Carmen Municipality

Carmen
—  Municipality  —
Seal
Location of Carmen
Carmen Location of Carmen
Coordinates: 18.63°0′N 91.83°0′W / 18.63°N 91.83°W / 18.63; -91.83Coordinates: 18.63°0′N 91.83°0′W / 18.63°N 91.83°W / 18.63; -91.83
Country	Mexico
State	Campeche
Municipal seat	Ciudad del Carmen
Government
– Municipal president	José Ignacio Seara Sierra (2006-09)
Area
– Total	9,720.09 km2 (3,752.9 sq mi)
Population (2005)
– Total	199,988
– Density	20.6/km2 (53.3/sq mi)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
– Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Created	1916
Website	www.carmen.gob.mx/

Carmen is one of the 11 municipalities that make up the Mexican state of Campeche. It is situated at the south-west of the state, on and around the Laguna de Términos. The municipal seat, and largest settlement, is Ciudad del Carmen.

The name "Carmen" is in honour of 16 July, the feast of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, after the date in 1717 when Spanish colonial authorities finally expelled the pirates from the island now known as Isla del Carmen.

History and geography

The municipality of Carmen borders to the north with the Gulf of Mexico; to the west with the municipality of Palizada; and to the east with the municipalities of Champotón, Escárcega and Candelaria. It covers a total surface area of 9,720.09 km².

Demographics

The 2005 census reported a population of 199,988 persons. Of these, 4,151 spoke one of 25 indigenous languages used in the municipality, predominatly Ch'ol and Yucatec Maya.

Population centres in the municipality include:

• Ciudad del Carmen, the municipal seat

References

• Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
• Carmen Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México

External links

• Ayuntamiento de Carmen Official website (Spanish)
• Municipio de Carmen from official Campeche state government website (Spanish)