Soteapan

Geographic Limits

The municipality of Soteapan is delimited to the north by Gulf of Mexico, to the east by Mecayapan, to the south by Chinameca and Acayucan, and to the west by Hueyapan de Ocampo and Catemaco.

Agriculture

It produces principally maize, beans, orange fruit, green chile, coffee and mango.

Celebrations

In Soteapan, in march takes place the celebration in honor to San José, Patron of the town, and in December takes place the celebration in honor to Virgen de Guadalupe.

Historically the city of Soteapan was mentioned as a province of Coatzacoalcos by colonial Spanish references, yet was only recognized as a Mexican municipio in 1831.

The area in pre-Spanish days was an area of contention between the Aztec empire and its southern neighbors. Further sentiments of Soteapan inhabitants led to numerous conflicts during the civil wars surrounding the defeat of the Mexican Porfiriato dictatorship in the early 1900s.

The area only recently obtained paved road access and is considered one of the most impoverished communities in Mexico. Its population is composed of mainly Popoluca speakers, with a smattering of Nahuatl. Nevertheless, Spanish is the predominant language.

Economically, Soteapan depends on small-scale agriculture and cattle ranching. Touristically the area invites visitors to several waterfalls and views of pristine mountains.

As of 2000 the municipio counted 27,487 inhabitants within 528 km², including about 10,000 in the main city of Soteapan and its surroundings, incorporating several of the volcanoes of the Sierra Santa Marta and a large part of the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve.