Guanajuato

State of central Mexico; area 30,589 sq km/11,810 sq mi; population (2000 est) 4,656,800. It lies in the central plateau area of Mexico, at an average height of 1,830 m/6,000 ft. Its capital is Guanajuato. In the mountainous northern parts, mining for silver, gold, zinc, copper, mercury, and lead is the leading occupation, but there are fertile plains in the south that produce crops of maize, barley, wheat, and beans. Industries in towns such as Leon and Celaya include petrochemicals, textiles, cement, processed foods, and leather.

Guanajuato has been a state since 1824.

Guanajuato

Town in Mexico and administrative capital of the state of Guanajuato, situated on the banks of the Rio Guanajuato; population (1995 est) 128,200. Gold and silver are mined, and the town has some small-scale industry, primarily ceramics and bakeries. Situated in a narrow gorge amid wild scenery, the town stands at an altitude of 2,018 m/6,621 ft. Guanajuato has many fine Spanish colonial churches and buildings and has developed a considerable tourist industry.

Guanajuato has a university, founded in 1732. The Alhóndiga de Granadita, originally a huge granary, then a fortress, is now a museum. Breads from Guanajuato are renowned throughout Mexico. Silver mining began in Guanajuato in 1548. The town was the birthplace (in 1886) of the painter Diego Rivera. The annual Festival International Cervantino, with music, dancing, and plays, is held each October in honour of the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes and his characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Zone, because of its historical interest.