Remittances sent by Mexicans living abroad rose 6.86 percent to $22.73 billion in 2011, the Bank of Mexico said.

Remittances had risen just 0.12 percent in 2010 to $21.27 billion from the $21.18 billion received in 2009, when remittances plunged 15.7 percent.

Of the remittances received last year, $22.22 billion, or nearly 97.8 percent, came via electronic transfers, $206.81 million, or 0.90 percent, was received via postal money orders and the remaining $295.25 million, or about 1.3 percent, was sent in cash or checks.

The average electronic transfer was $326.26, the central bank said.

The states receiving the largest amounts were Michoacan, with $2.23 billion; Guanajuato, with $2.14 billion; Jalisco, with $1.88 billion; Mexico state, with $1.65 billion; and Puebla, with $1.46 billion.

Remittances sent by Mexicans living abroad are the country’s second-largest source of foreign exchange and help cover the living expenses of millions of people.

Most of the remittances are sent from the United States, where an estimated 12 million Mexicans live, with about half of them being undocumented migrants.