I
State (pop., 2000: 1,448,661), north-central Mexico.
It covers 47,560 sq mi (123,181 sq km), and its capital is Durango . The western portion of the state lies within the mineral-laden Sierra Madre Occidental; semiarid plains, used for ranching, comprise the eastern portion. The Nazas River, which flows about 375 mi (600 km), is the largest in the state and is a main source of water for commercial agriculture. Along the river's lower course is the Laguna cotton district, a large state-operated cooperative that Durango city shares with Coahuila state. First explored by Europeans in 1562, Durango shared the colonial history of Chihuahua as a major part of Nueva Vizcaya; the two states separated in 1823.
II
officially Victoria de Durango
City (pop., 2000: 427,135), capital of Durango state, north-central Mexico.
It lies in a fertile valley of the Sierra Madre , about 6,200 ft (1,890 m) above sea level. North of the city is the Cerro del Mercado, a hill of nearly pure iron ore representing one of the world's largest deposits of that mineral. First settled in 1556, Durango was the political and ecclesiastical capital of Nueva Vizcaya, which included Durango and Chihuahua until 1823. The city, long known as a health resort, is an important commercial and mining centre.