climate with an average annual temperature of over 18C. Both climates are humid, receiving large quantities of moist air from the Gulf, with the municipalities one of the most moist areas in the Sierra Norte of Puebla. The steep terrain and wet weather of the area makes its prone to landslides and the opening of cracks in the ground. In 1999, a twenty-meter fissure opened after a period of rain. In 2007, a fault line opened in the ground for 800 meters from the municipal palace to Leandro Valle Schools, provoking several landslides and mandatory evacuations of over eighty families. About four tons of earth and debris moved as a result. Natural history The area is part of several river basins which are all tributaries of the Gulf of Mexico. The rivers here are relatively recent in formation, winding with a number of steep drops. The two largest river basins are those of the Cazones and Tuxpan rivers with the principle water flows being the Mamiquetla, the Cuarco, Los Marías, Trinidad, Honey, Alcalman, Pahuatitla and Chixtla. Several of these eventually form the San Marcos, the main tributary of the Cazones. Most of the municipality's natural vegetation ecosystems have been eliminated. Some forests at the highest elevations remain, of the Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests ecoregion. The lower elevations generally have only shrubs and other low growing vegetation. One major forest area is the perennial rainforest on the edges of the San Marcos River. Where natural vegetation still exists, wildlife such as deer, rabbits and opossum along with various bird and reptiles species are found. There are caves at Angeles Tlacuilotepec, El Saltillo and Cazones, with cave paintings in the area between the Atla and Xolotla communities as well as a small archeological site at Saltillo. Socioeconomics Most of the municipality's residents lives in a state of socioeconomic marginalization, with thirty one communities classified as highly marginalized and two as very highly marginalized. The main economic activities are farming, especially coffee and the making of handcrafts, with commerce concentrated in the town of Pahuatlán proper. The municipality is Mexico's main producer of amate bark paper, with its production concentrated in the community of San Pablito. Other handcrafts include hats, necklaces, embroidered clothing, baskets, semi precious stones and the weaving of wool. The Museo de Arte Popular has sponsored a different craft for the area, the creation of beaded bands. The production