| Official Name: | Xocchel |
| 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: | Leydi Guadalupe Castro Gamboa[2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 53.65 |
| Population As Of: | 2010[3] |
| Population Total: | 3,236 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Demonym |
| Timezone: | Central Standard Time |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | Central Daylight Time |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Coordinates: | 20.85°N -89.1889°W |
| Elevation M: | 14 |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | INEGI Code |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | 009 |
| 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 |
Xocchel Municipality (in Mayan languages pronounced as /ʃokˈtʃʼel/, in the Yucatec Maya Language: “counting jays”) is a municipality in the Mexican state of Yucatán containing (53.65 km2) of land and located roughly 45 km southeast of the city of Mérida.[2]
During pre-Hispanic times, the area was part of the chieftainship of Ah Kin Chel. After the conquest the area became part of the encomienda system. In 1753, two women were the encomenderas for Xocchel, Catalina Guerrero y Ulbarri and María Enríquez de Novoa, responsible for 207 indigenous people.[2]
Yucatán declared its independence from the Spanish Crown in 1821.[2] On 30 November 1840 a partition was made assigning Xocchel to the Izamal Municipality.[4] In 1988, it was made 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 public service, nomenclature, cemeteries, and parks.[6]
The head of the municipality is Xocchel, Yucatán. The other populated areas are Much, El Paraíso, Santa Cruz, X-lelbé, and Yaxquil. The significant populations are shown below:[2]
| Community | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| Entire Municipality (2010) | 3,236 | |
| Xocchel | 2905 in 2005[7] |
Every year from 24 to 29 June, the feast of San Juan Bautista, patron saint of the village, is held.