I
City (pop., 2000: 660,884), capital of Yucatán state, southeastern Mexico.
It lies near the northwestern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula , south of Progreso; its port is on the Gulf of Mexico. It was founded in 1542 on the site of the ancient Maya city of T'ho. It has numerous colonial buildings and a 16th-century cathedral. Yucatán University and the Regional Technical Institute of Mérida are located there. It serves as a tourist base for trips to nearby Maya cities, including Chichén Itzá , Dzibilchaltún, Uxmal , and Kabáh.
II
ancient Emerita Augusta
Town (pop., 2001: 50,271), capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura , western Spain.
Situated on the northern bank of the Guadiana River, it was founded by the Romans in 25 BC. It served as the capital of the province of Lusitania and became one of the most important towns in Iberia. Occupied in AD 713 by the Moors, it was recaptured in 1228 by Alfonso IX of Leon, who granted it to the Knights of Santiago. It is known for its Roman ruins, including a bridge, an amphitheatre, and an aqueduct. The modern town's economy is based on agricultural trade and tourism.