Baja California vs Baja California Sur – What’s the Difference?

What’s going on over there? You hear Baja, Baja Sur, Baja California vs Baja California Sur… what’s the difference?! Mexico has 32 states (technically 31 and Mexico City, which is a separate entity and not an actual state). The Baja California Peninsula has two states: Baja California and Baja California Sur (translations: Lower California and Lower California South). You can often here them referred to as Baja Norte (Baja North), or just Baja, and Baja Sur (Baja South).

To make things even a little more complicated: what you now know as the American state of California, used to be called “Alta California” (upper California). The peninsula and Cali were referred to as “Las Californias” when under Spanish control. Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, and “Alta California” became a Mexican state, and then in 1848, Mexico and America signed a treaty yielding present day California and other parts of the southwest to the USA.

About the Baja Peninsula

The peninsula itself is 1247 km/775 miles long (and we have driven it all, baby) with around 3000 km/1900 miles of coastline. It’s separated from mainland Mexico by the Sea of Cortez/Mar de Cortes/Gulf of California, depending on who you’re speaking to. The western coastline runs along the Pacific Ocean. The peninsula stayed under Spanish control until 1822, which was soon after Mexico achieved its independence. In 1887 the peninsula was divided into two federal districts, then renamed as federal territories in 1931, and then states in 1974 & 1979.

Apart from beautiful beaches, it has deserts, mountain ranges, forests, lagoons, hot springs, biosphere reserves, and more…

Baja California Facts

• was Mexico’s 29th state
• 12th-largest Mexican state by area
• Capital City: Mexicali
• Largest city: Tijuana
• Population: around 3,770,000
• Largest mountain ranges: Sierra San Pedro Martir & Sierra de Juarez
• Highest point: Picacho del Diablo at 10,157 feet (3,096 m)
• Major tourist hubs: Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada, San Felipe
• The Sonoran Desert runs from the USA into here
• claims to have invented the fish taco

Baja California Sur Facts

• was Mexico’s 31st state
• 9th-largest Mexican state by area
• Capital City: La Paz
• Largest City: La Paz
• Population: around 799,000
• Largest mountain ranges: Sierra del Giganta & Sierra de La Laguna
• Highest point: Sierra de la Laguna High Point at 6,857 feet (2,090 m)
• major tourist hubs: La Paz, Cabo San Lucas & San Jose del Cabo
• the only place in the world you can pet a Gray Whale

Did you enjoy reading Baja California vs Baja California Sur – What’s the Difference?! Read about more specific Baja destinations in other posts:

Another good resource: the All About Baja website.

Stay itchy!