The Yucatan Peninsula

The Yucatan Peninsula is an area which is situated in the southeastern Mexico. It separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. The peninsula is a home to the Mexican nations of Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo. It covers the northern parts of Belize and Guatemala. The Yucatan peninsula is famous for its tropical rainforests and jungles. It is the home to the ancient Maya people. The peninsula was created 66 million years ago by an asteroid measuring nearly 10 to 15 kilometers (6 to 9 miles) in diameter towards the end of the Cretaceous Period. The top 10 geographic facts about the Yucatan peninsula are:

(i) The Yucatan Peninsula is a part of the Yucatan Platform. The Yucatan platform is a large chunk of land that is slightly submerged.

(ii) It is believed that the mass extinction of the dinosaurs occurred due to the impact of an asteroid in the Caribbean. Scientists had found the large Chicxulub Crater just off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and that, along with impact shocks shown on the Yucatan's rocks, is likely to be evidence showing where the asteroid has hit.

(iii) The Yucatan Peninsula is an amazing site for ancient Mayan culture as it consists of many Mayan archaeological sites in the region. The most famous of these include Chichen Itza and Uxmal.

(iv) Present day’s Yucatan Peninsula is till today home to native Maya people as well as people of Mayan descent. The Mayan languages are till today in use in the area.

(v) The Yucatan Peninsula is a karst landscape that is dominated by limestone bedrock.

(vi) Climate of the Yucatan Peninsula is a combination of wet and dry seasons. Winters are mild whereas the summers can be extremely hot.

(vii) The Yucatan Peninsula is located within the Atlantic Hurricane Belt. It is vulnerable to hurricanes between June and November.

(viii) The Yucatan's economy is majorly dependent upon cattle ranching and logging.

(ix) The Yucatan Peninsula is a home to various tropical rainforests and jungles.

(x) The name Yucatan also includes the Yucatan state of Mexico that is located on the peninsula.

By: Anuja Arora

Content: https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-yucatan-peninsula-1435216