The Municipality
The city and municipality of Pachuca are nearly co-extensive, as the city grows to cover just about all of the available open space. This has eradicated almost all of the municipality’s native flora and fauna. The municipality contains only fifteen other communities according to the 2005 INEGI census with all but two having less than less than 1500 people, and only three percent of the municipality population of 275,578 lives outside the city proper. The overwhelming majority of the residents are Catholic but the city has a significant percentage of Protestants, mostly descendants of English miners. The municipality is located on very rugged terrain with varies in altitude between 2,400 and 2,800 meters above sea level. It is located on the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the only major flat area is where the city center is. Two notable peaks are the Cerro del Cuixi, the Cerro de San Cristóbal and the Cerro de Cubitos. Rivers that cross through here are the Actopan, the Amajac and the Tezontepec. The municipality has a territory f 195,30 km2 and borders the municipalities of Mineral del Chico, Mineral del Monte, Zempoala, Zapotlán de Juárez, Mineral de la Reforma, Epazoyucan and San Agustín Tlaxiaca. The climate is temperate and relatively cold with strong winds during eight to nine months out of the year. These can reach speeds of 60–65 km an hour.
Sixty-four percent of the municipality is developed urban area. Agriculture is nearly a non-existent factor in the economy, as the small-scale farming and livestock raising in the hills is for family or local consumption. Despite its decline in the 20th century, mining still continues to be an important element of Pachuca’s economy. Pachuca still produces more than 60% of the state’s gold and more than 50% of its silver. The manufacturing sector was established in the 1950s and has been steadily growing, changing the city’s traditional mining image. Some of the major industrial employers are Applied Power de México (automotive parts), BARROMEX (machinery), Herramientas Cleveland (machinery and tools) and Embotelladora la Minera (soft drinks). The city also contains over 800 smaller manufacturing enterprises. The municipality’s economy also has a large commercial sector, with numerous stores and thirteen public markets. It is also the wholesale center for foodstuffs for most of the state. Despite all the changes in the 20th century, the center of Pachuca has maintained its provincial feel. This has led the city to promote it as a tourist attraction.
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