12 inches) tall, of the Virgen de Juquila. People have honored this statue since the 1500s.

In 1633, a big fire destroyed the village where the statue was first kept. But amazingly, the statue survived the fire completely unharmed! In the early 1700s, it was moved to its current spot. That's where the beautiful sanctuary was built for it. Thousands of people visit this Virgin every year. They come from all over Oaxaca, other parts of Mexico, and even other countries.

People and Culture

In 2005, the municipality had 14,380 people living in 2,715 homes. About 4,168 of these people speak an indigenous language.

Juquila is an important center for the Chatino people. The Chatino are related to the Zapotec, another indigenous group, but they have their own unique language.

The Union of Indigenous Communities of the Isthmus Region is a group that helps local people. It was started in 1982. This group helps with making and selling local products, especially coffee. They make sure the coffee is sold under a fair trade label. This means the farmers get a fair price for their hard work.

Local Communities

Santa Catarina Juquila is the main town, and it also manages many smaller communities. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: Santa Catarina Juquila para niños