Wikipedia:School and university projects/ITESM Campus Toluca/TacoTeam/Toluca

Toluca (formally: Toluca de Lerdo) is the capital of the State of Mexico in central Mexico. It is located at 19°28’N, 99°31’E, 19°04’S, 99°47′W and is a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located 63 kilometers (39 mi) west-southwest of Mexico City and only 30 minutes by car from its fast-growing suburb (Santa Fe). Toluca is a very successful industrial center, commercial, and touristic city in Mexico.

GEOGRAPHICAL INFO At the census of 2005 the city of Toluca had a population of 467,712 people, and the municipality of Toluca 747,512 people. The city is the eighth largest in the state of México in population, whereas the municipality is the fourth largest. Twelve municipalities make up a metropolitan population of 1,610,786 [2] as of 2005, making it the fifth most populous metropolitan area in Mexico and the largest entirely within the State of México (the Mexico City metropolitan area has a much larger population within the state as part of Greater Mexico City. The municipality of Toluca, which has an extension of 420.14 km² (162.22 sq mi), includes numerous communities other than Toluca de Lerdo, the largest of which are San Pablo Autopan and San José Guadalupe Otzacatipan.

Toluca is surrounded by:

North: The counties of Almoloya de Juárez, Temoaya, Otzolotepec and Xonacatlán.

East:The counties of Xonacatlán, Lerma, San Mateo Atenco and Metepec.

South: The counties of Metepec, Calimaya, Tenango del Valle, Villa Guerrero and Zinacantepec.

West: The counties of Zinacantepec and Almoloya de Juárez.

The climate is warm humid with rain in summer with an increase of humidity. Also it has a cool humid weather. The climate is the coolest of any large Mexican city due to its high altitude of 2,680 meters (8,790 ft) above sea level. Despite its southerly latitude, on winter nights temperatures can drop well below 0°C (32°F) and even in summer it can cool down to 5°C (41°F) or less, while maximum temperatures rarely exceed 27°C (80°F) on the hottest days. The climate is prone to extended dry periods particularly in winter, precipitation during winter usually falls as snow in the highlands such as El Nevado de Toluca and its surroundings. It also receives rainfall during the summer months, sometimes in the form of hail. Cool, wet conditions are common during the rainy season.

The Nevado de Toluca or Xinantécatl is 30 kilometers (19 mi) southwest of the city. It is a place of increasing sport activity. Activities include mountain biking, climbing, or running at high altitudes. There have been proposals to turn this mountain into a ski hill because of its accessibility and the low temperatures that exist on the mountain throughout the year, but recent reports on global warming have raised fears that the snow cap on the mountain will disappear completely within a few decades. It is the only volcano in Mexico that has two lagoons and can be reached by automobile.