Umán Municipality is a municipality in the Mexican state of Yucatán containing 234.30 km2 of land and located roughly 15 km southwest of the city of Mérida. The word "Umán" means “purchase” in the Yucatec Maya language.
History There is no accurate data on when the town was founded, though it existed before the conquest and in antiquity belonged to the chieftainship of Ah Canul. At colonization, Umán became part of the encomienda system with Francisco Hernández recorded as one of the earliest encomenderos.
Yucatán declared its independence from the Spanish Crown in 1821 and in 1825, the area was assigned to the Lower Camino Real with its headquarters in Hunucma Municipality. In 1921, was designated as its own municipality.
Governance The municipal president is elected for a three-year term. The town council has nine councilpersons, who serve as Secretary and councilors of heritage and sports, policing, education and health, public works, potable water, rural development and social management, roads and markets, nomenclature and recruiting, ecology, public monuments.
Communities The head of the municipality is Umán, Yucatán. There are 87 populated areas of the municipality. The most notable include Bolón, Dzibikak, Dzununcán, Itzincab, Oxcum, Oxholón, Poxilá, San Antonio Mulix, Tebec, Xtepen, and Yaxcopoil. The significant populations are shown below:
Community Population Entire Municipality (2010) 50,993Bolón 1271 in 2005Dzibikak 1238 in 2005Itzincab 4744 in 2005Oxcum 1049 in 2005Oxholón 797 in 2005Poxilá 801 in 2005Tebec 459 in 2005Umán 29135 in 2005Xtepén 485 in 2005Yaxcopoil 1102 in 2005
Local festivals Every year from 13 to 15 September the town holds a celebration for the Christ of Love.
Tourist attractions The ex-convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi, built in the eighteenth century Archaeological sites at Bolon, Hotzus and Kizil Hacienda Xtepén Hacienda Yaxcopoil
Transportation Umán is served by the Tren Maya at Umán railway station.
References