The state of Oaxaca, Mexico - resource page

Photo Gallery: Guelaguetza in Oaxaca: Celebration and ceremony

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Photo Gallery: Oaxaca, The Spirit of Mexico

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Located in the southern part of Mexico, the state of Oaxaca is bordered to the north by the states of Puebla and Veracruz, to the east by Chiapas, to the west by Guerrero, and to the south by the Pacific Ocean. The state has fabulous beaches, rugged mountains and a broad central valley. The City of Oaxaca offers visitors splendid colonial architecture, and a richly varied cultural life. Near the city are some of Mexico’s most important archaeological sites, including Monte Alban and Mitla.

The state of Oaxaca is one of the most ethnically varied in the nation. Despite the conquest and colonization by the Spanish, the Mixtec and the Zapotec Indians maintained their language, their culture, and their social organization, as did many other Indian groups.

Oaxaca is considered one of the richest states in Mexico, for its expressions of culture and history and for its mix of prehispanic treasures and colonial patrimony, as well as for its music, dance, painting, traditions, and culinary arts. Oaxaca’s scenery is marked by nine spectacular bays along its Pacific coast, whose beach paradises contrast beautifully with the rivers, hillsides, and valleys inland. But more than anything, Oaxaca is enriched by its charming people.