
Last modified: 2003-01-03 by juan manuel gabino villascán
Keywords: mexico | san luis potosí | coat of arms | unofficial flag |
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by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, October 06, 2001. See: Coat of arms on white background: unofficial flags |
| Official name: | Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí / Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí |
| Short-form names: | Estado de San Luis Potosí / State of San Luis Potosí; San Luis Potosí. |
| Name's meaning: | It was granted to the city in honor of his founder Luis of Leija. Potosí was aded after the Bolivian Potosí since that is located on a rich minning soil, like that of the Bolivian city. |
| Location: |
Land-locked state, located in Center-North of Mexico. It neighbors the Mexican States of: Nuevo León and Tamaulipas (N), Veracruz-Llave (E), Hidalgo (SE), Querétaro de Arteaga and Guanajuato (S), and Zacatecas (W). |
| Area: | 63,038 km2 |
| Municipalities: | 56 |
| Population: | 2'003,187 inhabitants |
| Capital: | San Luis Potosí (Pop.: 239,000) |
| Statehood: | May 23, 1853 |
| Arms adopted: | May 30, 1656. |
INEGI and SEP
Reported by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, October 06, 2001.
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The Encyclopedia Britannica says the name for the
Bolivian city of
Potosí and the department are taken from the mountain Cerro Potosí. The
mountain's name is attributed by legend to a Quecha Indian word - potojchi -
meaning thunder. The encyclopedia does not give the origin of the name of
the Mexican city San Luis Potosi', but does say it was not founded until
1583 as a Franscican mission, while the Potosi' in Bolivia was founded about
1545.
So it is possible the friars named it after the Bolivian city for some
reason. But perhaps it is only a coincidence, and the Potosí in Mexico came
from a different word in a Mexican Indian language.
Ned Stmith, Sept. 7, 1999.
Info from: SLP Coat of Arms official web page
Quoted and translated by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, November 21, 2001.