ABOUT MERIDA: "Mérida is the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán and largest city of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is the cultural and financial capital of the Yucatán Peninsula. ….. It is located in the northwest part of the state, about 35 km (22 mi) from the Gulf of Mexico coast. …. According to the 2010 census, the population of Mérida was 970,377, ranking 12th among the most populous Mexican metropolitan areas. .. . Mérida was founded in 1542 by Francisco de Montejo y León ("el Mozo") and named after the town of Mérida in Spain. It was built on the site of the Maya city of T'hó … T'ho had been a center of Mayan culture and activity for centuries: because of this, some historians consider Mérida the oldest continually-occupied city in the Americas. … Late in the 19th century and the early 20th Century, the area surrounding Mérida prospered from the production of henequén. For a brief period, around the turn of the 20th century, Mérida was said to house more millionaires than any other city in the world. … In recent years, important science competitions, conferences and World events have been held in Mérida, as well as distinguished visits including those of Pope John Paul II and Presidents Clinton and Bush." (per Wikipedia.)
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