# Cancun

> municipal seat of Juárez, State of Quintana Roo, Mexico

**Wikidata**: [Q8969](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8969)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancún)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cancun

## Summary
Cancún is a major city and locality in Mexico, situated in the State of Quintana Roo. It serves as the municipal seat of the Benito Juárez Municipality and is located on the shore of the Caribbean Sea. Founded on April 20, 1970, it has grown into a significant urban center with a population of 888,797 as of the 2020 census.

## Key Facts
*   **Official Name:** Cancún
*   **Location:** Benito Juárez Municipality, State of Quintana Roo, Mexico
*   **Inception:** April 20, 1970
*   **Population:** 888,797 (2020 census)
*   **Geographic Coordinates:** 21.1614° N, 86.8248° W
*   **Elevation:** 5 meters above sea level
*   **Time Zone:** UTC−05:00
*   **Demonym:** Cancunense (masculine and feminine singular)
*   **License Plate Code:** 23
*   **Local Dialing Code:** 998
*   **Postal Code Range:** 77500–77539
*   **UN/LOCODE:** MXCUN
*   **Website:** https://cancun.gob.mx/ (Spanish)

## FAQs
**Where is Cancún located?**
Cancún is located in the country of Mexico within the state of Quintana Roo. Geographically, it sits in the Benito Juárez Municipality on the coast of the Caribbean Sea at an elevation of roughly 5 meters.

**When was Cancún founded?**
The city was officially founded on April 20, 1970. It was established as the municipal seat of the Benito Juárez Municipality.

**How is Cancún connected to other cities internationally?**
Cancún maintains "town twinning" relationships with numerous cities globally, including Wichita (USA), Mar del Plata (Argentina), Hangzhou (China), and Ibiza (Spain), among others. These partnerships date back to 1975 with Wichita and continue through to 2021 with Naperville.

**What is the population of Cancún?**
According to the 2020 census conducted by INEGI (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía), the city has a population of 888,797 residents.

## Why It Matters
Cancún serves as the administrative center for the Benito Juárez Municipality, functioning as a critical hub in the State of Quintana Roo. Its incorporation in 1970 marked the establishment of a planned urban center that has since expanded to nearly 900,000 residents. The city's extensive network of sister cities—ranging from Wichita, Kansas to Hangzhou, China and Antigua Guatemala—highlights its global connectivity and diplomatic relevance. Its strategic location on the Caribbean Sea and its designation as a "big city" and locality of Mexico underscore its importance as a regional pivot point for both governance and urban development.

## Notable For
*   **Extensive Sister City Network:** Cancún maintains active twinning agreements with over twenty cities worldwide, including historical ties dating back to 1975 (Wichita) and newer alliances formed as recently as 2021 (Naperville).
*   **Planned Inception:** Unlike many older settlements, Cancún has a precise founding date of April 20, 1970, identifying it as a relatively modern urban development in the region.
*   **Administrative Role:** It is the municipal seat of Benito Juárez, anchoring the local government for the region.
*   **Global Digital Presence:** The city is represented by a vast array of international identifiers across library authorities (Library of Congress, BnF, National Library of Israel), geographical databases (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap), and cultural repositories (MusicBrainz, Comic Vine).

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Cancún is geographically positioned at 21.161416° latitude and -86.824811° longitude. It is situated within the Benito Juárez Municipality in the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The city lies at a low elevation of 5 meters above sea level and is located next to the Caribbean Sea. It operates in the UTC−05:00 time zone.

As the municipal seat (capital) of Benito Juárez, the city plays a central role in local governance. It utilizes the license plate code 23 and the postal code range 77500–77539. The locality is assigned the INEGI code 230050001.

### Demographics and History
The city was founded on April 20, 1970. According to the 2020 census determined by INEGI, the population stands at 888,797. Residents are referred to as "Cancunense" (applicable to both masculine and feminine singular forms).

### International Relations
Cancún has established a wide network of twinned administrative bodies (sister cities). These relationships span several continents and decades:
*   **North America:** Wichita (since 1975), Mission (2009), Pharr (2009), Naperville (2021), and Compton.
*   **South America:** Mar del Plata (2000), Punta del Este (2014), and Varadero.
*   **Europe:** Timișoara, Ceccano, Ibiza, and Granadilla de Abona (1998).
*   **Asia:** Hangzhou (2008), Sanya (2010), and Haikou.
*   **Central America & Caribbean:** Antigua Guatemala (2002) and Tela.
*   **Mexico:** Oaxaca de Juárez (1993), Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza (2002), Tlaquepaque (2001), Taxco de Alarcón (2006), Tijuana (2003), Santiago de Querétaro (2019), and Tuxtla Gutiérrez (2017).

### Digital Presence and Media
The city maintains an official website at https://cancun.gob.mx/. It maintains active social media profiles on Twitter (@AytoCancun, since 2013), Facebook (AytoCancun), Instagram (@aytocancun), and Threads (@aytocancun). The city also has a presence on Reddit (r/cancun), Quora (Cancun-Mexico), and has a dedicated "Store ID" on Google Play.

### Identifiers and Classifications
Cancún is classified as a "locality of Mexico," a "city," and a "big city." It is indexed in numerous international databases and library authorities:
*   **Library Authorities:** Library of Congress (n78039422), Bibliothèque nationale de France (146325843), National Library of Israel (987007545647205171), and National Library of Brazil (000152145).
*   **Geo-Data:** UN/LOCODE (MXCUN), GeoNames ID (3531673), and OpenStreetMap Node ID (5876942206).
*   **Cultural/Encyclopedic:** Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID (place/Cancun), Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2041464), and Vikidia Article ID (fr:Cancún).
*   **Music/Gaming:** MusicBrainz Area ID (e4d37bbb-8b4e-4487-b3d3-79f26070e57c) and Comic Vine ID (4020-62702).

### Visuals and Media
Visual representations of the city include a logo hosted on Wikimedia Commons and a page banner titled "Praia Delfines." The city's coat of arms is also documented, sharing imagery with the Benito Juarez municipality.

## References

1. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía
2. [Source](http://cancun.gob.mx/sala-de-prensa/prensa/instala-gobierno-de-benito-juarez-comite-de-ciudades-hermanas/)
3. [Source](https://dianaalvarado.mx/quintana-roo/playa-del-carmen/alistan-primer-encuentro-ciudades-hermanas-de-cancun/)
4. [Source](https://www.wichita.gov/Council/Pages/WSC.aspx)
5. [Cancún, Mexico](https://www.wichitaareasistercities.net/cancun)
6. [Source](https://www.diariomarca.com.mx/2017/04/desde-1964-oaxaca-de-juarez-mantiene-25-hermanamientos-con-ciudades-de-mexico-y-el-mundo/)
7. [Source](https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-cancun-sister-city-naperville-st-20210601-rb3gspukbrgfjn5pjusrpqzgcm-story.html)
8. Virtual International Authority File
9. BnF authorities
10. [Source](https://micodigopostal.org/quintana-roo/benito-juarez/)
11. [Cancún planning to throw 50th birthday bash in April. Mexico News Daily. 2020](https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/cancun-gears-up-to-celebrate-its-50th-anniversary/)
12. [Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía](https://www.inegi.org.mx/app/scitel/Default?ev=9)
13. Czech National Authority Database
14. MusicBrainz
15. [Censo de Población y Vivienda 2020](https://www.inegi.org.mx/app/scitel/Default?ev=9)
16. GeoNames
17. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
18. [Best Cancun Posts - Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/t/cancun/)