Acapulco
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2008-07-14T01:07:42Z
Jimp
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/* Geography */ The place is in the Northern Hemisphere.
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{{Infobox Settlement
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|official_name = Acapulco de Juárez
|other_name = Acapulco
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|nickname = The paradise of [[Americas|The Americas]]
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|subdivision_name1 = [[Guerrero]]
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|subdivision_name2 = Acapulco
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|leader_title =Mayor
|leader_name =Félix Salgado Macedonio ([[Party of the Democratic Revolution|PRD]])
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|population_total =717,766 <small>(municipality)</small>
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|population_blank2 =Acapulqueño(a)
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|postal_code =39300-39898
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|website = www.acapulco.gob.mx
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'''Acapulco''' (Officially: '''Acapulco de Juárez''') is a [[city]] and major [[port|sea port]] in the [[Political divisions of Mexico|state]] of [[Guerrero]] on the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] coast of [[Mexico]], {{convert|300|km}} southwest from [[Mexico City]]. Acapulco is located on a deep, [[Semicircle|semi-circular]] [[bay]]. It is a port of call for [[shipping]] and [[Cruise line|cruising lines]] running between [[Panama]] and [[San Francisco, California]], [[United States]]. As of the [[2005]] [[National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Data Processing|census]], the population of the [[Urban area|urbanized area]] was 616,394, while that of the administrative [[municipalities of Mexico|municipality]] was 717,766 people. The municipality, which has an area of {{convert|1882.6|km2}}, includes numerous small localities outside of the city. The tourist resort city of Acapulco is the largest city in the state, far larger than the state capital [[Chilpancingo]].
The name "Acapulco" comes from the [[Nahuatl]] language, and means "place of big reeds".<ref>{{cite book |author=Robelo, Cecilio A. |year=1912 |title=Diccionario de Aztequismos |edition=new ed. |location=México |publisher=Imp. del Museo N. de Arquelogía, Historia y Etnología |pages=p. 43–44}}</ref>
==Geography==
The town was built on a narrow strip of low ground, scarcely half a mile (800 m) wide, between the shoreline and the lofty mountains that encircle the bay to the north and east. Access to the town from inland is through the mountains via a {{convert|2|km|adj=on}} tunnel that was constructed in the 1990s. A passage through the mountains, called Abra de San Nicolas, has been constructed, and it allows cooling sea breezes to reach the city.
The climate is [[tropical climate|tropical]], with warm to hot temperatures year-round. [[Precipitation]] is heavily concentrated in summer, while winter is mostly dry and sunny.
==History==
===Archaic Era===
Archeological evidence shows that Acapulco has been inhabited since before 3000 BC. The first vestiges of human presence consist of figures and pottery made of clay, stone, and ceramic. The pieces found in the coastal region of Puerto Marqués are the earliest known ceramics from Mexico, and they could be the oldest in [[Mesoamerica]].
Cave paintings from 1200 BC and [[petroglyph]]s have been discovered on Pie de la Cuesta. They indicate the early presence of fishing settlements, with agriculture and hunting as secondary activities. In a mountainside near Palma Sola, situated in the [[List of national parks of Mexico|Veladero National Park]], calendaric beads and 18 giant granite stones engraved with anthropomorphic, zoomorphic and geometrical details have been found. They were created between 200 BC and 600 AD. During this period, nomadic tribes from the northeast of Mexico entered what is now the state of Guerrero. Evidence of their presence has been found near the city.
===Spanish colonial period===
[[Image:Puerto de Acapulco Boot 1628.png|left|thumb|A 1628 Spanish relief map of Acapulco Bay]]
The first reference to Acapulco in the history of the [[Viceroyalty of New Spain]] was made as early as 1519, by [[Bernal Díaz del Castillo]] in his "Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de Nueva España" ([[The Conquest of New Spain|True History of the Conquest of New Spain]]). [[Spanish people|Spanish]] captain [[Hernán Cortés]] sent several expeditionary groups to the Mexican Pacific coasts in order to find a new commercial route towards Asia. The expedition led by Francisco Chico discovered Acapulco on [[December 13]] [[1521]], [[Saint Lucy|Santa Lucía's]] day, after whom he named the new found bay. Later, in 1523, Juan Rodríguez Villafuerte led Zacatula's expedition, arriving first at [[Zihuatanejo]], where he built the first shipyard of the New Spain. Then, after producing several [[caravel]]s and [[brigantine]]s, he sailed to Acapulco, where he formally took possession of the port in the name of the Kings of Spain, driving in the sand the cross and the staff with the banner of [[Crown of Castille|Castille]] and [[Crown of Aragon|Aragón]].
In 1532, by royal order, Acapulco became a direct dependency of the Spanish Crown, receiving the name of Ciudad de los Reyes (City of the Kings). Later, in 1550, [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Carlos V]], King of Spain and Emperor of Germany and the Indias Occidentales (Western Indies), promoted it to historical city by royal decree.
It soon became a major port for Spanish ships carrying silks and spices gathered from the [[Asia-Pacific]] area.
For more than 256 years, a yearly trading movement, known as the [[Manila galleon|Manila-Acapulco Galleon]], set sail from Acapulco to the [[Philippine Islands]]. Its trade started an annual merchant fair in Acapulco where traders bargained for the galleon's cargo of spices, silks, porcelain, ivory, and lacquerware.
Acapulco's yearly treasure soon attracted pirates from both [[Kingdom of England|England]] and the [[Dutch Empire|Netherlands]], who had sailed from the [[Caribbean]] sea. In 1579, [[Francis Drake]] attacked the coast of Acapulco, but failed to capture the Spanish Galleons; but in 1587, off the coast of [[Cabo San Lucas]], [[Thomas Cavendish]] seized the ''Santa Anna'', taking most of the treasure.
After a Dutch fleet invaded Acapulco in 1615, the Spaniards rebuilt their fort, which they christened ''Fort San Diego'' in 1617. The fort was destroyed by an [[earthquake]] in 1776 and was rebuilt by 1783. The [[Mexican War of Independence]], between 1810 to 1821, put a permanent stop to the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade.
===The Golden era of Acapulco===
[[Image:acacliffdiver.jpg|thumb|250px|La Quebrada Cliff Diver, May 20, 2006]]
In 1933 Carlos Barnard started the first section of Hotel El Mirador <ref>http://www.acapulcoenlinea.com.mx/content/view/2754/91/</ref>, with 12 rooms on the cliffs of [[La Quebrada]].
The principal architect and visionary for the development of Acapulco was [[Miguel Alemán Valdés]], as president of Mexico from 1946 to 1952. The main avenue that runs along the Acapulco Bay is named after him.
In 1949 Carlos Barnard started the "La Perla" restaurant, adjoining his Hotel El Mirador at [[La Quebrada]].
[[Teddy Stauffer]] (Mr. Acapulco) was also important. He created the first discotheque, "The Tequila a Go-Go", and the most glamorous hotel at that time (Villa Vera).
One celebrity who visited and fell in love with Acapulco was the actor [[Johnny Weissmuller]] ("[[Tarzan]]").
But pollution and neglect began to take its toll. Hotels dumped raw sewage into the bay and litter accumulated on the beaches. By the 1970s the water had become too polluted to swim in and the international tourists sought different destinations.
===Present day Acapulco===
Acapulco has hosted [[yachting]] as part of the [[1968 Summer Olympics]]. The city was devastated by [[Hurricane Pauline]] in 1997.
==Acapulco as a holiday resort==
[[Image:Acapulco,guerrero.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Acapulco Bay]]
Since the 20th century, Acapulco has been a popular resort for tourists taking long holiday weekends and cruises from the United States, the Mexican interior and countries in South America. Eventually, it began competing directly with the [[Cancún]] on the East Coast as a super-tourist destination. In the past three decades, air fares have become increasingly affordable as international airlines added flights and infrastructure to support the increasing air travel. The two beach resorts are located on opposite coasts oriented due East and West from the other. The city has had its star-spangled times, leading [[Sammy Cahn]] to reference it in his lyrics for "[[Come Fly with Me (song)|Come Fly With Me]]". Modern Acapulco is a featured destination for many Pacific cruise ship packages and international air carriers.
[[Image:Condominio La Joya 3,2,1 a la derecha y Costa Victoria Torres.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Skyline of Acapulco]]
In recent years, within the younger crowd, Acapulco has made up some ground on Cancún as a popular [[spring break]] destination. This growing popularity may be because Acapulco offers a different unknown experience and a larger, international student crowd than Cancún due to its prominence as an international tourist resort with many available international transatlantic and transpacific flights. Apart from just the beach, Acapulco's best known island [[Roqueta]], is a great attraction which is typically reached by glass-bottomed motor boats (enabling a clear view of the sea bottom). As in Cancún, [[water sport]]s such as water skiing, para-sailing, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, sailing and snorkeling excursions are available in many price ranges amongst the picturesque coastal waters.
Several real estate, hotels and timeshares had been developed in the ''Acapulco Diamante'' (Diamond Acapulco) zone. A very important development has been built by [[Mayan Resorts]] the largest vacation club and golf operator in Mexico.
Beginning in the 1990s the government invested more than US$1 billion in an effort to upgrade Acapulco's infrastructure. Sewage systems have been improved and tons of trash have been hauled off the beaches. The water has once again been pronounced safe for swimming, although Mexico uses a lower standard for water quality than Europe.
==Transportation==
[[Image:Acapulco nammer.jpg|thumb|225px|City of Acapulco]]
From the U.S., many [[airline]]s now fly to Acapulco year-round. While in the city, there are many [[bus]]es and [[Taxicab|taxi]] services one can take to get from place to place, but most of the locals choose to walk to their destinations. However, an important mode of transportation is the government subsidized 'Colectivo' cab system. These cabs cost 10 [[peso]]s per person to ride, but they are not private. The driver will pick up more passengers as long as seats are available, and will transport them to their destination based on first come first serve rules. The colectivos each travel a designated area of the city, the three main ones being Costera, Colosio, Coloso, or a mixture of the three. Coloso cabs mainly travel to old Acapulco. Colosio cabs travel through most of the tourist area of Acapulco. Costera cabs drive up and down the coast of Acapulco, which is where most of the hotels for visitors are, but also includes some of old Acapulco. Where a driver will take you is partly up to his choice. Some are willing to travel to the other designated areas, especially during slow periods of the day.
[[Image:JLNYCAcapulcoBay.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Acapulco Port]]
The bus system is highly complex, and can be rather confusing to an outsider. As far as transportation goes, it is the cheapest form other than walking in Acapulco. The most expensive buses have [[air conditioning]], while the cheaper buses do not. For tourists, the Acapulco city government has established a system of yellow buses with Acapulco! painted on the side of them. These buses are not for tourists only, but are certainly the nicest and most uniform of the bus systems. These buses travel the tourist section of Acapulco, driving up and down the coast. There are buses with specific routes and destinations, generally written on their [[windshield]]s or shouted out by a barker riding in the front seat. Perhaps the most unusual thing about the privately operated buses is the fact that they are all highly decorated and personalized, with decaling and home made interior designs that range from [[comic book]] scenes, to [[Pornography|adult theme]]s, and even to "[[Hello Kitty]]" themes.
==Attractions==
Since 1934 the [[La Quebrada Cliff Divers]] have performed their impressive jumps into the shallow water and dangerous tides that form in the bottom part of [[La Quebrada, Mexico|La Quebrada]]. The Acapulco cliff divers were featured regularly on the weekend sports program ''ABC's Wide World of Sports'' in the United States during the 1970s.
==Nightlife==
Generally, Acapulco offers a very good nightlife. Its main [[Nightclub|clubs]] are considered to be the Alebrije (the largest in [[Latin America]]), Palladium, and the [[Baby´O]] which many consider as the best nightclub in Mexico.
During [[spring break]], many bars and night clubs sign special contracts with U.S.-based [[Travel agency|travel companies]] and cater specifically to the needs of the American crowd, which pay in advance through the travel company (the venues cater to everyone, however). Due to this, there are distinct areas in which the American spring breakers are dominant, mainly around the coast where most hotels are located. Most clubs are open [[Bar (establishment)|bar]], while the smaller bar establishments are pay on [[Bill (payment)|tab]] (these also tend to have [[DJ]] or [[live music]] and dancing). Of the American favored clubs, the top three are Palladium, Mandara, and Privado, all located within a [[mile]] of each other.
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
* [1] Armella de Fernández Castello, Corina, Acapulco, Ed. Estoril, 1997.
* [2] Brush, Charles F., Pox Pottery: Earliest Identified Mexican Ceramic, Science, Vol. 149, No. 3680, pp. 194-195, 1965
==External links==
* {{wikitravel}}
* [http://www.acapulco.gob.mx/ Official Municipal Website of Ciudad de Acapulco] (Spanish)
* [http://www.inegi.gob.mx/est/contenidos/espanol/sistemas/conteo2005/localidad/iter/ Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005] INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
* [http://www.e-local.gob.mx/wb2/ELOCAL/EMM_guerrero Guerrero] Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México
* {{1911}}
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT001010 Acapulco climate statistics]
==See also==
*[[History of the west coast of North America]]
*[[Acafest]]
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