Editing Colima (section)

==Principal communities==
[[File:SidePlazaChurchComala.jpg|thumb|175px|Plaza and church in [[Comala]]]]
{{main article|Municipalities of Colima}}
The [[Colima City|city of Colima]] is the capital and gives the state its name. It is located in the north central part of the state, just south of the foothills of the [[Colima (volcano)|Colima Volcano]] in the [[Valley of Colima]]. The city began as a Spanish settlement that was originally established further south in 1523 but moved to the current location in 1527. The capital remains the state's economic, political and cultural center.<ref name="enchis">{{cite web |url=http://www.inafed.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/Colima/ |title=Historia |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Colima |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal and Gobierno del Estado de Colima |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=History |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327111835/http://www.inafed.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/Colima/ |archive-date=March 27, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="actecon">{{cite web |url=http://www.inafed.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/Colima/ |title=Actividad Económica |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Colima |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal and Gobierno del Estado de Colima |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Economic activity |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327111835/http://www.inafed.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/Colima/ |archive-date=March 27, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="infraes">{{cite web |url=http://www.inafed.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/Colima/ |title=Infraestructura Social y de Comunicaciones |year=2005 |work=Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Colima |publisher=Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal and Gobierno del Estado de Colima |location=Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Social Infrastructure and Communications |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327111835/http://www.inafed.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/Colima/ |archive-date=March 27, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Villa de Álvarez, Colima|Villa de Álvarez]] is part of the city of Colima's metropolitan area. It maintains a distinct identity, with a combination [[bullfighting]] and [[charreada]] event that is one of the oldest of its kind in northwestern Mexico, which takes part in [[La Petatera]], a bullring that is assembled each year for the event, made of logs and [[petate]]s, and that is known as one of the world's largest crafts. It is also known for late evening meals called [[cenaduria]]s that typically feature [[Sope (food)|sope]]s, [[enchilada]]s, [[Tostada (tortilla)|tostada]]s, [[pozole]], [[atole]], and [[tamale]]s.

The city of Los Martínez began at the end of the 18th century, established by someone known only by his last name of Martínez. In 1818, a strong earthquake sent many from nearby San Francisco to the area, and it was renamed San Francisco de Almoloyan. It was recognized as a town in 1860, with the name of Villa de Álvarez in honor of the first governor of the state. It was designated a city in 1991.<ref name="conocalvarez">{{cite web |url=http://www.visitacolima.com.mx/villaDeAlvarez/villaDeAlvarez.html |title=Conociendo Villa de Álvarez |publisher=Secretaria de Turismo de Colima |location=Colima, Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Getting to know Villa de Alvarez |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002063642/http://www.visitacolima.com.mx/villaDeAlvarez/villaDeAlvarez.html |archive-date=October 2, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Manzanillo, Colima|Manzanillo]] is the state's primary port and tourist destination. It is on the Pacific coast, less than two hours' drive from the capital. Manzanillo is mostly popular with regional tourists and sports fishermen, but there have been efforts to broaden its appeal.<ref name="cargo2cruise">{{cite journal |last1=Kalosh |first1=Anne |date=August 2002 |title=From cargo to cruise |journal=Latin Trade |volume=10 |issue=8 |page=66}}</ref><ref name="conociendo">{{cite web |url=http://www.visitacolima.com.mx/manzanillo/manzanillo.html |title=Conociendo Manzanillo |publisher=Secretaria de Turismo de Colima |location=Colima, Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Getting to know Manzanillo |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826114457/http://www.visitacolima.com.mx/manzanillo/manzanillo.html |archive-date=August 26, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The city is one of Mexico's important Pacific ports, handing regional merchandise and acting as an overflow port for other ports from Mexico to Los Angeles. Most of the state's recent economic development has been related to this port.<ref name="xochitl65to66">{{Cite thesis |degree=MA |title=Globalización, expansión urbana y vivienda en los municipios de Colima y Villa de Alvarez |url=http://www.insumisos.com/lecturasinsumisas/Globalizacion%20y%20expansion%20urbana%20caso%20Colima.pdf |author=Xóchitl América Contreras Vázquez |year=2006 |publisher=Universidad de Colima |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-date=March 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328083924/http://www.insumisos.com/lecturasinsumisas/Globalizacion%20y%20expansion%20urbana%20caso%20Colima.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Coquimatlán]] comes from a [[Nahuatl]] phrase meaning "land of networks" referring to the interconnected ravines in the area. It was founded in the very early colonial period and still maintains its narrow streets and old houses with large main doors of wood and balconies with simple ironwork.<ref name="conocoquima">{{cite web |url=http://www.visitacolima.com.mx/coquimatlan/coquimatlan.html |title=Conociendo Coquimatlán |publisher=Secretaria de Turismo de Colima |location=Colima, Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Getting to know Coquimatlán |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328083938/http://www.visitacolima.com.mx/coquimatlan/coquimatlan.html |archive-date=March 28, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[Tecomán, Colima|Tecomán]] is located in what has been an agricultural valley since the colonial era, today best known for its production of limes. The town is marked by an abstract sculpture depicting a lime tree created by sculptor Sebastián, which measures thirty meters in height and weighs 110 tons. In addition to being the main lime producer, the Tecoman Valley also produces [[Cocoa bean|cocoa]], cotton, coconuts, [[mango]]s, [[papaya]], [[avocado]]s and melons.<ref name="conoctecoman">{{cite web |url=http://www.visitacolima.com.mx/tecoman/Tecoman.html |title=Conociendo Tecomán |publisher=Secretaria de Turismo de Colima |location=Colima, Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Getting to know Tecomán |access-date=July 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328083942/http://www.visitacolima.com.mx/tecoman/Tecoman.html |archive-date=March 28, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>