Acapulco

Acapulco de Juárez is a major seaport and city in Mexico.

It is located in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast. The city sits about 380 kilometres south of Mexico City. It is built around a deep, semicircular bay. This natural shape makes it an ideal port for large ships.

Today, it serves as a stop for cruise lines traveling between Panama and San Francisco. It is also Mexico's largest beach and balneario resort city. The city is the largest in Guerrero, making it much bigger than the state capital, Chilpancingo.

The name Acapulco comes from the Nahuatl language. The phrase "Aca-pōl-co" means "where the reeds were destroyed" or "at the big reeds."

This meaning is shown on the city's official seal. The seal uses an Aztec-type glyph. It depicts two hands breaking reeds. In 1885, the name "de Juárez" was added to the official title. This was done to honor Benito Juárez, a former president of Mexico. Interestingly, the island of Capul in the Philippines also takes its name from Acapulco.

The resort area is organized into three distinct sections. The north end of the bay is considered the traditional area. This part includes Parque Papagayo, the Zócalo, and the beaches of Caleta and Caletilla. The middle part of the bay is called the Zona Dorada, or "golden zone." This was the main area where famous people vacationed in the mid-20th century. The south end is known as Diamante, which means "diamond."

This section is dominated by newer, luxury high-rise hotels and condominiums.

Acapulco has a very deep history involving many cultures. By the 8th century, small cultures lived around the bay. These groups were first dominated by the Olmecs. Olmec influence helped small villages grow into larger entities with ceremonial centers. Later, the area saw influence from Teotihuacan and the Mayans. In the 15th century, the Aztecs expanded into the region. They established a military post on the outskirts of the city. However, the local Yopi people continued to live there and defend the territory until the Spanish arrived in the 1520s.

During the 16th century, Acapulco became a vital hub for Spanish trade. It served as the eastern end of a trans-Pacific sailing route. This route connected Acapulco to Manila in the Philippines.

Large ships called galleons carried goods between Asia, Europe, and New Spain. This was known as the Manila-Acapulco Galleon trade. In 1573, the port was granted a monopoly over this trade. This economic power attracted pirates like Francis Drake and Henry Morgan. To protect the valuable cargo, the Fort of San Diego was built in 1616.

In the 20th century, Acapulco transformed into a world-famous destination. In the 1920s, the Prince of Wales visited and recommended the area to Europeans. By the 1950s, it was a fashionable getaway for Hollywood stars. Famous figures like Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra stayed there.

The population grew rapidly from about 5,000 people in the 1940s to 50,000 by the early 1960s. The city also hosted sailing events for the 1968 Summer Olympics. In 1993, the Autopista del Sol highway was built. This road connects the city to Mexico City in just three and a half hours.

Despite its beauty, the city has faced significant challenges. In 1997, Hurricane Pauline devastated the area. The storm caused over 100 deaths and left streets covered in sludge. More recently, a rise in gang violence has impacted the city. Since 2014, homicide numbers have increased significantly. In 2016, the city recorded 918 murders. This resulted in a homicide rate of 103 per 100,000 people. Because of this, the US government has warned its citizens not to travel there. Many tourists now come only from within Mexico. Today, the city remains an important economic center, especially for exporting cars to the Pacific.