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The Maya once inhabited this land, and their ruins still dot the countryside.
These ruins, however, tend to be smaller and more deeply hidden in the juggle
than those found in Campeche’s neighboring states; as a result, few tourists find
their way to this state.
Quintana Roo
East of Campeche lies Mexico’s youngest state, Quintana Roo. Many visitors
insist that it is also Mexico’s most beautiful region. A chain of coral reefs in the
Caribbean Sea’s turquoise waters guard the white beaches that stretch along the
coastline. The land is filled with blue lagoons and underground caves.
Quintana Roo did not achieve statehood until the 1970s. Almost immediate-
ly, the Mexican government hit upon the idea of converting this tropical para-
dise into a tourist haven. They chose Cancún to be the center of their plan, and
they worked hard to transform the city into a luxurious resort.
An example of colonial
architecture can be seen at the
plaza in San Francisco de
Campeche, where there is a
cathedral as well as other
buildings dating from the
Spanish era.
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Mexican Facts and Figures