The city and municipality of
Oaxaca de Juárez, or simply
Oaxaca, is the capital and largest city of the
Mexican state of the same name. It is located in the
Centro District in the
Central Valleys region of the state, on the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro del Fortín extending to the banks of the
Atoyac River. This city relies heavily on tourism, which is based on its large number of colonial-era structures as well as the native
Zapotec and
Mixtec cultures and archeological sites. It, along with the archeological site of
Monte Albán, were named a
World Heritage Site in 1987. It is also the home of the month-long cultural festival called the "
Guelaguetza", which features Oaxacan dance from the seven regions, music and a beauty pageant for indigenous women.