mon on the table-land, and the dust often rises in clouds on the sandy plains.
Political Divisions.—New Spain was formerly divided into ten districts, viz.: The kingdoms of Mexico, New Galicia, and Leon; the colony of New Santander, and the provinces of Texas, Coahuila, New Biscay, Sonora, New Mexico, and the two Californias.
The country was subsequently partitioned into twelve intendancies and three provinces, as follows:
| 1. | The province of New Mexico. | |
| 2. | The intendancy of New Biscay, or Durango. | |
| 3. | The province of New California. | |
| 4. | The province of Old California. | |
| 5. | The intendancy of Sonora. | |
| 6. | The intendancy of San Luis Potosi.[1] | |
| 7. | The intendancy of Zacatecas. | |
| 8. | The intendancy of Guadalajara. | |
| 9. | The intendancy of Guanajuato. | |
| 10. | The intendancy of Valladolid. | |
| 11. | The intendancy of Mexico.[2] | |
| 12. | The intendancy of Puebla. | |
| 13. | The intendancy of Vera Cruz. | |
| 14. | The intendancy of Oaxaca. | |
| 15. | The intendancy of Merida, or Yucatan. |
The Republic of Mexico is now divided into twenty-seven States, one Territory, and one Federal District. The several States are subdivided into 48 departments, 170 districts, 48 cantons, 110 counties, 1,411 municipalities, 146 cities, 378 towns, 4,886 villages, 872 hamlets, 6 missions, 5,869 haciendas, and 14,705 ranches.
The populations of the several States are given in the chapter on the census. It is worthy of remark, however, that Jalisco has the largest number of inhabitants. The
