Social Situation


Population
The residents living inside the Reserve in 2005 were 13,771 inhabitants, of which 6,949 were men and 6.553 women, distributed in 138 localities: 29 ejidos, one common land and 108 private properties (INEGI, 2005). The Reserve's population has several ethnic backgrounds: Tzotzil, Tzeltal (Concordia, Angel Albino Corzo) and Mame (Siltepec and Acacoyagua).

 

Fertility
The municipalities have a fertility rate of 3.88 children per woman of reproductive age. The municipality of Montecristo de Guerrero has the highest rate with 4.93 children per woman, while the one with lowest rate is in the Municipality of Pijijiapan with 3.01 children per woman (Gov. of the State of Chiapas, 2003a).

 

Migration
The places of origin of immigrants that currently (2008) reside in El Triunfo are mainly from the states of Veracruz, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Estado de México, Tabasco, Campeche and Puebla (Gob. del Estado de Chiapas, 2003 a).

 

Economically Active Population (EAP)
According to the XII National Census of Population and Housing, the EAP is represented by 79,530 people, of which 84.88% were male and 15.12% were women (INEGI, 2004). Of the total economically active population in these municipalities, 42.14% are self-employed, 22.25% are laborers and 17.81% are employees and workers, being these three last occupations the most representative of the area (INEGI, 2004 a).

 

Education
Of the total population 15 year-old and over living in the Reserve 23.92% are illiterate. The number of women who fall under this condition is higher than that of men. Municipalities of Montecristo de Guerrero, La Concordia, Ángel Albino Corzo, Villa Corzo and Siltepec have illiteracy rates above 25%. Acacoyagua has the lowest with 18.15% (Gob. del Estado de Chiapas, 2003 a).


It is common that people over 15 have do not complete basic education; about 35.32% of the population is in this situation. Montecristo de Guerrero and Siltepec show the highest rate in the region with 40.90% and 39.08% respectively (Gob. del Estado de Chiapas, 2003 a).

 

Health
People living in the Reserve have access to health services offered by the sector in its various forms. As for mortality rates, leading causes of death in the Reserve are: heart disease, intestinal disorders, malnutrition, diseases during the perinatal period, diabetes mellitus, cancer, liver diseases, intestinal infections and accidents (Gob. del Estado de Chiapas, 2003 a).

 

Services
Most communities have electricity service, although some newly-created do not have such service yet.  
Communication is mainly by telephone with at least one line in every community and by radio, operated by the Community authorities.
The Internet service is limited, nonexistent in most communities.
On the other hand, the majority have potable water service, but not drainage. The use of latrines is the norm.
Although in some communities there are gas stoves and the possibility of getting it, the use of wood for food preparation continues due to cultural issues.

Religion
Most of the Reserve population professes the Catholic religion, with a significant increase in variants of Protestantism like Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons.

 

Language
In all the communities Spanish is the language commonly used, although for reasons of origin of some groups, there are other different mother languages. It is important to mention the disuse of these native languages. This fact is related to not wanting to be assumed as indigenous; being the loss of language an important indicator of the establishment of different relationships with the environment and the separation from community cohesion processes.