Chiapas takes the seventh place nationally regarding population, with a little more than four million inhabitants. The state has experienced a dramatic population growth in the last two decades, as in the year 1970 it reported only 1.5 million. Gross birthrate is one of the highest in the country at 22%, but it also takes an infamous first place regarding child mortality at a stunning 25%. Now, concerning the Distribution of the population, nearly 52% is still settled in rural areas, quite above the national average of 24%. The state is home to 12 of the 62 indigenous towns officially acknowledged by Mexican authorities, and which represent 26% of the state population or roughly a million people from the indigenous total of six million nationwide, all of which speak a native dialect and 73% of which speak Spanish a well. The main tongues spoken by these groups are Tzeltal and Tzotzil by the great majority, followed by Chol, Zoque, Tojolabal, Kanjobal, Mame and Chuc. The conditions of poverty characteristic of this southern state are reflected in high levels of illiteracy at 21%, the lack of access to basic public utilities like running water, sewer systems and electric power. It has also the lowest availability in the nation of domestic goods such as television sets, washers, dryers and computers