Chihuahua, Administrative division in northern Mexico
Chihuahua is the largest state in Mexico, stretching from the United States border down to the central highlands. The terrain ranges from dry desert flats in the north to steep mountain ranges in the west with deep gorges and forested slopes.
Spanish settlers established communities here during the 1600s to extract silver deposits that soon became among the richest on the continent. Revolutionary leaders used the remote mountain areas a century later as hideouts during armed conflicts in the 1910s.
Indigenous communities sell handwoven baskets and pottery at roadside stands in mountain towns, where visitors watch craftspeople work. Ranches across the rural countryside host weekend rodeos where families gather to listen to music and enjoy traditional foods.
Airports in two major cities connect the region to the rest of the country, while intercity buses serve smaller towns along main highways. Travelers should plan for long drives between destinations since distances are considerable and some mountain roads take several hours to cross.
A train service runs through the western mountains and stops at small villages accessible only by this route or through hours of hiking trails. The railway crosses high bridges over narrow rivers and passes through tunnels carved into cliff faces.
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