Page 274 - Mexico Diving From the Caribbean to Pacific Isles
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O ver 75% of the population lives in the the Guadalupe Island, is part of Baja Califor- side of the mountains produce a rain shad-
capital city, Mexicali, in Ensenada, or in nia. The Coronado, Todos Santos and Cedros ow, creating an extremely arid environment.
Tijuana. Other important cities include San Islands are also on the Pacific Shore. On the The Sonoran Desert region of Baja California
Felipe, Rosarito and Tecate. The population Gulf of California, the biggest island is the An- experiences hot summers and nearly frost-
of the state is composed of Mestizos, mostly gel de la Guarda, separated from the peninsu- less mild winters. The Mexicali Valley (which
immigrants from other parts of Mexico, and, la by the deep and narrow Canal de Ballenas. is below sea level), experiences the high-
as with most northern Mexican states, a large est temperatures in Mexico, that frequently
population of Mexicans of European ancestry. T emperate winds from the Pacific Ocean surpass 47 °C (116.6 °F) in mid-summer, and
and the cold California Current make the have exceeded 50 °C (122 °F) on some occa-
I ts geography ranges from beaches to forests climate along the northwestern coast pleas- sions. Further south along the Pacific coast,
and deserts. The backbone of the state is the ant year-round. As a result of the state’s loca- the Mediterranean climate transitions into a
Sierra de Baja California, where the Picacho tion on the California current, rains from the desert climate but it is milder and not as hot
del Diablo, the highest point of the peninsula, north barely reach the peninsula, thus leav- as along the gulf coast. Transition climates,
is located. This mountain range effectively di- ing southern areas drier. South of El Rosario from Mediterranean to Desert, can be found
vides the weather patterns in the state. In the River the state changes from a Mediterrane- from San Quintin to El Rosario. Further inland
northwest, the weather is semi-dry and Medi- an landscape to a desert. This desert exhib- and along the Gulf of California the vegeta-
terranean. In the narrow center, the weather its diversity in flora species that flourish in tion is scarce and temperatures are very high
changes to be more humid due to altitude. To part due to the coastal fog. To the east, the during the summer months. The islands in the
the east of the mountain range, the Sonoran Sonoran Desert enters the state from both Gulf of California also belong to the desert cli-
Desert dominates the landscape. In the south, California and Sonora. Some of the highest mate. Some oases can be found in the desert
the weather becomes drier and gives way to temperatures in Mexico are recorded in or in which few towns are located – for instance,
the Vizcaino Desert. The state is also home nearby the Mexicali Valley. However, with ir- Catavina, San Borja and Santa Gertrudis.
to numerous islands off both of its shores. rigation from the Colorado River, this area
In fact, the westernmost point in Mexico, has become an agricultural center. The east
