Yucatán
Yucatán State in the n part of the Yucatán Peninsula, se Mexico; the capital is Mérida. The terrain is low-lying, covered in places with scrub and cactus thickets. Once the centre of the Maya civilization, the Spanish conquered Yucatán in the 1540s. The region is a major producer of henequen (sisal hemp used for cordage). Other products: tobacco, sugar, cotton, tropical fruits. Fishing is an important industry. Area: 38,508sq km (14,868sq mi). Pop. (2000) 1,655,707.
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