| Official Name: | Río Lagartos |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Pushpin Map: | Mexico |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the Municipality in Mexico |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Mexico |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Yucatán |
| Government Type: | 2012–2015[1] |
| Leader Title: | Municipal President |
| Leader Name: | Elmer Santiago Contreras Tabasco[2] |
| Established Title: | Mexico Ind. |
| Established Date: | 1821 |
| Established Title2: | Yucatán Est. |
| Established Date2: | 1824 |
| Area Total Km2: | 249.09 |
| Population As Of: | 2010[3] |
| Population Total: | 3,438 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Demonym |
| Population Blank1: | Umanense |
| Timezone: | Central Standard Time |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | Central Daylight Time |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Coordinates: | 21.5975°N -88.1578°W |
| Elevation M: | 2 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | INEGI Code |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 061 |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Major Airport |
| Blank Info Sec2: | Merida (Manuel Crescencio Rejón) International Airport |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | IATA Code |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | MID |
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | ICAO Code |
| Blank2 Info Sec2: | MMMD |
| Footnotes: | Municipalities of Yucatán |
Río Lagartos Municipality (Spanish language: "river of alligators") is a municipality in the Mexican state of Yucatán containing (249.09 km2) of land and is located roughly northeast of the city of Mérida.[2]
There is no accurate data on when the town was founded, but before the conquest, it was part of the chieftainship of Ecab.[2] After colonization, it became the Spanish colony's northeastern port. Before 1580, Antonio Rodríguez convinced the Yucatecan Governor Guillén de las Casas to appoint him as guard of the port. Rodríguez negotiated with the chieftains Chuyubchuen, Kikil, Panabá and Sucopó to provide him with indigenous workers to mine salt, fish or make ashes for soap. He secured almost a monopoly on the native workers requiring any Spaniard wanting to open a new enterprise to negotiate with him to rent workers.[4]
Yucatán declared its independence from the Spanish Crown in 1821, and in 1825 the area was assigned to the Valladolid Municipality. In 1905, it was assigned to the Tizimín Municipality and in 1988 it was confirmed as head of its own municipality.[5]
The municipal president is elected for a three-year term. The town council has four councilpersons, who serve as Secretary and councilors of health, education, public security and cemeteries.[6]
The head of the municipality is Río Lagartos, Yucatán. The municipality has 36 populated places besides the seat including Las Coloradas, El Edén, Paraíso, San Pablo, Santa Cruz, Santa Pilar Trejo, Santa Rita, Serrano, Tacxahan, and Zabich. The significant populations are shown below:[2]
| Community | Population |
|---|---|
| Entire Municipality (2010) | 3,438 |
| 1068 in 2005[7] | |
| Río Lagartos | 2127 in 2005[8] |
Every year on 25 July there is a festival to patron of the town, Saint James the Apostle.[2]