Baja California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Baja California is the peninsula in the west of Mexico.

Regions

The peninsula is divided into two parts:

• The northern part is the State of Baja California. To avoid confusion, this state is often referred to as "Baja California Norte".
• The southern part, below 28°N, is the State of Baja California Sur.

Geographic Features

• The Sierra San Pedro Martir is a major mountain range in the northern part of the state. The highest point is Cerro de la Encantada, 3096 m. It is connected to the Californian Peninsular Ranges by the lower Sierra Juarez.
• At the south end of Baja California Sur, the Sierra de la Laguna forms an isolated mountain range rising to 2406 m.
• The Bahia de los Angeles is a bay located on the east side of the peninsula, which faces the Sea of Cortez.

History

• ...
• 1690s-1700s: Spanish settlement in California
• 1804: The Spanish colony of California is divided into Alta ("high") and Baja ("low") California at the line separating the Franciscan missions in the north from the Dominican missions in the south.
• In 1850, after Alta California has been annexed by the United States to become the US state of California, Baja California is further divided into northern and southern territories.
• 1952: Northern Baja California becomes the 29th state of Mexico.
• 1974: The southern territory becomes the 31st state, Baja California Sur.

The original article can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_California.
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