LA PAZ, MEXICO — Despite its status as one of Mexico’s most expansive states by landmass, Baja California Sur holds a unique distinction in the country’s administrative geography: it is the state with the fewest municipalities.

The state is comprised of just five municipalities: La Paz, Los Cabos, Comondú, Loreto, and Mulegé. This lean administrative structure stands in stark contrast to the national average, where many states are divided into dozens or even hundreds of local governments.

This territorial configuration highlights a significant geographic disparity. While states like Oaxaca lead the nation with 570 municipalities, and others such as Puebla (217), Veracruz (212), Estado de México (125), and Chiapas (124) maintain high numbers of local divisions, Baja California Sur sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. It is followed only by Baja California, which has seven, Colima with 10, and Aguascalientes and Quintana Roo with 11 each.

The history of this division is relatively recent. When Baja California Sur gained statehood in 1974, it was divided into only four municipalities: La Paz, Comondú, Mulegé, and Los Cabos. It was not until 1992 that Loreto was officially established as its own municipality after the State Congress approved its separation from Comondú.

The disparity in the size of these five municipalities is equally significant. Mulegé is the most expansive, covering more than 32,000 square kilometers, followed by Comondú with over 18,000 square kilometers. La Paz covers approximately 15,000 square kilometers, while Loreto and Los Cabos account for 4,418 and 3,750 square kilometers, respectively.

This administrative reality has profound implications for the state’s human geography. While the municipalities are vast, the population is distributed unevenly. The majority of the inhabitants are concentrated in the southern hubs of La Paz and Cabo San Lucas. In contrast, the northern regions are characterized by small, scattered communities where residents often face long travel distances to access major cities and essential services.

While Baja California Sur represents a vital portion of the peninsula’s coastline and rural interior, its unique structure serves as a case study in the logistical challenges of governing vast territories with minimal administrative subdivisions.