Chiapas (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtʃjapas]) is the southernmost state of Mexico, located towards the southeast of the country. Chiapas is bordered by the states of Tabasco to the north, Veracruz to the northwest, and Oaxaca to the west. To the east Chiapas borders Guatemala, and to the south the Pacific Ocean, Chiapas has an area of about 74,211 km2 (28,653 sq mi). The 2005 Mexican census population was 4,293,459 people.