Jalisco is the seventh largest state in Mexico, accounting for 4.1% of the country’s territory. It has 342km of ocean coastline and borders 7 states. (Nayarit, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Colima and Michoacán.)
Jalisco is diverse terrain which includes forests, beaches, plains and lakes. Altitudes in the state vary from 0 and 4,300 meters above sea level. There are five natural ecosystems: a. arid and semi-arid b. scrublands, c. tropical evergreen forests, d. tropical deciduous and thorn forests, e. grasslands and f. mesquite grasslands and temperate forests with oaks, pines and firs. One reason for the biodiversity is Jalisco lies in the transition area between the temperate north and tropical south of Mexico.
More than 500 species of birds or more than 52% of the bird species in Mexico live in Jalisco, as well as 40% of Mexico’s mammals, and 18% of its reptile species.
Jalisco’s rivers and streams empty into the Pacific Ocean and are divided into three groups: 1. the Lerma/Santiago River and its tributaries empty directly into the Pacific Ocean or at some point into Lake Chapala near Guadalajara. 2. The Santiago River, on the west, crosses the center of Jalisco on its way to the Pacific, carving deep canyons in the land. About three quarters of the state’s population lives near the Santiago River and its tributaries. 3. In the southwest there are a number of small rivers that empty directly into the Pacific Ocean. The most important of these is the Ameca, with its one main tributary, the Mascota River. This river forms Jalisco’s border with Nayarit. Jalisco also has Lake Chapala, which is the largest and most important freshwater lake in Mexico.
The state’s major protected environmental areas are: the Sierra de Manantlán and Chamela-Cuitzmala biospheres, Nevado de Colima National Park; Bosque de la Primavera, Sierra de Quila, and the Marine Turtle Protection Zone.
Harriet Cochran Murray, Director of Cochran Real Estate, is a seasoned Real Estate professional both here in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and in the United States. Harriet has served in many capacities as a board member for the local Real Estate Association AMPI (AMPI is the national association of real estate professionals). She is also a member of FIABCI, NAR in the United States and a proud member of CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist), a designation of NAR. Harriet’s expertise and experience in the Real Estate and especially in the Mexican market makes her Viewpoint blog articles both informational and intriguing. Harriet is a Buyer’s Agent who specializes in getting the best deal on the right property for her clients. Click HERE to view Cochran Real Estate Listings.
