Test Unit 8!!

Cozumel

(Mayan: Island of the Swallows) is an island in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen, and close to the Yucatan Channel.

Geology

Cozumel is a flat island based on limestone, resulting in a karst topography. The highest natural point on the island is less than 15 m (49 ft) above sea level. The cenotes are deep water filled sinkholes formed by water percolating through the soft limestone soil during thousands of years. Cozumel's cenotes have very restricted access available only to qualified cave divers with appropriate registration.

Education

There are two universities on the island: the University of Quintana Roo and Partenon. In addition to teaching English as a degree, they offer five other career options including natural resources research, tourism and commercial systems.

Festival of El Cedral in Cozumel

To this day a historic festival is held in the small town of El Cedral, in the south of Cozumel Island at the end of April. This annual event is said to have been started over 150 years ago by Casimiro Cárdenas.

Industry

Diving and charter fishing comprise nearly all sources of income. There are more than 90 restaurants on the island and many hotels, some of which run dive operations, have swimming pools, private docks, and multiple dining facilities.

Other water activities include para-sailing, kitesurfing, and a tourist submarine. There are also two dolphinariums.

Ensenada

(full name: Ensenada de Todos Santos, English: Cove of All Saints), is the third-largest city in the Mexican state of Baja California. It is located 65 kilometres (40 mi) south of San Diego. The city had a 2010 census population of 279,765 inhabitants, or 59.9% of its municipal total of 466,814.

Climate

The average rainfall is 280 millimetres (11 in) per year, falling mainly in the winter months. Ensenada has a warm, dry Mediterranean climate, much like the rest of northwestern Baja California. During the colder months from November to February, rainfall is scarce and temperatures average 13°C. On the other hand the warmer months from June to September are the driest, and during this time maintain average temperature of 20°C.

Commercial and sport fishing

More than 90 species of fish are commercially fished in Ensenada; the most important of which are tuna, shrimp, California spiny lobster, abalone, sea urchin, sardine, mackerel and seaweed. A large percentage of all catches are exported to the Far East in Asian markets.

A tuna embargo imposed on Mexico during the 1990s caused most of the fishing fleet to relocate to the ports of Guaymas, and Mazatlán, further south. In order to survive, Ensenada's tuna industry has shifted its focus to tuna farming, exporting the highly valued meat exclusively to Japan.

Agriculture

The municipality of Ensenada has three main agricultural zones: the Guadalupe-Calafia valleys to the north, the Ojos Negros valley to the east and the San Quintin valley to the south. The main crops are grapes, olives, tomato, wheat, alfalfa, asparagus, green onions and broccoli.