Population & Environment of Aguascalientes
National territory's land surface: 1 964 375 km²
Aguascalientes' land surface: 5 618 km²
0,3% of the entire nation
General review:
Strategic location in the middle of the country
Extensive highway network (over 230Km)
More than ¾ are considered urban area
Over 80% of population is located in urban
areas
Part of the railway system
Airport
Average age of almost 20 years
Peace and tranquility
Latitude:
22º 02’ 30’’
Longitude: 102º 22’ 30’’
Altitude:
2150m
Environment
• Average temperatures: 12ºC – 22ºC
• Average precipitation: 520mm
29%
71%
Endangered species:
Animals
Frog
Vegetation
Huizache
Mezquite
Types of soil
From both the
agricultural and
infrastructure
development
perspective, it is
found to be
great!
Discussion questions
• Do you think Aguascalientes is a privileged zone
considering its given characteristics (location and
weather)?
• What are its chances for success based on its natural
resources?
• Would it be a nice place to live in?
Based on a national interview Aguascalientes was found to be a great
place for:
Activity
Ranking position
Living
2nd
Working
4th
Studying
6th
Going on vacations
7th
Leisure
8th
Population
Aguascalientes is the 5th less populated state in México.
Distribution by gender:
 Women: 51.6%
 Men:
48.4%
Men
Ratio: 0.937
Women
Distribution by age:
Age range
0 - 14 years old
%
33.7
15 – 64 years old
60
> 64 years old
4,3
Distribution by region:
Other urban areas also
gather considerable
proportions of the
overall population
So, regional distribution
isn't nearly homogenous
P o pu l a t i o n d i s t r i b u t i o n b y r e g i o n
18,9
The capital council of Aguascalientes holds 62,3% of
total population
Lowest under 14 year old people percentage (32,7%)
81,1
Municipalities and their features
P
O
P
U
L
A
T
I
O
N
D
E
N
S
I
T
Y
1. Aguascalientes
2. Pabellón de Arteaga
3. Rincón de Romos
4. San José de Gracia
5. Jesús María
6. San Francisco de los Romo
7. Calvillo
8. Cosío
9. El Llano
10.Tepezalá
11.Asientos
M
A
R
G
I
N
A
L
I
Z
A
T
I
O
N
Aguascalientes is the 5th lowest under privileged state
Urban pattern: 2500 people
Migration
In the 1980 – 2007 period population density increased from 98 to
198 people per Km2. (National average: 52)
1/5 people in the state comes from other sites of our the country
The gained difference was concentrated
as follows:
From 2000 to 2005:
• 36,343 people moved in,
• 15,387 moved out.
• 80% Aguascalientes
• 8,9% Jesús María
• 3,4% San Francisco de los Romo
Therefore, 92,3% was concentrated on urban areas.
Translation:
Municipality
Out of town percentage (%)
Aguascalientes
25%
San Francisco de los Romo
3,2%
Economy
In the last century's final decade the state of Aguascalientes was ranked first
in GDP growth
(the national average was 2,8% and this state nearly doubled it: 5,4%)
Labor distribution
Non agricultural and livestock activities represent 84,8% of the whole
working sector, and it is divided as follows:
Kind of activity
Small business
Percentage
(%)
47
Little establishments
19,9
Medium size establishments
8,9
Big establishments
12,6
Government institutions
8,1
Others
3,5
Discussion questions
• Is unequal population density distribution a serious
issue?
• Does this non homogenous people concentration affect
sustainability somehow?
• What do you propose it should be done around here to
mitigate all negative consequences that are brought from
the high capitalism system imposed in order to make
Aguascalientes sustainable.
Fresh water issue
63% of the total demand comes from
lakes and rivers.
Aguasalientes' Aquifers
In spite of that
Ground water plays a significant role in
fresh water demand fulfillment
Agricultural
Urban
Industrial
Services
N
EDO. DE ZAC.
Others
Others; 4
Services ; 1
5
Industrial; 2
Urban; 25
Agricultural;
68
1
4
Ground water disposal
2
3
Water table decreasing evolution
AÑOS
0
-10
1971
1974
1979
1984
1988
1992
1993
1995
-80
-78
1996
1997
1998
-20
D
E
P
T
H
-30
-40
-50
-60
-36
-42
-50
-64
-70
-74
METERS -80
-90
-100
-82
-85
-87
-90
Waste water treatment
By 2007 there were 255 waste water treatment plants installed within the state
territory. They could treat an overal amount of 4262.3 Lts/s.
The legislatures that control this environmental development issue consist of 3
rules imposed by SEMARNAT ministry:
NOM 001 SEMARNAT:
Regulates waste water discharges on natural
areas (permissible upper limits)
NOM 002 SEMARNAT:
Regulates waste water discharges on
municipal pipelines (permissible upper
limits)
NOM 003 SEMARNAT:
Regulates waste water usage
Garbage and solid waste
Over 300 TONs are generated in the state every year, and this is how it is
distributed among councils:
What has been done so far to to control environmental impact in
Aguascalientes?
How are sustainable development efforts shaped and taken into account
in Aguascalientes?
SEMARNAT (Ministry of environment and natural resources)
It is in charge of every aspect related to sustainability
from the ecological and environmental perspective
(misses out on focusing on the economical and social)
It has a way to mitigate any risky situation that could
put anyone or anything, of any environmental
relevance, in danger.
Discussion questions
• Is there a way to make rules regarding environmental protection
less complex and easy to follow?
• Sticking to what has been settled so far about environmental
legislatures takes a lot of effort and additional money.
Is this necessary true? or, is there a way to make it happen easily
and at considerable costs?
• How can we deal with unconcerned, incompetent and corrupted
people in charge of monitoring and making both enterprises and
ordinary people stick to the sustainable rules that have been
established, in order for sustainability to become a reality?