Espita, Yucatán
Espita is a town in Espita Municipality, Yucatán (Mexico) located on the Litoral Oriente (East Coast) or Region I of Yucatan. It has an average height of 27 meters and is located at a distance of 165 km from the Merida City, 80 km from Izamal, 58 km from Chichen Itza, 49 km from Valladolid, 35 km from Ekʼ Balam and 27 km from Tizimín.
Espita | |
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Town | |
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Seal | |
| Motto: "The Athens of Yucatan" | |
Espita Espita | |
| Coordinates: 21°00′46″N 88°18′17″W | |
| Country | Mexico |
| State | Yucatán |
| Municipality | Espita Municipality |
| Government | |
| • Municipal president | Carlos Erosa Correa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.47 km2 (2.50 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 27 m (89 ft) |
| Population (INEGI, 2010) | |
| • Total | 11,551 |
| • Density | 1,662.75/km2 (4,306.5/sq mi) |
| Demonym | espitan |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (Central Daylight Time) |
| ZIP Code | 97730 |
| Area code | 986 |
| INEGI Code | 310320001 |
| Website | www |
During pre-Hispanic times, the site where the town stands today was part of the province of the cupules, where later, with the arrival of the Spanish, was founded the present town and established the encomienda system in 1549. Since colonization vast buildings were built, among which stands the church dedicated to St. Joseph. In the nineteenth century, the town housed some of the most important maize haciendas in the state, due to its booming economy and the impulse to culture, Espita was considered one of the cultural centers of the Yucatan, and he was known by the nickname of "The Athens of Yucatan". Towards the second half of the twentieth century, the town experienced a decline in its development due in large part to the closure of the haciendas and the consequent decline of its economy.
Today is the fourth most populous town in the eastern of Yucatan, only after Valladolid, Tizimín and Chemax.