Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states of Mexico. It covers an area of 59,864 km2 and has a population of over 4.5 million. It stretches from the Pacific coast to the mountains of the Sierra Madre. The capital is Morelia, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List for its distinctive architecture. Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park around Uruapan is famous for its palm trees and waterfalls. In the eastern part of Michoacán, a wintering ground for the migratory monarch butterfly was discovered in 1975. The area has since been a nature reserve. The most important rivers are the Lerma and Balsas, which, due to their intensity and high flow, are used to generate electricity. Volcanic activity is still present, as evidenced by the formation of the volcano Paricutín in 1943. Around the village of Tzintzuntzan, archaeologists have discovered a number of cultural monuments of indigenous cultures. Steve