History of Oaxaca in Timeline

Oaxaca is one of the 32 states of Mexico, officially named the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca. It's characterized by a high number of municipalities (570), a significant portion (418) of which operate under the system of usos y costumbres, enabling local self-governance. The capital city is Oaxaca de Juárez.

1920: Liberation Army of the South Held Portions of the State

Until 1920, the Liberation Army of the South, under Emiliano Zapata, allied with and fought against various leaders and held portions of Oaxaca.

1922: New State Constitution

In 1922, at the end of the Revolution, a new state constitution was written and accepted.

1928: Earthquakes Destroy Buildings

In 1928, a series of earthquakes destroyed many buildings in Oaxaca's capital city.

1931: Largest Earthquake in State History

In 1931, the largest earthquake in the state's history devastated a number of cities along the coast.

1937: Benito Juárez National Park Designated

Benito Juárez National Park was designated as a national park under a presidential decree, in 1937.

1937: Creation of Lagunas de Chacahua National Park

Lagunas de Chacahua National Park was created in 1937. The park encompasses 132.73 square kilometres.

1944: Torrential Rains Caused Extensive Flooding

In 1944, torrential rains caused extensive flooding in the Tuxtepec region, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

1980: Population Growth

Most of Oaxaca's population growth took place between 1980 and 1990.

1985: Devastating Earthquake

Mexico City endured a 7.1 magnitude quake, which also marked the 32nd anniversary of the devastating 1985 earthquake, in which more than 10,000 people were killed.

1990: Historical life expectancy statistics

As of 1990, life expectancy in Oaxaca was 9 years lower than in 1997, at 62.5 years.

1990: INEGI Survey

Many of the municipalities of the state had been ill-defined from colonial times until the 1990 INEGI survey which delineated them with exact coordinates.

1990: Population Growth

Most of Oaxaca's population growth took place between 1980 and 1990.

1994: Construction of the Oaxaca-Mexico City Highway

In 1994, the Oaxaca-Mexico City highway was constructed due to the growth of tourism and the population of the capital.

1995: Vinicio Castilla's ownership of the Oaxaca Guerreros

Vinicio Castilla became the owner of the Oaxaca Guerreros baseball team in 1995, leading them to a championship three years later.

1997: Life Expectancy Improvement

As of 1997, life expectancy in Oaxaca was 71.5 years, 9 years higher than in 1990.

July 24, 1998: Huatulco National Park decreed as National Park

Huatulco National Park, was decreed as a National Park on July 24, 1998. Located in the Santa Maria Huatulco town.

1998: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve Established

The Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, encompassing the states of Puebla and Oaxaca in Mexico, was established as reserve in 1998.

2000: Land Usage for Crops

As of 2000, 1,207,738 hectares in Oaxaca were used for raising crops, with most occurring during the rainy season, and only 81,197 hectares having irrigation.

2000: Agriculture Established

By 2000 BCE, agriculture had been established in the Central Valleys region of Oaxaca, with the rise of sedentary villages. The diet that developed around this time included harvested corn, beans, chocolate, tomatoes, chili peppers, squash and gourds, and hunted meat like tepescuintle, turkey, deer, peccary, armadillo and iguana.

2000: Tourism Statistics

In 2000, Oaxaca had 612 hotels with 15,368 rooms and received 1,564,936 visitors, over 80% of whom were from Mexico. The Central Valleys region received the most visitors (60%).

2000: Doctor-to-Patient Ratio

In 2000, there was only one doctor for every 180 people in Oaxaca, indicating a shortage of healthcare professionals.

2000: Rate of Monolingualism

In the year 2000, the Mixe group had the highest rate of monolingualism (36% of speakers) of any Indigenous group in Mexico.

2005: Indigenous Language Speakers Counted

As of 2005, a total of 1,091,502 people were counted as speaking an indigenous language in Oaxaca.

2005: Migration patterns in Oaxaca

As of 2005, over 80,000 people from Oaxaca state lived in another part of Mexico due to the lack of economic development, with many emigrating to the United States.

2005: Establishment of the Universidad de la Sierra Juárez

In 2005, the Universidad de la Sierra Juárez was opened to provide higher education to underserved rural areas in the Sierra Juarez mountains.

2006: Health Care Workers' Strike

In 2006, health care workers in Oaxaca held a work stoppage and march, demanding improvements in the health care system and the ouster of Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz. The strikers came from 15 hospitals and 650 health centers.

2006: Opening of Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Oaxaca

In 2006, the Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Oaxaca, the first high-level specialty hospital in the state, was opened in San Bartolo Coyotepec.

2006: Uprising in Oaxaca City

The 2006 uprising in Oaxaca city brought in groups protesting the heavy marginalization of the poor.

2007: Tourism in Oaxaca

In 2007, Oaxaca had 1,927 small grocery stores, 70 tianguis, and 167 municipal markets. Tourism accounted for about 30% of the commerce sector of Oaxaca's economy.

2007: Oaxacans residing in Los Angeles, California

In 2007, it was estimated that between 50,000 and 250,000 Oaxacans resided in Los Angeles, California, as part of the ongoing emigration trend.

2007: Agricultural Production of Oaxaca

In 2007, the total agricultural production of Oaxaca was estimated at 13.4 million tons with a value of 10,528 million pesos. Oaxaca is the nation's second highest producer of grains and agave.

2007: Coastal Fishing

In 2007, the total fishing catch in Oaxaca was estimated at 9,300 tons with a value of over 174 million pesos, representing a major source of income.

2007: Births and Deaths

In 2007, there were 122,579 births and 19,439 deaths in Oaxaca.

February 12, 2008: Earthquake Recorded in Oaxaca

On February 12, 2008, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Oaxaca.

2009: Passenger Statistics for Oaxaca-Xoxocotlan Airport

In 2009, the Oaxaca-Xoxocotlan Airport received 523,104 passengers according to Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR).

2009: Creation of Oaxacan Academy of Baseball

In 2009, the Oaxacan Academy of Baseball was created in San Bartolo Coyotepec by Alfredo Harp Helú, owner of the Diablos Rojos and Guerreros de Oaxaca teams. The goal is to reach youth people through sports and education.

2010: PRI Lost State Government Hold

In 2010, the PRI lost its 80-year hold on the state government with the election of the PAN gubernatorial candidate Gabino Cué Monteagudo.

2010: UNESCO World Heritage Site Recognition

In 2010, the area around the Guilá Naquitz cave was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, due to the evidence of early domesticated plants, including early corn cob fragments.

September 23, 2017: Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Shakes Matías Romero

According to the US Geological Survey, on September 23, 2017, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook Matías Romero, about 275 miles southeast of Mexico City.

2018: Oaxaca-Puerto Escondido-Huatulco highway completion

The Oaxaca-Puerto Escondido-Huatulco highway was scheduled to finish in 2018 as a major infrastructure project to boost the economy.

2019: Genetic Study

A 2019 genetic study sampling 636 people from Oaxaca found a predominance of Indigenous genetic ancestry.

June 23, 2020: Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Struck Oaxaca

On June 23, 2020, a preliminary 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the region of Oaxaca, triggering tsunami warnings for parts of the area. At least 10 people were killed.