Santiago Ixcuintla

Santiago de Ixcuintla is a municipality and a municipal seat in the western Mexican state of Nayarit. The municipal population was 84,314 inhabitants (census of 2000) with the municipal seat having 18, 269. The area of the municipality was 1,831.92 square kilometers. It is located at 21º48'40" N and 105º12'23" W.

The most important population centers are the muncipal seat,Santiago Ixcuintla with 18,169 habitantes; Villa Hidalgo with 11,175, La Presa with 3,932, Yago with 3,919, Pozo de Ibarra with 3,342 and Villa Juárez withn 3,158. Forty six percent of the population lives in these communities.

Much of the land is only slightly above sea level. Lagoons make up the western section where two important rivers, the Río Grande de Santiago and the San Pedro, enter the sea. In the east the land gradually rises to form the foothills of the Sierra Madre Ocidental. The municipal seat of Santiago is situated at approximately 30 meters above sea level.

The economy is based on agriculture and small manufacturing industries. The main crops are tobacco, citrus fruits, beans, watermelon, chile peppers, mangos, bananas, and coffee. Santiago is one of the most important tobacco producing regions of the country. Fishing along the coast and in the many lagoons is also important.