Merida has a population of over half a million people and is located 35 km (23 miles) south of the port city of Progresso on the Gulf of Mexico, and on the northwestern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. It's the capital of the Yucatan state in Mexico and is a manufacturing and commercial center.
Of course, tourism is an important aspect of the economy. Some of the city's attractions are the cathedral (built 1561-98) and the Archaeological Museum, and it has the distinction of being the largest city close to historical Mayan sites such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal.
Merida has some Mayan history of its own. In the 6th century, it was a Mayan city named T'ho. After the Spanish arrived, they founded the city as it stands today.
