Chalco de Díaz Covarrubias

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Chalco de Díaz Covarrubias is a city that is municipal seat of the surrounding municipality of Chalco. It lies in the eastern part of the state of México, just east of the Federal District of Mexico and is considered part of the Mexico City metropolitan area. The city had a 2005 census population of 144,311 inhabitants, while the municipality, which has an area of 234.72 km² (90.626 sq mi), had a population of 257,403. There are several smaller communities in the municipality outside of the city, including San Mateo Huitzilzingo, San Martín Cuautlalpan, Santa María Huexoculco, San Pablo Atlazalpan, San Marcos Huixtoco, San Mateo Tezoquipan, Santa Catarina Ayotzingo, San Juan y San Pedro Tezompa, and San Gregorio Cuautzingo. Chalco is often confused with Valle de Chalco Solidaridad municipality as the name Chalco is a part of both. The major difference is that Valle de Chalco Solidaridad is located near the ancient Lake Chalco. Due to its poorly built streets, Valle de Chalco is often flooded by the storms that hit the Valley of Mexico. In fact, Chalco is interconected to Valle de Chalco through Avenida Solidaridad.

[edit] History

The first civilization which arrived to what today is Chalco were the Acxotecas. According to Chimalpahin, they came from Tula and named themselves "chalcas" The second group arriving were the Mihuaques, who hadn't leaders and adopted those ones of the Acxotecas. Circa 1160, the Chichimecas Teotenancas arrived from the Toluca valley and came across Tlahuac. They all together formed the Chalca civilization. They lived there until 1510, when the Spanish conquistadors arrived. The place remained without inhabitants until the early 20th Century. The municipality has expanded to the limits of Mexico City. Now many capitalinos (residents of the capital) are moving to Chalco looking for more peace and tranquility also because housing prices are so high in Mexico City.

[edit] Transportation

Chalco is served by the State of Mexico collective transports divided in geographical areas (AG-##) locating Chalco within the AG-10. Volkswagen vans ("combis" or "colectivos") transport people from the municipality to the boundaries of the Federal District in order to let people take the subway from that point into the inner Mexico City. Several colectivos also run from Chalco to Mexico City's Benito Juárez International Airport.