<P> The dependency of crafts on the tourism trade means that disruption here has a disproportionate effect on the industry . The 2006 uprising severely curtailed tourism to Oaxaca and with it the sales of handcrafts, affecting one of the most vulnerable economic sectors of the state, with sales reduced during the uprising by up to 95% as shops in the historic center were forced to close . This meant that not only vendors in the city were affected but also handcraft producers throughout the Central Valleys who depend on sales in the capital . Political corruption and upheaval, such as the 2006 uprising has a negative effect on handcraft sales . The 2006 events hit the artisans hard because as small enterprises, they did not have the resources needed to adapt to rapidly changing conditions . Since tourism centers on the city of Oaxaca, with relatively few venturing to the outlying areas where the products are made, many artisans are dependent on middlemen based in the city and often are in debt to them . </P> <P> Wood carving and weaving artisans have formed cooperatives and other organizations to continue to promote their work . However, not all artisans have been able to do this . Because of the difficulty in making a living, many artisans emigrate to the United States . </P> <P> Handcraft creation is mostly concentrated in the Central Valleys, the Zapotec region of the state . This area has the highest degree of specialization and variety which includes ceramics, stiff fiber weaving (baskets), textiles of wool and cotton, stone work, wood work, the making of mezcal and leather work . Most crafts - producing communities in the area specialize in one type or sub-type of handcraft and most are located in or near the city of Oaxaca . </P> <P> Sales of merchandise is for the tourist trade, sold through intermediaries mostly in the city of Oaxaca as relatively few tourists venture into the rural areas where the products are made . Those who do venture outside the capital visit larger producers such as the weaving town of Teotitlan del Valle, and the alebrije carving centers of Arrazola and Tilcajete . As the state center for handcraft distribution, there are numerous outlets including Mercado Benito Juarez, the Casa de las Artesanías de Oaxaca and the Jardín Labastida . Other important regional crafts market in the Central Valleys is the market of Miahuatlán with stands selling traditional clothing, foods and baskets, the tianguis in Ayoguezco, specializing in furniture and other wood products and the small market in Etla, specializing in dairy products . </P>

Why is oaxaca considered mexico's center of art