Santa Elena Municipality

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Santa Elena Municipality is in Yucatán, Mexico, about 95 km south of the city of Mérida. It covers about 694.9 square kilometers and sits around 31 meters above sea level. In 2010, about 3,833 people lived there.

History in brief:
- The area began as the Maya settlement of Nohcacab, active during the Classic period (600–1000 AD).
- After the Spanish arrived, an encomienda was established, mixing Spanish, Criollo, Mestizo, and Mulatto populations.
- In the 1840s, explorer John Lloyd Stephens used Nohcacab as a base for exploring the Puuc region, leaving detailed records.
- Nohcacab was attacked and burned several times, including in 1849 during the Caste War, which drove many to move to Mérida. Around that time the village probably became known as Santa Elena.
- In 1865, about 300 German colonists arrived to form the Villa Carlota farming colony under Emperor Maximilian I. The colony collapsed in 1867, but some German families remained.

Government:
- The municipal president is elected for a three-year term.
- The town council has four members who handle public works, markets, cemeteries, budgeting, administration, and education standards.
- Police Commissioners maintain public order and enforce laws.

Other populated places in the municipality include Chac, Chetoliy, Chimay, Kabh, Ruinas de Uxmal, Sabac-há, Sacx-axal, Sankté, San Simón, Santa Ana, Uitz, and Yaxché.

Nearby airport:
- Mérida’s Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport (MID) is the major nearby airport.