World Wings: Guanajuato (State)

Guanajuato (State) México

Guanajuato, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato, is one of the 32 states that make up the federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities, with its capital city being Guanajuato and its largest city León. Located in central Mexico, Guanajuato is bordered by Jalisco to the west, Zacatecas to the northwest, San Luis Potosí to the north, Querétaro to the east, and Michoacán to the south. It covers an area of 30,608 km² (11,818 sq mi). Positioned between the country’s arid north and greener south, the state lies within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Mexican Plateau. The Spanish first settled the area in the 1520s because of rich mineral deposits near what is now the capital city, but regions like the Bajío also became important for agriculture and livestock. While mining and agriculture historically drove the economy, they have since been overtaken by the industrial sector, especially the growing automotive industry. Guanajuato contains several historically significant cities, particularly along the “Bicentennial Route,” which follows the path of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s insurgent army at the start of the Mexican War of Independence. This route begins in Dolores Hidalgo and passes through the Sanctuary of Atotonilco, San Miguel de Allende, Celaya, and the capital city of Guanajuato. Other key cities include León, the most populous, and Irapuato. The name “Guanajuato” comes from the Purépecha term “Quanax huato,” meaning “hilly place of frogs.”

Recommended airport

Guanajuato Intl (BJX)

Nearby destinations

Guanajuato (State), México

Guanajuato (State) México