Guerrero

The town of Taxco, in the northern part of the state of Guerrero, south-central Mexico. A centre for silver mining since before the Spanish settled in 1528, Taxco is still the heart of silverworking in the western hemisphere. With its abundant churches and steep cobbled streets, the city is now a national monument.

Colossal stone head, near Altamirano in the state of Guerrero, Mexico.

State of southwestern Mexico, on the Pacific; area 63,794 sq km/24,631 sq mi; population (2000 est) 3,075,083. Its capital is Chilpancingo. Most of the state lies in the Sierra Madre del Sur, where forestry and mining for gold, lead, iron, silver, and mercury are important industries. The fertile, low-lying areas of the coastal plain and the Balsas River valley in the north have a tropical climate and produce good crops of maize, cotton, tobacco, and coffee. Pastoral farming is the main concern of the more arid areas, while tourism is important at centres such as Acapulco and Taxco.